Airline Autonomous flight technology

Bell206 said:
True. But any comparison needs to be kept in context: human error vs computer error. And I believe if you were to dig a little deeper in the data you'll find computer system failures far exceed any direct human error caused accidents.
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Hence the birth of the term, "what's it doing now?" :)
 
Palmpilot said:
I'm not sure that's true,
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I'm guessing you dont know the number of systems failures that occur daily due to computer or data issues on aircraft? You might be surprised. So based on that I believe my comment above to be valid.
 
What are you going to do, send the airliner from ORD to LAX with no pilot? Isn’t then the ground observer going to step in to adjust the flight as needed?
 
SkyChaser said:
Perhaps it is a matter of when, not if, but in my opinion, it is not going to be happening within the next 30 years. Not only is the technology still getting to the point where fully autonomous flight can be safely completed, the cost to replace the currently flying fleet is staggering. As long as the government doesn't do something stupid liking banning manned flight, I think pilots will remain relevant for the better part of this century, if not the next. (Assuming, of course, that we don't blow ourselves up or let someone else blow us up first.)
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You forget the bigger piece of the puzzle. Public perception. No way in hell are 200 people going to board a domestic flight without a pilot behind the controls. I know I wouldn't. Hell, we don't even have autonomous trains yet. The best we can do is shuttle rail in airport terminals. The amount of decision making in a commercial jetliner departing a wet runway, flying through ice, circumnavigating around thunderstorms, and dealing with an emergency is something that a passenger isn't going to trust a computer with.

They've been touting autonomous driving tech for the past decade. Look at where we are today.

This is puff publicity.
 
Gordon Freeman said:
You forget the bigger piece of the puzzle. Public perception. No way in hell are 200 people going to board a domestic flight without a pilot behind the controls. I know I wouldn't. Hell, we don't even have autonomous trains yet. The best we can do is shuttle rail in airport terminals. The amount of decision making in a commercial jetliner departing a wet runway, flying through ice, circumnavigating around thunderstorms, and dealing with an emergency is something that a passenger isn't going to trust a computer with.

They've been touting autonomous driving tech for the past decade. Look at where we are today.

This is puff publicity.
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If I owned an airline, I'd make the first pilot-less airplanes first-class only. Then I'd give free rides to a couple of Kardashians in return for their gushing on social media about the awesomeness of the autonomous plane.

And just like that, the public will no longer be squeamish about not having pilots.
 
tspear said:
@Half Fast

Are you sure the thousands upon thousands of hours sitting in cruise helped?
I would think it was the training, life experience, their fight/flight inclination, and any flying not involved with airlines.
Note: I am not an airline pilot, but from everything I have read, airlines never train/plan for a complete engine failure.

Tim
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I’ve been trying to think how to respond to your posts. We actually do train for a complete engine failure like Sully. One of my last sims I landed a the plane in Boston Harbor with both engines shut down. I’ve also, in the sim, had a dual engine flameout at altitude. There is a check list and if we get an engine started a drift down table. We got one engine running and landed at the nearest suitable airport per the check list. If the AUS 767 would have been a drone it would have landed on the runway like it was programmed to do, IMHO.

I enjoy PofA since I retired. I’ve been flying CE172s and PA28s. I am relearning the GA world. However up until last year I was a 33 year FedEx pilot with 21 years in the left seat of a wide body including the last 6 in my favorite airplane, the 767.

Fly safely and have fun doing it!
 
The real problem is any decisions made in the future regarding autonomous flight will likely be made by people that have no idea what they are doing.
 
Shuckers86 said:
I’ve been trying to think how to respond to your posts. We actually do train for a complete engine failure like Sully. One of my last sims I landed a the plane in Boston Harbor with both engines shut down. I’ve also, in the sim, had a dual engine flameout at altitude. There is a check list and if we get an engine started a drift down table. We got one engine running and landed at the nearest suitable airport per the check list. If the AUS 767 would have been a drone it would have landed on the runway like it was programmed to do, IMHO.

I enjoy PofA since I retired. I’ve been flying CE172s and PA28s. I am relearning the GA world. However up until last year I was a 33 year FedEx pilot with 21 years in the left seat of a wide body including the last 6 in my favorite airplane, the 767.

Fly safely and have fun doing it!
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With the facts like you did works just fine.

Tim
 
Bell206 said:
I'm guessing you dont know the number of systems failures that occur daily due to computer or data issues on aircraft? You might be surprised. So based on that I believe my comment above to be valid.
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You could be right, but what I'm saying is that whatever the number is, it's likely to be worse if they try to turn the full range of PIC responsibilities over to AI.
 
sourdough44 said:
What are you going to do, send the airliner from ORD to LAX with no pilot? Isn’t then the ground observer going to step in to adjust the flight as needed?
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Of the ground hacker!
 
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