At some point in the future aircraft communication will be probably digital. Here are some articles about it.
Yeah right, Just like pilots will be allowed adequate rest on overnights, the minimum qualification to be employed by an airline will be increased and pilots will be forced to retire before their age becomes a significant risk.
All of the above have laws mandating there implementation yet none of it has happened and none of it ever will. All three of my overnights this week barely left enough time for four hours in an actual bed trying to sleep in-between 12 hour duty days. real safe.
If airline management and lawmakers have such disregard for safety, the certainly don't care about pretty new digital communication systems so radio geeks can listen to them.(not an insult, Im a radio geek too)
The govt can propose and research it all they want, but when United, Delta, US air jetblue southwest and american all threaten to close there doors because TSO'd digital radios will break a budget that cant even afford enough pilots to staff the airline safely, the idea will be dead before it starts.
It will never happen. Not in any of our lifetimes.