Commercial Pilots

Monitor engine operation, fuel consumption, and functioning of aircraft systems during flights.

AI: Fully automatable - Real‑time sensors, diagnostics, and AI monitoring systems routinely track engine performance, fuel consumption, and system health and can fully perform monitoring and anomaly detection tasks.

Consider airport altitudes, outside temperatures, plane weights, and wind speeds and directions to calculate the speed needed to become airborne.

AI: Fully automatable - Takeoff performance calculations based on altitude, temperature, weight, and winds are already automated in flight computers and EFB tools, so AI can fully compute required speeds.

Obtain and review data such as load weights, fuel supplies, weather conditions, and flight schedules to determine flight plans and identify needed changes.

AI: Fully automatable - AI systems can ingest load, fuel, weather, and schedule data and generate compliant flight plans and change recommendations automatically.

File instrument flight plans with air traffic control so that flights can be coordinated with other air traffic.

AI: Fully automatable - Existing automated dispatch and ATC interfaces allow AI to compose and submit instrument flight plans to air traffic control systems.

Plan flights according to government and company regulations, using aeronautical charts and navigation instruments.

AI: Fully automatable - Flight-planning tools can apply government and company regulations using charts and navigation data to produce compliant flight plans without human intervention.

Choose routes, altitudes, and speeds that will provide the fastest, safest, and smoothest flights.

AI: Fully automatable - Optimization and flight-management systems can choose routes, altitudes, and speeds that optimize safety, speed, and ride quality automatically.

Request changes in altitudes or routes as circumstances dictate.

AI: Fully automatable - AI can detect changing conditions and send or propose altitude/route change requests via datalink or automated ATC interfaces in real time.

Write specified information in flight records, such as flight times, altitudes flown, and fuel consumption.

AI: Fully automatable - Recording flight times, altitudes, and fuel consumption into logs can be fully automated using onboard sensors and data‑logging systems.

Teach company regulations and procedures to other pilots.

AI: Fully automatable - AI‑driven e‑learning, adaptive training, and automated assessments can fully deliver instruction on company regulations and procedures and track compliance.

Plan and formulate flight activities and test schedules and prepare flight evaluation reports.

AI: Fully automatable - AI can plan and optimize flight activities and test schedules and automatically generate flight evaluation reports from collected data and templates.

Pilot airplanes or helicopters over farmlands at low altitudes to dust or spray fields with fertilizers, fungicides, or pesticides.

AI: Fully automatable - Autonomous and remotely piloted agricultural aircraft and drones already perform low‑altitude aerial application in many contexts, so AI can fully automate this piloting task in applicable settings.

Use instrumentation to pilot aircraft when visibility is poor.

AI: Partial - Autopilots and avionics automate much instrument flying, but AI cannot yet be relied upon as the sole pilot across all aircraft types and operational contingencies as of 2025.

Start engines, operate controls, and pilot airplanes to transport passengers, mail, or freight according to flight plans, regulations, and procedures.

AI: Partial - Autonomous systems exist for niche cargo and drone operations, but AI cannot fully assume the certified pilot role for transporting passengers/mail/freight in mainstream commercial aviation by 2025.

Check aircraft prior to flights to ensure that the engines, controls, instruments, and other systems are functioning properly.

AI: Partial - AI and computer vision can assist preflight inspections and detect many issues, but tactile checks, nuanced visual assessments, and regulatory sign‑offs prevent full automation in most operations today.

Contact control towers for takeoff clearances, arrival instructions, and other information, using radio equipment.

AI: Partial - Speech recognition and datalink automation can handle many communications tasks, but regulatory, reliability, and situational‑awareness requirements mean voice contact with control towers remains only partially automatable by 2025.

Check baggage or cargo to ensure that it has been loaded correctly.

AI: Partial - Physical checking and correct handling of baggage/cargo require on-site inspection and manipulation that software alone cannot fully perform today.

Order changes in fuel supplies, loads, routes, or schedules to ensure safety of flights.

AI: Partial - AI can calculate and request changes to fuel, loads, routes, or schedules, but issuing and authorizing safety-critical changes typically require human oversight and coordination.

Rescue and evacuate injured persons.

AI: Partial - AI can support navigation, sensors, and coordination of medevac or unmanned rescue assets, but cannot reliably perform complex physical rescue and evacuation tasks or the associated on‑scene human judgments in all cases.

Co-pilot aircraft or perform captain's duties as required.

AI: Partial - While autopilots and advanced aids can perform many flying tasks, full co-pilot or captain duties — including command authority and handling novel emergencies — are not fully delegable to AI yet.

Coordinate flight activities with ground crews and air traffic control, and inform crew members of flight and test procedures.

AI: Partial - AI can generate and transmit coordination messages to ground crews and ATC, but nuanced real-time coordination and crew briefings still rely on human judgment and interaction.

Supervise other crew members.

AI: Partial - AI can monitor systems and provide guidance for crew coordination, but cannot assume human leadership, judgment, or legal responsibility for supervising crew.

Instruct other pilots and student pilots in aircraft operations.

AI: Partial - AI can deliver instruction, simulate scenarios, and assess performance, but cannot fully replace human instructors who provide hands‑on in‑flight mentorship and formal sign‑offs.

Fly with other pilots or pilot-license applicants to evaluate their proficiency.

AI: Partial - AI can provide automated evaluation in simulators and objective metrics during flights, but cannot fully replace human judgment and certification requirements for in‑person proficiency checks.

Perform minor aircraft maintenance and repair work, or arrange for major maintenance.

AI: Partial - AI can diagnose faults, guide technicians, and arrange or schedule major maintenance, but physical minor repairs usually require human technicians or specialized robotics not widely deployed by 2025.

Conduct in-flight tests and evaluations at specified altitudes and in all types of weather to determine the receptivity and other characteristics of equipment and systems.

AI: Partial - AI can automate data collection, fly prescribed test profiles, and analyze systems behavior, but complex in‑flight testing across altitudes and weather still requires human decision‑making and risk management.

Check the flight performance of new and experimental planes.

AI: Partial - AI can assist with instrumentation, data analysis, and controlled automated test profiles, but checking performance of new and experimental planes still relies on human test pilots for safety and handling of unpredictable behavior.