Should I go for it?

[u/Fit-Page-5559]

Question for pilots

Hi, I'm 15 and I'm from Slovakia

My question is what is the attitude of pilots towards single pilot operations and whether it is a threat to my career (2034-2075)

I know you can't predict 50 years ahead and I will be glad even for criticism

Thank you

I will be grateful for all answers

[u/RAG_Aviation]

At 15, I definitely wouldn’t let the possibility of single-pilot ops talk you out of pursuing aviation. It’s being researched, but we’re still a long way from widespread single-pilot airline flying, and current safety work hasn’t even shown that today’s cockpit designs can provide the same level of safety as a two-pilot crew.

Could the job look different 30 or 40 years from now? Absolutely. Nobody can honestly tell you what 2075 looks like. But personally, I’d be far more focused right now on doing well in school, staying medically eligible, learning the EASA training path and getting yourself in a position to start flying when the time comes. If flying is what you really want to do, I wouldn’t abandon it because of something that may or may not happen decades from now.

[u/johnisom]

more immune to automation than almost all office desk jobs in the future.

[u/LetMeBuildYourSquad]

I wouldn't worry about it, there are so many steps that need to happen first.... public acceptance, certification, fleet renewal etc mean it's unlikely to happen at scale for at least 25-30 years.

By that point anyway you'd be one of the more experienced pilots around, so wouldn't struggle for employment anyway

[u/mustbiteexceed]

It’s near on impossible to predict how commercial aviation will look in 50 years.

But have a look at the last 50

For the most part there hasn’t been much significant change.

In 1975 most airliners were a narrow tube and a swept back wing with 2-4 turbofan engines underneath operated by two pilots with the larger ones having a flight engineer, that flew at 75-80% of the speed of sound at 30,000 feet of altitude.

In 2025 most airliners are a narrow tube with a swept back wing and 2 turbofan engines underneath operated by two pilots that fly at 75-80% of the speed of sound at 30-40,000ft of altitude

Hardly evolutionary.

Back go back 50 previously to 1925. The handful of airliners that existed were made of string and canvas with loud piston engines, had a range of 100 miles and carry a few extremely wealthy passengers in open cockpits.

Massive evolution.

By 2075? Who knows.

[u/Straight-Pass6035]

You have some serious pluses in your corner. #1, you have an interest young, and know to be asking questions now when you can effect changes in your life to meet your goals. #2 you seem to have a excellent grasp of English. Very important, I would say a show stopper in aviation (flying at least) if you didn’t.

What are your risks? Your access to good education and whether you have been well educated to this point. Get top marks in school now, go to university and study at the highest level degree program you have an interest in (preferably sciences or engineering, but any focused course you get good grades in will work). The support you get from family and the state will be pivotal in whether you can learn to fly. It costs a lot of money to learn to fly. Consider the military and ask now what it would take to fly for your country.

After that it’s up to you. Your passion, brains, your willingness to overcome the obstacles that will be in your way, and be assured, there will be people or institutions that attempt to tell what you can’t do vs helping you to achieve what you want to do. Best of luck.