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Location: Jonquil City (aka Smyrna) Georgia- by Atlanta
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You board an airliner to fly somewhere but there is no pilot aborad! Maybe not even any crew! It looks like it is the coming thing. Even today most the actual flying is done by computers. The pilot doesn't steer the plane or land or take off. He just pushes a few buttons and the plane pretty much flies itself. So technically I can see a day when the pilot is not needed. BUT I would not feel very comfortable with nobody in command myself. I want somebody up there at the front "just in case". What about you?
You board an airliner to fly somewhere but there is no pilot aborad! Maybe not even any crew! It looks like it is the coming thing. Even today most the actual flying is done by computers. The pilot doesn't steer the plane or land or take off. He just pushes a few buttons and the plane pretty much flies itself. So technically I can see a day when the pilot is not needed. BUT I would not feel very comfortable with nobody in command myself. I want somebody up there at the front "just in case". What about you?
Not going to happen for commercial air travel. NYC subways are also designed to run with no driver - but due to feedback from the public (mostly NO!!!!!), they like to see a human being in that seat. It's all about perception.
Computers don't get drunk, or suicidal, or get sick, or get angry, or distracted, or care if you point a gun at them.
No they don't. But on the other hand, computers are machines. Machines can fail. What happens when you're on a computer-operated plane without a pilot and the computer fails? Do you just write it off as "one of those things?"
They'd need someone on board to just be there as maintenance or support in case something goes wrong. And they'd have to know how to fly it "just in case."
No they don't. But on the other hand, computers are machines. Machines can fail. What happens when you're on a computer-operated plane without a pilot and the computer fails? Do you just write it off as "one of those things?"
Considering that the vast majority of fatal plane crashes are due to pilot error, the numbers speak for themselves. Redundancy is built into the system in the event of failure. On modern large commercial aircraft the pilot is not only the most useless piece of equipment on an aircraft but the one most likely to fail. You may feel more comfortable having a human to blame but I don't.
Considering that the vast majority of fatal plane crashes are due to pilot error, the numbers speak for themselves. Redundancy is built into the system in the event of failure. On modern large commercial aircraft the pilot is not only the most useless piece of equipment on an aircraft but the one most likely to fail. You may feel more comfortable having a human to blame but I don't.
Agreed. Pilots today already fly heavily augmented by computer and electric assistance, with computer autopilot already being able to serve (and already serving) every major function a pilot is supposed to handle. With AP, pilots have become expensive valet's for aircraft.
No they don't. But on the other hand, computers are machines. Machines can fail. What happens when you're on a computer-operated plane without a pilot and the computer fails? Do you just write it off as "one of those things?"
Considering that the majority of fatal plane crashes are due to pilot error, the numbers speak for themselves. Redundancy is built into the system in the event of failure. On modern large commercial aircraft the pilot is not only the most useless piece of equipment on an aircraft but the one most likely to fail. You may feel more comfortable having a human to blame but I don't.
You can easily point out a small number of incidents where the pilot did indeed save the day but the NTSB can point out many more instances of a malfunctioning pilot crashing a perfectly good airplane.
We can sit here and argue this point till the cows come home. I trust machines more than people.
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