Date

9-17-2026

Department

School of Aeronautics

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Aviation (PhD)

Chair

Mitch Morrison

Keywords

single-pilot operations, night flying, cargo operations, dual process theory

Disciplines

Aviation

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive phenomenology was to examine the lived experiences of pilots who have operated alone at night in an aviation cargo environment. The design was guided by an epistemological philosophical assumption. Extreme advancements in the technology of artificial intelligence and their applications in the aviation industry have raised the question of the value of a single operator serving in commercial cockpits. Some experts argue that a two-person crew is unnecessarily redundant. A significant gap in the current literature of experiential data existed to prompt this study. Through the contextual lens of the Dual Process Theory and the Social Cognitive Theory as two complementary theoretical frameworks, this study used semi-structured interviews to capture the participant’s detailed accounts. Data was analyzed using priori coding, in vivo coding, and thematic analysis. The findings revealed that autonomy, fatigue, confidence through experience, and the role of human interaction were central in the pilots’ descriptions of single-pilot night cargo flying. Finally, the study offers conclusions and recommendations to potential stakeholders regarding future implementation.

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