If you're dealing with a labor shortage, you have two options: Recruit more workers or use fewer workers. And it looks like some airlines are opting for the latter:
In the airline business, there are two cost factors the airlines can never control: fuel and labor. And as technology improves — and pilot salaries increase — there's been a controversial move lately by the industry to try to amend what's known as part 121 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. That's the federal air regulation that requires air carriers to have two pilots in the cockpit at all times.
The airlines have been quietly lobbying that the single-pilot approach would quickly solve the staffing problem caused by the pilot shortage and that technology has vastly improved to allow for safe operation of a single-pilot flight.
There's language in a new bill now introduced in Congress — the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill — asking the Federal Aviation Administration to reconsider part 121 and to allow the use of a single pilot operation, first in cargo aircraft.
Understandably, not everyone is thrilled with this proposal:
Dude, you can't fly a jet with just one pilot. One single point of failure between life and death.
If said pilot becomes incapacitated in any way, it's just all over for everyone.
