At the 5th International Aviation Management Conference (IAMC - 2024), Attila Sipos, researcher at our Institute, member of the Emirates Aviation University (EAU) Technical Committee, and space and aviation expert at 4iG Space and Defence Ltd., gave a presentation. Attila Sipos also chaired the panel „Leadership and Education in Civil Aviation” at the conference.
The conference was organised by Emirates Airline (EK) and Academia (EAU), Dubai, 18-19 November 2024.
Attila Sipos gave a presentation on the SIPOs (Single Piloted Operations) initiative, which is currently running as eMCO (Extended Minimum Crew Operations). The revolutionary solution was embraced by the AIRBUS aircraft factory, sharing the aviation industry. Attila Sipos wrote a paper on this topic together with his former colleague, who as an Airbus 380 captain was the first to fly an aircraft powered by 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in November 2023. The study will be published in a book by Springer Nature Switzerland.
The reduction in crew numbers is a long-standing trend, dating back to the 1980s and 1990s, when much larger aircraft cockpits were designed to accommodate a captain and first officer (co-pilot), as well as a flight engineer and navigator. Over time, their number has been reduced and the technical conditions are now in place to allow the aircraft to be operated with a single pilot, especially at this altitude. This is revolutionary because current large and small aircraft flying is based on a two-pilot approach, which defines the tasks to be performed and the procedures to be followed.
But it is clearly the way forward. The introduction of this solution will, over time, have a major impact on the further proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones). In this world, IT and telecommunications services, critical ground infrastructure and innovative technological solutions are essential to make transport even safer, more cost-effective and faster. 4iG Space and Defence Ltd’s Aerial Drone Division (Rotors and Cams), using the resources of the 4iG Group, is actively involved in the development of unmanned aerial vehicles and the exploitation of their potential, particularly in close collaboration with other areas in the operation of systems based on satellite communications services (Remred Technology).
