Since humans first took to the skies, airplanes and the skills required to fly them have become more advanced. The transition from propeller-driven to jet engines, physical instruments to digital display screens, and lighted ground-markers to satellite-based navigation has happened at an incredible pace. While these advancements have made flying safer and more efficient, it has come at a price. The modern aviator has to manage a workload and technology that his pioneer brethren would have only dreamed as possible.

With the increased demands placed on a modern pilot, there is a school of thought that pilots are becoming more dependent on automation. The result of this newfound dependence is the loss of some of the basic flying skills critical to safe flight. In recent decades, increasing levels of automation have significantly reduced pilot workload and the number of crew required. Automation has improved safety overall and the subsequent reduction in the number of cockpit crew members from four to two for short flights has increased efficiency. However, pilots are now losing necessary, fundamental skills such as navigating by reference to landmarks, performing calculations related to airspeed and altitude, and the ability to fly planes without the assistance of an autopilot.

A glaring example became evident in 2013, when an Asiana Boeing 777 landed short of the runway at San Francisco International Airport. In the course of the investigation it was discovered that the pilots, despite having many hours of flying experience, were not proficient in landing an airliner without the use of high-level automation. On that day, part of the airport’s instrument landing system (which guides planes to the runway) was out of service for repairs. While only necessary in low-visibility conditions, some pilots have become overly reliant on this system and may experience difficulty flying a visual (non-automation) approach to a runway.

The Asiana accident is only one example of the concerns regarding pilot skill degradation now facing the airline industry. In recent years, manufacturers of small aircraft have replaced traditional gauges and navigation systems with highly automated and integrated displays. The result has been faster, clearer, and more accurate information reaching the pilot. However, similar to airlines, the automation deprives pilots of learning opportunities and prioritizes computer skills over flying skills. This is particularly concerning because these smaller aircraft are used to train all new pilots, including those who will go on to fly airliners and other commercial aircraft.

An informal survey of more than 500 commercial Pilots found that 90% of respondents believed “pilots as a whole were losing flying skill as a result of automation.” 7% did not believe that a loss of skills was occurring, and 3% were not sure or held an alternative view. While the response was not unanimous, the survey suggests that pilots themselves are concerned about the general loss of flying skills.

The survey also offered respondents the opportunity to comment. While many of the comments concentrated on the need for pilots to practice basis flying skills, others indicated the need for pilots to have both the basis flying skills and a good understanding of new, more advanced technology. This point is critical. As aircraft continue to become more automated, a higher level of knowledge and understanding is required to accurately monitor, control, and correct the systems of an aircraft. The aviation industry refers to this as “systems knowledge.”

Although the investigation is still ongoing, many in the industry believe that the pilots’ lack of “systems knowledge”, coupled with a lack of basic flying skill, contributed to the Ethiopian Airlines crash. The unfortunate loss of Lion Air 610 and Ethiopian 302 highlight the need for pilots to have both a good foundation of basic flying skills and a thorough understanding of the aircraft’s systems.

The industry has taken notice of these issues and is taking steps to correct it. In the initial stages of training, flight instructors are teaching student pilots to fly both with and without automated systems. Known as “stick and rudder”, these skills provide a set of base flying skills. Airlines are encouraging pilots to occasionally fly without the autopilot to promote aircraft handling skills. Airlines are allowing pilots to select the appropriate level of automation and only use required systems. This is done to prevent automated systems from distracting pilots during critical phases of flight, such as landing.

The Federal Aviation Administration has also engaged with the flying community to address over-reliance on automation, and a potential loss of flying skills by commercial pilots. In particular, the FAA has been reviewing and updating airline training programs for several years, with an emphasis on slow speed flight, emergency procedures, and the proper use of automation. Even though airlines create and implement their own training programs, the FAA must approve each individual program before an airline can adopt it as standard practice. Arguably, the FAA failed in regards to approving training programs for the 737. However, the FAA has the opportunity and tools to not only correct the Max training programs, but also to learn from its mistake and improve future training programs.

Ultimately, well-trained and proficient pilots are necessary to achieve safe travel by air. The required abilities include both basic flying skills and a thorough understanding of the aircraft being flown, particularly the automated systems. Many pilots and airlines have come to recognize this concern and are working hard to address these issues, improve air safety, and ensure a reliable air transportation system for years to come.