The US FAA has warned that passenger jet crashes have become more likely because of pilots becoming dependent on autopilot systems.
A report by The Daily Mail has said that the findings by the FAA have shown that it fears pilots are not confident enough to fly manually. In a report to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), it said: "When automation ceases to work properly, pilots who do not have sufficient experience of manual control may not have enough skills to take control."
The FAA has further warned that too many airlines fast track pilots, with just 240 hours in a simulator or cockpit required to qualify for an ICAO multi-crew pilot's licence - compared with at least 1,500 under US rules.