Risky or safe? Soon only one pilot in the cockpit - Swiss staff alarmed

Only one pilot in the cockpit - this idea could soon become reality. While the aircraft manufacturers reassure us.

Flying safety is the top priority. But the question arises as to what will happen if, in future, only one pilot sits in the cockpit and monitors the systems during a flight. What still seems unimaginable today could soon become reality.

Aircraft manufacturers and airlines are increasingly focusing on the introduction of so-called "reduced crew operations". This envisages only one pilot sitting in the cockpit, supported by advanced technology.

However, this development has been met with criticism. The pilots' union Aeropers is expressing considerable concerns and has launched an eye-catching campaign. One poster shows a toilet bowl in the cockpit, accompanied by the question: "Can you deal with two emergencies at the same time?" This is intended to draw attention to the potential risks that could come with a reduced crew.

Logical step or delicate maneuver?

Aeropers spokesman Roman Boller, himself a long-haul pilot with Swiss, explains to "SRF": "A problem in the cockpit doesn't usually occur suddenly. It is often a gradual process in a complex situation." When the second pilot enters the cockpit and first has to get an idea of the situation, valuable seconds pass that can be crucial in an emergency.

However, the idea of flying with one pilot less is seen by some as a logical step. With the A350, Airbus has already developed an aircraft that is technically designed to operate with just one pilot. The airline Swiss is planning to use this type of aircraft on its route network from 2025, but for the time being with two pilots in the cockpit.

Oliver Buchhofer, member of the Swiss Executive Board, emphasizes to "SRF" that this transition will not be rushed. "Many questions still need to be clarified first, for example in the technical or operational areas when a pilot needs to go to the toilet. Only when all these questions have been clarified and it is safe will an airline take this step."

Laura Frommberg, editor-in-chief of the trade magazine "Aerotelegraph", is convinced: "If the authorities wave something like this through, it will be safe." After all, no one in aviation can afford not to consider safety as a top priority. "If that happens, you won't fly anymore."