from http://www.faa.gov/AVR/NEWS/Previous/autom.htm

Aircraft will eventually be crewed by a pilot and a dog: The pilot will monitor the automated systems, and the dog will bite the pilot if he or she touches anything.

from comp.risks:
With autopilots, who needs a dog to keep an eye on the pilot?
Robert Dorsett <rdd@netcom.com> 
Mon, 24 Nov 1997 07:18:40 -0800 (PST)

On 23 Nov 1997, Paul Sirks got out of his plane in an attempt to restart the
engine by cranking the propeller.  The plane took off on its own without
him, reached 12,000 feet, and flew for two hours before running out of gas
and crashing into an unoccupied bean field northwest of Columbus, Ohio.
[UPI item, 24 Nov 1997, PGN abstracting]