Today Air Line Pilots Association notified Aero Crew News and other media outlets of its efforts to “prevent single-pilot operations from entering the commercial aviation environment,” specifically citing a recent letter to Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury. The email notice reads:
Hi there. Hope you are having a good summer so far. As part of our ongoing global efforts to prevent single-pilot operations from entering the commercial aviation environment, we just sent this letter to the CEO of Airbus urging the manufacturer to reconsider its current plan to reduce the number of pilots on the flightdeck and introduce more risk into what is currently the safest mode of transportation in the world.
Signed by pilot labor leaders from around the world representing tens of thousands of pilots, the letter makes clear that, in the wake of the recent CrowdStrike meltdown, technology alone can never replace the indispensable role of two pilots on the flight deck. In fact, the most critical safety feature on every flight remains two well-trained and rested pilots on the flight deck during all phases of the flight.
Key points from the letter include:
- “The recent CrowdStrike technology meltdown wreaked havoc across the aviation industry, leading to hundreds of canceled flights and leaving thousands of passengers and crewmembers stranded. This fiasco caused immense hardship, inconvenience, and financial losses. Fortunately, the safety and security of aircraft operations were not impacted, but the lesson here is the certain fallibility of technology and the necessity to consider technology as an assist to human professionals and monitored airline operations rather than replacement.”
- “In a safety critical industry where passengers expect safety to always come first, we respectfully request that you reconsider your current strategy around single-pilot operations – eMCO – and pursue a strategy that combines the best technology that we have with the resilience and security of two pilots in the flight deck. This is how we have created the safety record that we have today.”
This call to action comes as recent events continue to demonstrate the importance of two pilots on the flightdeck. Just a few days ago, a first officer fell ill mid-flight, underscoring the importance of having an additional crewmember on the flightdeck. And this week, the National Transportation Safety Board is conducting a hearing on Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 in which the plane lost a door plug in-flight earlier this year.
Pilots across the globe believe this issue is of paramount importance and would appreciate your help in bringing it to the forefront of public discourse. ALPA President Capt. Jason Ambrosi is available for interviews to discuss this pressing matter. Thank you for your attention and let us know if there is any additional information that would be helpful for your reporting.
Corey Kuhn
Lead Media and Communications Strategist
Mobile: 202-468-5618
Office: 703-689-4131
Air Line Pilots Association, International
View a copy of the letter sent to Mr. Guillaume Faury.
