European Research Project Studies Single-pilot Airline Ops

Avionics manufacturer Thales is leading a €30 million ($39 million) research project to investigate the possibility of single-pilot airliner operations. Named Across (advanced cockpit for reduction of stress and workload), the project started in January and is slated to last three-and-a-half years. Its primary aim is to help crews deal with peak workload and pilot incapacitation (including automated landing in the latter instance). Across will also study “reduced-crew operations”–for example, when one pilot remains in the cockpit during a long-haul flight while the other one takes a break. “Human factors, safety and the identification of key issues for certification” are central to the study. The project, funded at 64 percent by the European Union, also involves Dassault, Airbus and Boeing, among other partners.