The head of one of the world's biggest airlines is worried pilots risk being seduced by technology and lose their flying skills as aircrafts get more advanced. It criticised the Federal Aviation Administration for not having in place processes to assess whether airline pilots adequately monitor automated systems on the flight deck or maintain their manual flying skills. He said New Zealand airlines already had programmes in place to ensure automation was used appropriately and that pilots retain manual handling skills. ''It was a wake up call for airlines globally to ask whether their jet pilots in this highly automated world are maintaining their manual flying skills.'' He said the association was satisfied with the training pilots were getting in New Zealand.

Source: New Zealand Herald October 20, 2016 20:48 UTC