Autonomous technology could soon do away with the need for two pilots in the cockpit of passenger jets.
Boeing has been developing technology that could allow planes with 20 or more seats to fly with just one pilot, according to a new report.
The shift, which would likely begin with cargo jets before heading to passenger planes, could help to solve the growing issue of pilot shortages.
The FAA has long required US airlines keep two crew members in the cockpit, and a similar rule applies to passenger planes in Europe.
Boeing Vice President Steve Norlund, however, says autonomous technology could soon change this.
‘I don’t think you’ll see a pilotless aircraft of a 737 in the near future,’ Norlund told The Independent.
‘But what you may see is more automation and aiding in the cockpit, maybe a change in the crew number up in the cockpit.’
The latest comments add further support to a report from earlier this summer, which claimed the firm is examining the possibility of having reduced crew presence in the cockpit of a proposed mid-sized jet that it aims to have in service by 2025.
The plan depends on whether Boeing proceeds with a launch decision next year, according to UBS analysts.
‘You can see the drivers from both angles,’ said Graham Braithwaite, Director of Transport Systems at Britain’s Cranfield University…
