Push to remove co-pilots on commercial flights slammed by Australian pilots

Australian pilots have hit out at an international push to cut down the number of crew required in the cockpit of commercial jets.

One commercial pilot told 9News that he would not put his family on a plane with just one aviator in the cockpit instead of two.

Australian and International Pilots Association vice-president Mark Hofmeyer said "airlines currently are designed to fly with two well-trained, well-rested pilots".

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More than 40 countries including Germany, Britain and New Zealand have asked the UN body that sets aviation standards to help make single-pilot flights a safe reality, according to The Age.

The plan is part of a push to lower costs and would ease the pressure of crew shortages.

Hofmeyer, however, said the Australian public would have concerns about the move.

"I know that I wouldn't put my family on an aircraft that only had one pilot," he told 9News.

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"It obviously would be cheaper, but I guess (we need to) ask what the balance is between saving money and reducing safety margins.

"At the end of the day, I think we all want to get on aeroplanes that are safe and when you go from two pilots to one pilot, you reduce safety margins."

The likes of Boeing are among those lobbying global regulators to allow just a captain to run the cockpit without a co-pilot.

"The psychological barriers are probably harder than the technological barriers," Boeing Southeast Asia President Alexander Feldman said.

Hofmeyer questioned the safety of such a move though.

"(Currently) at all times there is always one person sitting in a control seat just in case something happens, so I'm not quite sure how with one pilot you can manage that," he said.

For now, Australian airlines are happy with the current co-pilot status quo.