Boeing Studies Pilotless Next Jetliner

I know nothing about the demands of flying an airliner with two pilots, let alone with one. I suspect that eventually, the standard crew will be one pilot, just in case, and perhaps two on long flight. But until the technology proves itself through decades of use, and is able to be backed up by a remote-control solution, I don't think the public is going to be willing to ride in a plane with no human pilot. (I know I wouldn't.) But this will happen, eventually.

What I'd rather see is a hybrid model. Automation yes, but a different pilot training model. Basic PPL in a small GA aircraft, like usual, to get the basics down. Then everything else in a more advanced full-motion simulator. Something that really feels like the real thing. If one knows that they want to be an airline pilot, wouldn't there time be better spent building a few thousand hours in a simulator, with every conceivable problem or combination of problems (including automation failure) being thrown at them time and again, than sitting right-seat and teaching PPL students to fly bug-smashers?

Then again, I'm probably full of s**t. Like I said, I don't know anything about flying airlines. I'm sure someone will come along and set me straight.
 
I am sure FedEx and UPS probably has a hand in this as well. Just think how much money the companies would save by eliminating pilot salaries.
 
But if you reduce the number of pilots or eliminate them, won't you have to significantly increase the number of stews so they can keep up with all of the alcohol requests? I know I'd have to be pretty sloshed to trust my life to someone on the ground while I'm up in the sky.

On the other hand, maintenance crews can also be reduced as there will be far fewer BS write ups to work on especially during pilot union contract negotiations. :D
 
One pilot? Yes. No pilot's? Never.
 
Rykymus said:
I know nothing about the demands of flying an airliner with two pilots, let alone with one. I suspect that eventually, the standard crew will be one pilot, just in case, and perhaps two on long flight. But until the technology proves itself through decades of use, and is able to be backed up by a remote-control solution, I don't think the public is going to be willing to ride in a plane with no human pilot. (I know I wouldn't.) But this will happen, eventually.

What I'd rather see is a hybrid model. Automation yes, but a different pilot training model. Basic PPL in a small GA aircraft, like usual, to get the basics down. Then everything else in a more advanced full-motion simulator. Something that really feels like the real thing. If one knows that they want to be an airline pilot, wouldn't there time be better spent building a few thousand hours in a simulator, with every conceivable problem or combination of problems (including automation failure) being thrown at them time and again, than sitting right-seat and teaching PPL students to fly bug-smashers?

Then again, I'm probably full of s**t. Like I said, I don't know anything about flying airlines. I'm sure someone will come along and set me straight.
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Isn't this more or less how pilots are trained in Asia?
 
Mtns2Skies said:
Isn't this more or less how pilots are trained in Asia?
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No idea.

Zeldman said:
I am sure FedEx and UPS probably has a hand in this as well. Just think how much money the companies would save by eliminating pilot salaries.
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I'm pretty sure whatever they save will be replaced by the costs of owning and maintaining the automation. The difference is that they don't have to worry about a pilot shortage. Just build more automated aircraft.

Another thing: If the airlines want to sell the public on the idea of fully automated passenger aircraft, they need to show how it not only makes it safer, but reduces the cost of the customer's ticket. Most people are willing to take extra risk to protect their money.
 
Pretty soon there will be no jobs left in the universe. It will be all AI and robots. The human race will die off as robots take over and begin the cycle again!!!

Also being a pilot is pretty much the most noble profession in all of the universe...if they get rid of it then we are all doomed
 
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I was #2 for takeoff behind this guy earlier today (Reaper @ KSYR), they are here all the time now. I think full automation/remote piloting is a lot closer than we all think. I think we will see it slowly creep into commercial passenger aviation, but I agree first will be the cargo haulers. One pilot and a backup on the ground someplace. After enough hours it will seem normal and we will see less redundancy (humans) on board passenger carriers.
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All the manual labor in this country is being automated...pretty soon all the landscaping jobs will be robots too :(

Honest question...don't you guys think as more and more automation creeps into industries there will be more of a gap in socio-economic classes? It seems like there will be less middle class, more poor and then just uber rich guys who own these automation companies. More and more people are losing their jobs to automation, out sourcing to other countries, etc. Seems scary to me...
 
Warfare will be automated at some point also. It's a bit scary.
 
There's only one solution to this problem. Shut down all engineering schools and stop engineers from ruining everything!

Or we leave the engineers here on earth and move to another planet where we can resume normal life
 
jbrinker said:
I was #2 for takeoff behind this guy earlier today (Reaper @ KSYR), they are here all the time now. I think full automation/remote piloting is a lot closer than we all think. I think we will see it slowly creep into commercial passenger aviation, but I agree first will be the cargo haulers. One pilot and a backup on the ground someplace. After enough hours it will seem normal and we will see less redundancy (humans) on board passenger carriers.
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Impossible.....:D
 
If you guys are so capable of predicting what "will" happen, how come you're not all billionaires by now?
 
