Sir - British Airways pilots have the right to go on strike, even if Charles Manning does not think so (Letters, Flight International, 17-23 July, P38). His amateur view of the flying profession is right on only one point - the job has changed.
Having good stick and rudder skills are not enough any more - those are basic. In a more and more complex environment, it is the human being who is superior to the machine in developing strategies to solve new problems or prioritising tasks in times of overload.
Those abilities save thousands of lives each day. No machine or auto-pilot can do that.
GEORG SPIETH
Capt, Boeing 737
Ober-Hilbersheim, Germany
Source: Flight International
