AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 53-2011.00

Will AI replace Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers?

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers: AI can already handle 2 of 24 tasks; most of the work is hands-on, and the part AI can address mostly needs a standard-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 24 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers, from most to least exposed. 2 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Monitor gauges, warning devices, and control panels to verify aircraft performance and to regulate engine speed. 80 Estimated Standard 4.7
Evaluate other pilots or pilot-license applicants for proficiency. 65 Estimated Standard 3.8
Start engines, operate controls, and pilot airplanes to transport passengers, mail, or freight, adhering to flight plans, regulations, and procedures. 50 Estimated Efficient 4.9
Steer aircraft along planned routes, using autopilot and flight management computers. 50 Estimated Efficient 4.7
Coordinate flight activities with ground crews and air traffic control and inform crew members of flight and test procedures. 50 Estimated Frontier 4.3
File instrument flight plans with air traffic control to ensure that flights are coordinated with other air traffic. 50 Estimated Standard 4.1
Plan and formulate flight activities and test schedules and prepare flight evaluation reports. 50 Estimated Standard 3.1
Inspect aircraft for defects and malfunctions, according to pre-flight checklists. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.8
Use instrumentation to guide flights when visibility is poor. 15 Estimated No tier 4.9
Work as part of a flight team with other crew members, especially during takeoffs and landings. 15 Estimated No tier 4.9
Respond to and report in-flight emergencies and malfunctions. 15 Estimated No tier 4.9
Contact control towers for takeoff clearances, arrival instructions, and other information, using radio equipment. 15 Estimated No tier 4.8
Monitor engine operation, fuel consumption, and functioning of aircraft systems during flights. 15 Estimated No tier 4.7
Check passenger and cargo distributions and fuel amounts to ensure that weight and balance specifications are met. 15 Estimated No tier 4.6
Confer with flight dispatchers and weather forecasters to keep abreast of flight conditions. 15 Estimated No tier 4.4
Order changes in fuel supplies, loads, routes, or schedules to ensure safety of flights. 15 Estimated No tier 4.3
Brief crews about flight details, such as destinations, duties, and responsibilities. 15 Estimated No tier 4.2
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. 15 Estimated No tier 4.2
Perform minor maintenance work, or arrange for major maintenance. 15 Estimated No tier 4.0
Choose routes, altitudes, and speeds that will provide the fastest, safest, and smoothest flights. 15 Estimated No tier 4.0
Direct activities of aircraft crews during flights. 15 Estimated No tier 4.0
Record in log books information, such as flight times, distances flown, and fuel consumption. 15 Estimated No tier 3.7
Instruct other pilots and student pilots in aircraft operations and the principles of flight. 15 Estimated No tier 3.7
Make announcements regarding flights, using public address systems. 15 Estimated No tier 3.2

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 24 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 24 of 24. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.

The model tier this role needs

A standard-tier model or lower covers 29% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 34% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 67% is hands-on.

Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.

Wages, employment and outlook

US employment
103,560
Median annual wage
$232,140
Middle half of earners
$182,280 to $384,440
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
+3.9%

Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.

Adjacent roles

The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.

Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.

Questions about Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers and AI

Will AI replace Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers?

AI already handles 2 of the 24 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 27 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by +3.9% from 2024 to 2034.

What is the AI exposure of Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers?

27 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 0 of the 24 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 24 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers tasks can AI already do?

The tasks with the highest exposure are: Monitor gauges, warning devices, and control panels to verify aircraft performance and to regulate engine speed; Evaluate other pilots or pilot-license applicants for proficiency. They are the tasks that reach 60 or more.

What AI model tier does this role need?

A standard-tier model or lower covers 29% of the role's importance-weighted task work, and 67% is hands-on work that no model tier covers. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.

How many people work as Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers, and what do they earn?

103,560 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $232,140 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +3.9% from 2024 to 2034.

How to cite

Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.

JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/airline-pilots-copilots-and-flight-engineers

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