Re: Pilots will soon only be needed for taxiing
The technology for automated taxiing to the runway and back exists.
Likewise TCAS/ACAS (traffic collision avoidance system) has been around for over 30 years now and that prevents mid air collisions even if only one aircraft is fitted with it SO LONG AS THE PILOT DOES NOT OVER-RIDE/IGNORE IT (as has happened - The Überlingen mid-air collision, between a Boeing 757 and a Tupolev Tu-154 in 2002 as an example).
Do not forget that airliners in cruise have a closing speed of over 30km/20miles per minute so no human can see the approaching aircraft until seconds from impact. Without TCAS the accident rate would be much higher.
The USA mandated TCAS in 1993, many other countries in 2000 and some as late as 2014. Some countries call it ACAS because they like to be different, like Australia who will not even use the same definitions of Aerodrome/Airport or Aeroplane/Airplane (and other items) as the rest of the world!!
That said the excellent 20yr old FAA report on "The Interfaces Between Flightcrews and Modern Flight Deck Systems" raised many issues on automation and a review of the automation accidents up to that time showed that at that time Airbus had far too many accidents related to technology.
I am sure there are more modern reports from FAA on the same subject but I have not needed to see them (the joys of retirement).
Despite all this aircraft accidents kill less than 1000 people per year - compare that with your countries vehicle or medical error and smoking deaths
Biting the hand that feeds IT
