Transportation & Logistics occupation
Will AI replace Airline Pilots, Copilots, And Flight Engineers?
See how this occupation’s day-to-day work compares with other jobs in exposure to AI and automation, why it received this result, and where human skills remain essential.
Airline Pilots, Copilots, And Flight Engineers
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers · Transportation & Logistics
Higher AI & automation exposure than 90% of jobs we compare.
Exposure index: 90 / 100
This compares the type of work in this job with the work in hundreds of other jobs.
This is a comparison between jobs — not a 90% chance of job loss.
Why did this job get this result?
- Computerized flight management systems, electronic flight instrument displays, and pre-flight route calculations involve intensive automation.
- Pre-flight checklists, standard operating procedures, and air traffic control communications follow exact regulatory protocols.
- The work takes place in the physical cockpit of commercial aircraft operating at high speeds in varied atmospheric weather.
- Pilots must manage unexpected system failures, evaluate turbulent weather hazards, and make split-second safety decisions.
- Disciplined flight crew coordination and continuous communication with copilots, flight attendants, and air traffic controllers are vital for safety.
How technology may change this work
Technology and human strengths
What AI & automation may affect
- Computerized flight control systems and automated autopilots handle aircraft navigation, cruise altitude, and precision instrument approaches.
- Digital flight management tools and dispatch software automate flight plan calculations, fuel burn tracking, and weather chart updates.
Human strengths in this job
- Taking command and exercising life-or-death aeronautical judgment during catastrophic mechanical failures or severe weather emergencies
- Maintaining disciplined flight deck coordination to cross-check flight control actions and prevent errors under high pressure
- Making critical go-around, diversion, and manual landing decisions when automated systems reach their operational limits
- Assuming ultimate legal, ethical, and personal accountability for the physical safety of passengers and aircraft
How this result breaks down
These are model components, not percentages of the job or of how necessary people are.
How much the job involves information, data, writing, analysis or other digital work that AI and software may help with.
How much of the work follows regular, predictable or repeated steps.
How much of the physical work may be suitable for machines or robotics.
How much the job depends on judgment, creativity, communication and adapting to real situations.
How is the index calculated?
The Exposure Index is a percentile comparing this job's digital, routine, and physical tasks against all 897 occupations in the Model 2.1 dataset. A score of 90 means higher modeled exposure than approximately 90% of comparable jobs.
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What people in this job commonly do
- Use instrumentation to guide flights when visibility is poor.
- Start engines, operate controls, and pilot airplanes to transport passengers, mail, or freight, adhering to flight plans, regulations, and procedures.
- Work as part of a flight team with other crew members, especially during takeoffs and landings.
- Respond to and report in-flight emergencies and malfunctions.
- Inspect aircraft for defects and malfunctions, according to pre-flight checklists.
- Contact control towers for takeoff clearances, arrival instructions, and other information, using radio equipment.
How we compare jobs
We look at what people do in hundreds of occupations — including digital work, repeatable activities, physical automation and human skills — then compare the job with other occupations.
What this tool cannot predict
It cannot predict individual job loss, exact technology adoption timing or decisions by an individual employer.
Occupation and data details
O*NET-SOC: 53-2011.00
Career category: Transportation & Logistics
Typical education: Bachelor's degree
Data source: O*NET, U.S. Department of Labor.
This product includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Toolsyte has modified and scored some information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.