Pilots: Who Needs Them?

By Robert Mark on August 3rd, 2009

michael o'leary jetwhine Qualified professionals to operate the world’s fleet of new, high-technology aircraft are more necessary than ever before, despite a growing proliferation of UAVs. Unfortunately, airline management and their pilots are not always on the same page when it comes to who should do what and for how much money.

Thanks to a loyal Jetwhine reader, it is clear that sometimes airline management does get the point, as we see here. And what’s next, NATCA’s air traffic controllers with a real contract? Who knows, it just could happen.

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9 Responses to “Pilots: Who Needs Them?”

  1. Dave Says:

    NATCA might just have a ratified contract soon, though the one issue (pay) was not agreed upon and was sent to binding arbitration.

  2. Dale Kettring Says:

    Concerning UAV’s, being an electronics technician, I am very aware of the failure rate of electronic equipment. Even with multiple redundancies failures occur on a surpisingly regular basis. I, for one, would be very uncomfortable not having a pilot in control of my aircraft.

    Another reason for my discomfort is that the very best computers in the world still cannot process and act on information as well as a human does. To much data, to many negative scenarios to anticipate when programming a comupters response.

    Maybe someday, but not in the near future, we can eliminate pilots.

  3. Peter Sweeney Says:

    I love the use of Michael O’Leary’s picture in the article.. if he had the choice of considering pilots as an overhead you can be sure he’d take them out of the equation altogether! Any way to cut costs.

  4. Norman Says:

    I gather Mr O’Leary treats his pilots rather badly. But at least he’s blunt, honest and very up-front. Unlike some who slide a stiletto between our ribs that is so sharp you don’t feel it till the vital organs rupture.
    That’s why we have Unions and ultra-bright Wunderkind staffing them. O’Leary doesn’t like them for some reason, neither does Willie Walsh – but then he used to be one … LOL

  5. Robert Mark Says:

    …”some who slide a stiletto between our ribs that is so sharp you don’t feel it till the vital organs rupture.”

    Ouch Norman.

    Yet all too true.

  6. Norman Says:

    Bitter experience from the Line Rob, loads of guys on your side of the Pond have felt it. Just been talking to the United guys in the immigration line about vanishing pensions… another wicked trick that has floated to the surface.

    Its a good job we don’t do this just for the money and that ‘shrouds* have no pockets’- soon there won’t be any left anyway! LOL

    ATB

    Norman

    *UK-US decode: shrouds – what you wear when they nail the lid closed on you for the last time.

  7. Airplane video maker Says:

    If this was to happen then RyanAir would probbably be the one of the first to get rid of the pilots. It was very smart to illustrate this post with O’Leary’s picture! Maybe it’s just me but I’ve got a feeling that aviation is loosing it’s passion and exclusiveness…air travel feels more like riding a bus than an aircraft. Now all we need to do is get rid of the pilots and there we are! Sad but true.

  8. Juno Copley Says:

    I’ve been doing a lot of air travel lately, and can’t help but notice that there are hardly any minority Airline Captains. Seriously, is there a reason the ranks are closed to people of color? I’d really like to see more diversity. I’m also writing to the American Diversity Czar in the White House to get the ball rolling on some changes in who flys our planes.

  9. Lovett Says:

    NATCA might just have a ratified contract soon, though the one issue (pay) was not agreed upon and was sent to binding arbitration.

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