CC268 said:
Honest question...don't you guys think as more and more automation creeps into industries there will be more of a gap in socio-economic classes? It seems like there will be less middle class, more poor and then just uber rich guys who own these automation companies. More and more people are losing their jobs to automation, out sourcing to other countries, etc. Seems scary to me...
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I've thought for some time that we're headed for a society of Eloi and Morloks.
 
kyleb said:
I've thought for some time that we're headed for a society of Eloi and Morloks.
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Your a prophet...this is exactly where we're headed!
 
jbrinker said:
I was #2 for takeoff behind this guy earlier today (Reaper @ KSYR), they are here all the time now. I think full automation/remote piloting is a lot closer than we all think. I think we will see it slowly creep into commercial passenger aviation, but I agree first will be the cargo haulers. One pilot and a backup on the ground someplace. After enough hours it will seem normal and we will see less redundancy (humans) on board passenger carriers.
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I think your opinion is the closest to what will happen , in reality, in the not too distant future.

Cheers
 
kyleb said:
I've thought for some time that we're headed for a society of Eloi and Morloks.
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The only rub there is automation pays well if there's lots of volume. If there are so many more poor, they won't be buying stuff. There is a tipping point where everybody goes down.

John
 
jsstevens said:
The only rub there is automation pays well if there's lots of volume. If there are so many more poor, they won't be buying stuff. There is a tipping point where everybody goes down.

John
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I've always thought that would be the undoing of Wal-Mart. Every US factory they close by outsourcing to China hurts their customer base. One day they will wake up and their traditional blue collar customers just won't exist any more.
 
CC268 said:
All the manual labor in this country is being automated...pretty soon all the landscaping jobs will be robots too :(
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You mean... there are illegal alien robots?!?!

Now we really do need a wall.

Yeah, I know. American robots are just too lazy to do that sort of work.

I kid. I kid.
 
SkyDog58 said:
You mean... there are illegal alien robots?!?!

Now we really do need a wall.

Yeah, I know. American robots are just too lazy to do that sort of work.

I kid. I kid.
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That's exactly right. The Mexican robots will be taking over the Mexican human jobs.
 
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CC268 said:
Pretty soon there will be no jobs left in the universe. It will be all AI and robots. The human race will die off as robots take over and begin the cycle again!!!

Also being a pilot is pretty much the most noble profession in all of the universe...if they get rid of it then we are all doomed
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Agreed !
As technology and automation increase jobs will decrease. At the same time the worlds population is increasing. I see a looming problem on the not too distant horizon. History has time and again shown what happens to large unemployed populations !
 
Art VanDelay said:
Agreed !
As technology and automation increase jobs will decrease. At the same time the worlds population is increasing. I see a looming problem on the not too distant horizon. History has time and again shown what happens to large unemployed populations !
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Actually, it will eventually balance out. Sooner or later, the world will realize that with robots to do all the grunt work required to keep the wheels of civilization turning, not as many humans will be required. It will make for poor people in the beginning, but eventually the population will decrease to a more manageable size, since we won't need so much skilled and unskilled labor. Much of the population will switch to maintain our robot overlords. (I jest) But humanity will be set free to do what only humans can do, with the help of robotics. I don't see it as doom and gloom, but as an opportunity to expand and do greater things, on the backs of our robot overlords. (As they pretend to be our servants.)
 
Let's make Earth great again guys. Say no to automation.
 
There are some services that will never be automated completely and they are even legal in some parts of Nevada... This thread is starting to sound quite dystopian.
 
CC268 said:
All the manual labor in this country is being automated...pretty soon all the landscaping jobs will be robots too :(

Honest question...don't you guys think as more and more automation creeps into industries there will be more of a gap in socio-economic classes? It seems like there will be less middle class, more poor and then just uber rich guys who own these automation companies. More and more people are losing their jobs to automation, out sourcing to other countries, etc. Seems scary to me...
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Who's going to buy the stuff if no one has money from their jobs? But yes, good question.

Anthony said:
Warfare will be automated at some point also. It's a bit scary.
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The one with the most robots wins? Seems like it will be a war of attrition...
 
Rykymus said:
Actually, it will eventually balance out. Sooner or later, the world will realize that with robots to do all the grunt work required to keep the wheels of civilization turning, not as many humans will be required. It will make for poor people in the beginning, but eventually the population will decrease to a more manageable size, since we won't need so much skilled and unskilled labor. Much of the population will switch to maintain our robot overlords. (I jest) But humanity will be set free to do what only humans can do, with the help of robotics. I don't see it as doom and gloom, but as an opportunity to expand and do greater things, on the backs of our robot overlords. (As they pretend to be our servants.)
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The problem with that approach is that generally speaking poor people tend to have more babies not less.
 
Art VanDelay said:
Agreed !
As technology and automation increase jobs will decrease. At the same time the worlds population is increasing. I see a looming problem on the not too distant horizon. History has time and again shown what happens to large unemployed populations !
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More hippies and mimes in the park?
 
Cap'n Jack said:
The one with the most robots wins? Seems like it will be a war of attrition...
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That seems to be where it is going. I can understand not wanting to risk human lives, but then what is the motivation for avoiding war? I guess the risk of your "assets" getting damaged would be the risk, plus civilian losses, and property losses, but still.
 
I guess those who are currently "poor" could improve their station in life by picking up a skilled trade . . . like automation equipment repair/programming.
 
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