File instrument flight plans with air traffic control to ensure that flights are coordinated with other air traffic.

“File instrument flight plans with air traffic control to ensure that flights are coordinated with other air traffic.” is a supplemental task performed by Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers. Among the occupation's 26 rated tasks, workers place it 11th by importance (#16 most important). About 37% of workers say it is relevant to their job.

This is a single occupation-specific task statement from O*NET. The figures below describe how central the task is to the job and what independent studies measure about AI and this kind of work — not a prediction that the task will be automated.

Work activities this task rolls up to

O*NET groups concrete tasks into broader work activities shared across many occupations.

• Communicate with others about operational plans or activities. in Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates

AI exposure

The OpenAI / Eloundou “GPTs are GPTs” study rates this task E2. Exposure with tools — software built on top of a language model (not the model alone) could cut the time by at least half.

Exposure measures whether a model could meaningfully speed the task up — it is an estimate of overlap with model capabilities, not a measure of whether the work will be done by software. The study's intermediate score (β) for this task is 0.50. Automation potential label: T3.

Other tasks in this occupation

• Use instrumentation to guide flights when visibility is poor. · importance 4.9
• Start engines, operate controls, and pilot airplanes to transport passengers, mail, or freight, adhering to flight plans, regulations, and procedures. · importance 4.9
• Work as part of a flight team with other crew members, especially during takeoffs and landings. · importance 4.9
• Respond to and report in-flight emergencies and malfunctions. · importance 4.9
• Inspect aircraft for defects and malfunctions, according to pre-flight checklists. · importance 4.8
• Contact control towers for takeoff clearances, arrival instructions, and other information, using radio equipment. · importance 4.8
• Monitor engine operation, fuel consumption, and functioning of aircraft systems during flights. · importance 4.7
• Monitor gauges, warning devices, and control panels to verify aircraft performance and to regulate engine speed. · importance 4.7
• Steer aircraft along planned routes, using autopilot and flight management computers. · importance 4.7
• Check passenger and cargo distributions and fuel amounts to ensure that weight and balance specifications are met. · importance 4.6
• Confer with flight dispatchers and weather forecasters to keep abreast of flight conditions. · importance 4.4
• Coordinate flight activities with ground crews and air traffic control and inform crew members of flight and test procedures. · importance 4.3
• Order changes in fuel supplies, loads, routes, or schedules to ensure safety of flights. · importance 4.3
• Brief crews about flight details, such as destinations, duties, and responsibilities. · importance 4.2

See all tasks on the Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers page.

Sources for this page

Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.

• O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
• “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic

Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.

@misc{singulariki-task-10580,
  title  = {File instrument flight plans with air traffic control to ensure that flights are coordinated with other air traffic.},
  author = {{Singulariki}},
  year   = {2026},
  note   = {O*NET 30.3; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130. Accessed June 7, 2026},
  url    = {https://singulariki.com/tasks/task-10580}
}