A balancing act

Automation and the dying art of hand-flying

The two recent collisions involving US Navy vessels has grabbed headlines and world attention alike. While the investigations and recriminations are underway, one cannot help but draw parallels between aviation and our maritime brethren with some of the discussions that are emerging. Old sailors are citing the loss of basic skills, lookout and seamanship, the growth of Computer Based Training (CBT) at the expense of classroom face-to-face instruction and as always, an over reliance upon automation. Sound familiar?

Many of the same issues have been raised time and again in the aviation sphere, but what hasn’t necessarily emerged is a solution. However, this is not the time for old salts and airmen to recline in their rockers, shake their heads and espouse stories of “when I was a lad”. The fact is that the story is still evolving and most definitely has two sides.