FedEx and UAV's

[Newpilot2b]

Fred Smith would love to have pilotless aircraft, and he has been quoted as saying so. With civilian pilotless aircraft possibly 10-20 years away what is being done to keep them off the property? Has the union addressed this in their contract? I know most people think it won't happen in their lifetime, but it could. What is being done to ensure that we still have a job in 20-30 years?

 

[shearedshaft]

I had a fed on the jumpseat six months or so ago who was talking about the future that would be here before we knew it, and Fedex/UPS were apparently very seriously working with the FAA on UAVs.

I didn't take it for much, since fed gossip is about as reliable as flight attendant gossip, but this was a representative of the FAA discussing unmanned aircraft for freight operations.

 

[NGT]

Fred Smith would love to have pilotless aircraft, and he has been quoted as saying so. With civilian pilotless aircraft possibly 10-20 years away what is being done to keep them off the property? Has the union addressed this in their contract? I know most people think it won't happen in their lifetime, but it could. What is being done to ensure that we still have a job in 20-30 years?

I would recommend worrying about this when aircraft start crashing up instead of down. Everyone says the cargo airlines should worry about this more than the pax, but a FedEx lawn jart wieghs as much as a Delta lawn jart on my house. What kind of CEO wouldn't love a pilotless aircraft/ driverless trucks/ employeeless sort facilities ect. ect. ect... You know what would triple profits today, executiveless corporations! I worry about pilotless aircraft as much as I do executiveless corporations. I'm not saying it can't or won't happen, I'm just saying I'll be more concerned with my full Depends underwear than a V2 cargo rocket. It will only strengthen my retirement if they succeed. 1903 - 2007 to get the cockpit crew to 3 or less. 2007 - ? to get it to none? To even develop and produce the first one will take firm orders of the entire world fleet to cover R & D and certification. I am more likely to die of a manta ray attack in my career. If it does happen though I will be a billionaire from my invention of aircraft resistant roofing!

 

[USNFDX]

911 pretty much set this idea back several decades.

 

[Deuce130]

Just look at the accident rate of UAVs in theater attributed to pilot (operator?) error. We're a long way off from having pilotless MD-11s soaring over America.

 

[KCPilot]

It's going to be at least 15-20 years before they get all the "bugs" worked out!

 

[SDF2BUF2MCO]

Cabatoge first, then UAV's (joking somewhat).

 

[SNIZ]

No Way

After working airspace issues for UAVs both here and overseas while on active duty. I here to tell you that widespread commercial UAVs are at least 20-25 years away. I could see some on trans-pac routes and that's about it. The global air traffic system might have most of the digital know how to do it but the "political will" just isn't there because of the aforementioned reasons. The links to the ground/SATCOM control stations just aren't reliable enough.

 

[gutshotdraw]

About two weeks ago, I saw an article in a trade rag (forgive me, I can't remember which), stating that Israeli Aircraft Industries had started research on unmanned large aircraft specifically for the freight market. The article indicated the company recognizes that passengers will NEVER get onto an aircraft without somebody in the pointy end but that the freight industry could move in that direction. Clearly, the technology is not mature as indicated by the fairliy high loss rate of military UAV. Nevertheless, you have to wonder if it might happen 10 or 15 years down the road.

"What are you doing, Hal?" "My systems are functioning perfectly, Dave."

 

[crxpilot]

Here is my answer to UAV's, watch the video then decide!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1hfVmIDS7A

 

[fr8doggie]

Fred Smith would love to have pilotless aircraft, and he has been quoted as saying so.

Could you reference this please?

Also, consider all of the complexity involved in daily
FDX ops: WX, Maint, ATC, diverts. Think some kind of UAV/AI vehicle could handle it?

 

[Newpilot2b]

Is alpa doing anything to ensure that our jobs are secure in 20 years if these planes do arrive? I'm sure someday we'll see them flying freight. I think our only defense is the union puting something in the contract. I also hope that all the pilots would strike before allowing the first one to come on property. I know that there is a ways to go, but I think its something we need to take seriously.

 

[Newpilot2b]

Fr8doggie, I just did a google search for Fred Smith and UAV's. A couple of the articles showed that he was indeed interested in this. This could be bad for our pilot group in 20 years. The money that could be saved is tremendous. For those with only 20 years left there is nothing to worry about. But there are many with 20 - 35 years left that could be affected. If it does happen I hope that the union would have something in the contract and that our pilots would stick together.

 

[Phaedrus]

I saw the article too.
I think that if any issue would spur unity this would be it. However I don't think unity would matter a whole lot if the technology was in place to make it viable, safe and efficient. What's the leverage?

 

[Bavarian Chef]

Is this a serious thread?

 

[30West]

Instead of pilotless aircraft, how about idiotless airline boardrooms.

 

[mannyaplus11]

I worked UAV's (Predator) for three years at the factory.
First, more than 40% of all UAV's are GONE!!!!
Second, the FAA is nowhere near in allowing them in the National Air Space.
Third, I'm sure management would love pilotless airplanes, right up until a pilotless airplane crashes into a large or small metropolitan area.

FedEx + UAV's = OUT OF BUSINESS.

 

[USNFDX]

yeah,

right up till some terrorist group hacks into the system and turns them into missiles.

 

[1st Overnite]

Instead of pilotless aircraft, how about idiotless airline boardrooms.

Your more likely to see the pilotless aircraft

 

[TrapAv8r]

http://www.goyk.com/video.asp?path=719

Early attempt at a flyby with a remotely piloted vehicle.

 

[PeanuckleCRJ]

That wasn't remotely piloted... There were two pilots up front, and a few others going for a ride in the back.

It had to do with an early software glitch combined with the pilots not being familiar with the permutations of how the airbus would behave.