Pilotless Airliner - They're looking at it again!

[bvt1151]

Still a ways away, but check out that picture. If anything, this certainly puts pressure on two-man cockpits.

EU Unmanned Airliner Concept outlined

 

[Palomino]

wonder how well a computer can run a QRH or a Memory Item?

 

[SDF2BUF2MCO]

This month's ATW mag had another article relating to this. Said perhaps as soon as 5-6 years (too "optimisitc" IMO) - another 30-40 years is more "realisitic" perhaps.

 

[bvt1151]

wonder how well a computer can run a QRH or a Memory Item?

Pretty well, actually. Its the dealing with weather and the outside-the-plane factors that will doom it.

 

[luckytohaveajob]

Likely to be a cargo hauler first

This is what DHL, UPS, and FedEx want as the next generation cargo hauler.

 

[Hutchman]

This is what DHL, UPS, and FedEx want as the next generation cargo hauler.

Boxes don't care who is flying, people do.

 

[BLUE BAYOU]

The Air Force has already proven that this concept is on the way. I wouldn't recommend your young children to this profession anymore. The GlobalHawk is a fully GPS navigated and flown (no pilot on ground) airframe. Although the first prototype crashed on takeoff (I believe) this piece of machinery can taxi, takeoff, cruise, descend, land, and taxi to a parking spot within 6 inches of a designated spot. It may be on the horizon for cargo/passenger applications, but having seen a Predator UAV blast terrorists from their vehicle may at least put the days of a manned fighter/bombers in the military to be numbered. I think it will take at least 25-30 years before the public would accept a pilotless aircraft. Maybe they'll hire someone to pull the levers like in a train to open/close the doors and then call them pilots...

 

[FNG_that's me]

What happens when some hacker breaks the code and flys one of these pilotless planes into a building in NYC?

 

[dollacrackho]

the public would never accept a pilotless airplane. there will always be somebody up front to monitor things. the computer may taxi, takeoff, land and park the plane but there still has to be someone there on the 1 in a 100000 chance that something goes wrong. and if there has to be one person up there, than there has to be another person to be there in case the other person passes out or dies.

 

[AC560]

the public would never accept a pilotless airplane.

They said the same thing about trains, but I don't see anyone not getting on the ones without engineers.

 

[Jeepman]

I can just see it now. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have encountered a Fatal system error....would you like to send a copy of this report to microsoft?"

I'm sure it works great for the military, butwhen one of these drones goes down in the middle of battle, is anyone in Bagdad gonna sue? Maybe. If an automated A380 went down in SFO imagne the lose of life & lawsuits there.

Not gonna happen for a long time.

 

[G2T]

They said the same thing about trains, but I don't see anyone not getting on the ones without engineers.

Trains don't travel at 41,000ft at 500 mph either.

 

[dollacrackho]

They said the same thing about trains, but I don't see anyone not getting on the ones without engineers.

if something goes wrong on a train it can just slow down and stop. wtf do you do if your pilotless plane wigs out at altitude.

 

[AC560]

Trains don't travel at 41,000ft at 500 mph either.

No but you have cars jumping in front of trains going 200mph though (or track conditions, or whatever). I think the idea that the public is going to be up in arms is highly over blown.

 

[mannyaplus11]

I worked with Predator for three years. If you want to kill this idea quickly, all you have to do is let the public know just how many times Predator went Lost Link, or how many times the system just failed or how many times the racks locked up. You'll see just how quickly this thing will die.

 

[J32driver]

No but you have cars jumping in front of trains going 200mph though (or track conditions, or whatever). I think the idea that the public is going to be up in arms is highly over blown.

Is the airplane going to take evasive action to not hit the fuel truck? How about that flock of geese passing over the runway during takeoff? Or the standing lenticular marking severe turbulence that doesn't show up on radar? Who sequences the taxi flows out of the alley and to the runways at ORD or JFK? Is there going to be a red "pull here" handle for an emergency in the cabin? Will it detect and avoid that Piper Cub in the valley on the way to the runway?

Hey AC560... since you think this will be an easy leap, have you ever flown an airliner or are you just another sci-fi geek speaking about a process you don't understand?

 

[donger]

The Air Force has already proven that this concept is on the way...

The ONLY way you are gonna get people to fly around in these dang pilotless birds is give them no choice or pay them.

Then again there ARE some pilotless planes capable of taking passengers flying all over the US right now...

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/industry/2156137.html

 

[Big Beer Belly]

I worked with Predator for three years. If you want to kill this idea quickly, all you have to do is let the public know just how many times Predator went Lost Link, or how many times the system just failed or how many times the racks locked up. You'll see just how quickly this thing will die.

This reminds me of the 50+ year-old promise of "flying cars" for personal transportation! :laugh:

BBB

 

[CarjCapt]

I can just see the standard TRW parameters installed in the software package, such as 20miles away from TRWs. Then flying 50miles downwind from a TX or OK airmass TRW with tops to 70K and coming away with every leading edge pounded back to the spar. Land successfully and have 150 passengers suing for mental anguish.

 

[scoreboard]

Ditto. I Deadhead in back and folks ask me why I'm not in front. I tell them the plane is fully automatic and I'm only here if theres a problem, you should hear the comments. This turd won't float with the pax, cargo maybe, until one shuts down LAX when it vears 90 right off the runway after landing...