Friday, January 15, 2016

Pilots Too Dependent On Automation?

"US Pilots Forget How to Fly Manually, Says Department of Transportation".

The article quotes a recent DOT report:
Advances in aircraft automation have significantly contributed to safety and changed the way airline pilots perform their duties...
While airlines have long used automation safely to improve efficiency and reduce pilot workload, several recent accidents, including the July 2013 crash of Asiana Airlines flight 214, have shown that pilots who typically fly with automation can make errors when confronted with an unexpected event or transitioning to manual flying.
As a result, reliance on automation is a growing concern among industry experts, who have also questioned whether pilots are provided enough training and experience to maintain manual flying proficiency.
I hope we have enough of these advanced autopilots on board, then!