How long until pilots replaced with UAVs??

[Billy Madison]

It may happen, but it's not that likely anytime soon. I mean we don't have unmanned trains or unmanned ships yet. Seems like both would be easier to build and less likely to crash.

It will never happen in the passenger airlines. No passenger will be willing to fly with no pilot.

You are right, we don't have unmanned ships....but the level of automation is for some reason not there with ships.

As far as the trains go....I can think of a few airports with trains that run without humans as well as the train mentioned before in Japan.

Billy

 

[capt. megadeth]

The fly-by-wire is more realistic. Like the pilots on the stealth, they are only there to monitor.

Don't we already do that?

 

[Whale Rider]

Yeah Right!!!!

We'll run out of oil before R2 D2 replaces Buck Rogers.:beer:

 

[AerroMatt]

It's amazing that people are all right with tens or hundreds of tons of aluminum cruising about over their heads. For it to stay that way, one would think that they would still want someone on board that has a immediate personal interest in it not crashing. My personal feeling is that all UAV's should be operated only in unihabited restricted areas or war zones. The reply to this would probably be to create restricted areas everywhere.

It would be best to vehemently oppose all UAV's any where outside of war zones or to-and-from war zones, & warfighter UAV's only. No cargo, refueling etc. Its a case of the camel getting its nose under the tent.

I agree 100%

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

I figure it will happen in the cargo industry before the passenger airlines. Considering aviation is only a slightly over 100 years old and looking at how much its changed, I don't think its too far fetched to think it could happen in my lifetime. Thoughts?

Billy

Trans Pacific Cargo: 5-10 years
Trans Atlantic: 2-4 years later
Over land ops after 5 years of successful ops

Pax will take longer.

I could argue alot of the above posts, but don't have the time and
inclination right now.

CE

 

[FlierDude]

Interesting how the opinions divide on this. High-timers generally agree it's a non-issue, lower-timers see it happening in their lifetimes.

FWIW, it'll never happen in the next 30 years!

 

[Whistlin' Dan]

This conjures up a vision of a Homer Simpson-like character in a deep sleep with his feet propped up on the console

That's no "vision," dude. I see that at least once a week on the line...

 

[shooter]

Don't we already do that?

somewhat yes, but not to extent like the Stealth. Someday this style of single pilots ops is what I predict. and a big maybe, okay HUGE maybe, cargo ops could go pilotless. But not in my working days or yours.

just a prediction, no fact to draw me to it. maybe $1 bet for the long pick. what are the odds paying?

 

[AerroMatt]

Bump...

 

[armyjets]

I guess if we were to go to "pilotless" airlines the terrorist's won't have to physically get into the cockpit to take over a flight. They'll just figure a way to hack into the system to fly more airplanes into buildings.

JMHO

 

[erichartmann]

Sometime in the next 20 yrs a flight crew will consist of the pilot and his dog. The pilot will be there to watch the computer fly the airplane, the dog to bite the pilot's hand if he tries to touch anything.

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

Sometime in the next 20 yrs a flight crew will consist of the pilot and his dog. The pilot will be there to watch the computer fly the airplane, the dog to bite the pilot's hand if he tries to touch anything.

Said about the 747-400 15 years ago.

CE

 

[Purpledog]

You all are crazy. They only buy old tired used airplanes. I'd love to see them retrofit a 70's vintage 72 with that crap. Or a 30 year old MD-11 by the time the technogy is here. Not to mention the global support network it would take to fly them. Definitely technologically possible in a couple decades. However I don't think the frieght companies will stray from their successful policy of paid-for cheap airplanes.

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

Didn't UPS just get some NEW B757's.
Fedex and UPS buy NEW A380's

CE

just sayin'

 

[Purpledog]

FDX does have orders for (10) 380's. We have 330+ others that are far from new and we are buying 80-something old 757-200s. Fred likes deals. I don't know where UPS is getting new ones since the line was closed a while ago.That 380 was purchased to fill a niche, China. If there were a fleet of old dogs that had the capacity those would have been the ten. Old airplanes carry frieght just good as new airplanes and the boxes don't bitch about the gross crapper or our meals (Crap in a box and igloo bungied to the deck). You will see automated aircraft here only after they have been rode hard and put away wet by, US Major, Euro LCC, 3d World Airline, then we'll buy it.