This paper examines the feasibility of single-pilot operations (SPO) in commercial aviation by identifying high workload tasks suitable for automation. Drawing on an extensive literature review of secondary sources, the study investigates human factors — including fatigue, distraction, communication errors, and boredom — that elevate accident risk when crew is reduced from two pilots to one. Key workload assessment tools such as the NASA Task Load Index (TLX) and the Bedford method are evaluated. The paper presents a qualitative research design, summarizes findings on automatable tasks (including checklist inspection, fuel management, and collision avoidance), and concludes with recommendations for maintaining robust pilot-to-ground communication and rigorous training to support safe SPO implementation.
The number of aviation pilots has been decreasing over the past few years as technology has assumed most cockpit functions to reduce workload. Over the preceding three decades, the standard crew complement in commercial aviation aircraft has been two pilots (Boy, 2014); however, debate continues about whether further reductions should be considered — replacing additional human functions with automated systems. This paper investigates the high workload tasks in aviation aircraft that could be identified and automated so that workload management for one pilot is more manageable and single-pilot operations (SPO) can be safely supported.
Recently, efforts have been made to reduce the number of crew members in air carrier transport airlines from two to one. The rationale is that automating most tasks would allow a single pilot to manage workload safely. However, it is essential to identify the high workload tasks so that appropriate automation can be provided for better aviation management and reduced costs. Research efforts and resources would be directed toward determining these workloads in order to formulate effective technologies, procedures, and pilot training. The required automation for safely achieving single-pilot operations is attainable only when equipment and training are well-established.
The central question guiding this research is: what workload tasks require automation to enable single-pilot operations? This question facilitates the search for information leading to an understanding of which workloads could be handled safely by a single pilot instead of two.
The research question for this study is as follows:
What tasks are considered "high workload tasks" such that their automation could ease workload management for a two-pilot crew and support a reduction to a single pilot?
If the high workload tasks are specified, then automation would improve workload management by a single pilot, and the transition to SPO would be more feasible and convenient.
Research has demonstrated various benefits of having at least two pilots in passenger or cargo aircraft, as they share the management of workload. The human factor must be addressed when automating workload tasks, since final decisions remain with the pilot — even in critical situations and emergencies. Where the human factor is present, there exists the potential for error, as situations may arise in which a rule or procedure is not followed, resulting in an unwanted emergency.
A study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of LOSA (Line Operations Safety Audit), a multi-crew management system, and its feasibility for application in single-pilot operations (Earl et al., 2012). The study investigated errors that pose threats to flights and found that errors such as intentional non-compliance, communication failures, procedural mistakes, and aircraft mishandling were prominent. The associated threats included weather management, aircraft automation issues, operational pressures for environmental handling, loss of control in air traffic, and adverse conditions at the airport.
Another study indicated that risk factors for aircraft accidents include fatigue, high workload, distraction, automation confusion, insufficient training in automation, pressure during emergencies, and unsatisfactory situational awareness (Yan, 2014). Effective communication can reduce many of these risks — managing distraction, mitigating low performance during high-workload tasks, and providing support particularly in emergencies such as fire or severe weather conditions. Like high workload, fatigue is a human factor capable of causing catastrophe in aviation, and it is difficult to monitor through automated systems alone.
Interviews with pilots have revealed that they value the presence of a co-pilot, as interpersonal bonding plays a meaningful role in releasing mental pressure (Vu et al., 2018). A co-pilot helps maintain situational awareness and relieves the boredom of flying alone, while also helping manage stress. One study concluded that even as automation sophistication increases in modern aviation, the presence of a lone pilot would likely lead to boredom and adversely affect attention levels — even in managing automated systems (Bhana, 2010).
Generally, the two-pilot operations in a commercial aircraft encompass aviation tasks, navigation, communication and coordination, and management of system state (Lim et al., 2017). Specific criteria must be considered before reducing crew members from two to one. The workload factors and functions central to these criteria include controlling the flight path, preventing collisions, communicating with the ground crew, controlling aircraft systems and monitoring the engine, making decisions about commands, and navigation (Sulzer, Cox & Mohler, 1981).
The factors that contribute to increased workload for a minimum crew include maintaining constant power and engine controls, managing emergencies such as fire or severe weather, addressing system or device malfunctions, managing the complexity of multiple simultaneous functions, the urgency required to fulfill those functions, the mental and physical pressure on a single pilot to normalize flight operations, and the likelihood of a further increase in workload during an emergency.
