Reduced crew and single pilot operations implemented on civil aircraft : a legal perspective

Abstract

The composition of cockpit crews has significantly changed since the inception of international air travel. Advances in technology have led to a gradual reduction in the amount of crew needed in the cockpit to complete a scheduled international service. At present, international air law requires that two pilots are simultaneously present on the flight deck when operating large commercial aircraft. This minimum requirement could change with the introduction of reduced crew operations (RCO) and single pilot operations (SPO). When these concepts are implemented, a lone pilot will be in the cockpit for certain segments (cruise phase) or throughout an entire flight, thus departing from the current two crew minima. This dissertation examines the impact that RCO and SPO will have on the standards and recommended practices set out by the International Civil Aviation Organization and corresponding national aviation legislation.