Well shit, consider me corrected then.

It actually just occurred to me that Conway was a pilot before he was a ship's captain, so in a pinch he could probably serve as copilot. That would give an in-lore reason as to why there isn't a copilot aboard the Garrloch for such an experimental vessel.

I imagine that no one cares once you get past the Ring, but the UINC probably would have refused to send the airplane without a redundant pilot, which Conway can be.

im just trying to rationalize some shit in my brains, pay me no mind: it's partially a fantasy world anyway