According to the NASA Task Load Index (TLX), six workload subscales were identified: mental demand, physical demand, temporal demand, frustration, performance, and effort (Casner & Gore, 2010). This model's advantage is that it captures pilots' perceptions of their own workload, enabling a more accurate assessment of tasks that could be automated for single-pilot operations. Although the method carries some risk of personal bias in workload identification, it remains effective in identifying tasks based on personal experience.
To address the shortcomings of the TLX method, the Bedford method can be employed. Its primary advantage is the inclusion of ratings with corresponding interpretations — when a pilot assigns a rating to a workload, the relevant interpretation provides sufficient explanation. However, the same limitation applies: pilot judgment is involved in assigning ratings, which introduces subjectivity.
Additionally, concern has been raised that if the number of pilots is reduced from two to one, and greater reliance is placed on the human factor alongside automation, the single pilot must be thoroughly qualified and trained for the role. A study with a high reliance on NASA simulation data (Bailey et al., 2017) found that single-pilot operations increased workload compared to two-pilot crew arrangements, as all decisions had to be made by a lone pilot — decisions that can be subjective based on that pilot's individual assessment of safety. Though pilots are well-trained, they must be in a state capable of addressing emergency threats in air transport operations.
Additional flight factors have been assessed as contributors to pilot workload. Research examining human errors as major drivers of workload stress and reduced performance found that flying over a populated area and maintaining a suitable gliding angle are significant concerns (Lee, 2010). New procedures and compliance with those procedures in such demanding conditions further compound pilot workload challenges.
The research design is qualitative, using secondary research, as previous studies and research reports provide the foundational knowledge about workload tasks that contribute to aircraft accidents. Causal factors are drawn from the existing literature so that the automation of high workload tasks can be better understood in the context of single-piloted aircraft.
The qualitative research strategy involves the collection of secondary data from various sources, including research reports from well-known databases and aviation websites. Case studies and phenomenological research are the selected strategies of inquiry, as available secondary data provides depth of understanding over an extended period. Additionally, human experiences and reported problems related to workload management are incorporated, given their role as major contributors to aircraft accidents.
Following extensive secondary research, content analysis is used to identify words, themes, and concepts relevant to high workload tasks associated with air accidents. Logical inferences are drawn so that the qualitative information can meaningfully address the research question. Systematic observation and interpretation of the qualitative data are employed to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the problem.
After a thorough analysis of the existing literature, the core workload operations that could be automated to support crew reduction — particularly in air carrier transport aircraft — include inspection of checklists, fuel management, estimating arrival time, suggesting emergency landing spots, and indicating possible emergencies such as fire, cargo door opening, or medical urgency.
A second theme identifies the value of combining single-pilot operations with highly automated systems capable of providing critical information, increasing situational awareness in cargo aircraft, offering flexibility, enabling error prevention, and responding rapidly to critical in-flight circumstances. Such a combination could serve as the foundation for future SPO aircraft models.
A third theme raises concerns about reduced crew operations: a single pilot would be exposed to boredom and loneliness, potentially resulting in diminished attention to automated systems and their prompts. It is also more likely that a lone pilot makes careless mistakes regarding compliance with automation protocols, thereby exposing both pilot and cargo to risk. Constant monitoring and supervision would be required for single-pilot operations to prevent attention from being adversely affected by potential boredom.
"Qualitative secondary research and content analysis approach"
"Key themes on automatable tasks and SPO risks"
Casner, S. M., & Gore, B. F. (2010). Measuring and evaluating workload: A primer. ResearchGate Publications.
Earl, L., Bates, P. R., Murray, P. S., Glendon, A. I., & Creed, P. A. (2012). Developing a single-pilot line operations safety audit: An aviation pilot study. Aviation Psychology and Applied Human Factors, 2(2).
Lee, K. (2010). Effects of flight factors on pilot performance, workload, and stress at final approach to landing phase of flight [Doctoral dissertation, University of Central Florida]. STARS Electronic Theses and Dissertations.
Lim, Y., Bassien-Capsa, V., Ramasamy, S., Liu, J., & Sabatini, R. (2017). Commercial airline single-pilot operations: System design and pathways to certification. IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine, 32(7), 4–21. https://doi.org/10.1109/MAES.2017.160175
Sulzer, R. L., Cox, W. J., & Mohler, S. R. (1981). Flight crewmember workload evaluation. U.S. Department of Transportation.
Vu, K. L., Lachter, J., Battiste, V., & Strybel, T. Z. (2018). Single pilot operations in domestic, commercial aviation. Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 60(6), 755–762.
Yan, J. (2014). Identifying opportunities of tracking major human factors risks through flight data monitoring [Doctoral dissertation, University of Waterloo].
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