Pilotless Airliner - They're looking at it again!

[luckytohaveajob]

Shouldn't they fix the problems with the A380 before they start something else?

A380=EADs

G550 working with Boeing has nothing to do with EADs or the A380.

 

[rickair7777]

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

Trains are the reason I'm not too worried about being automated out of a job...there are no automated large passenger (or freight) trains!

The only place you finf automated trains are on some of those short little runs between airport terminals (where there's no ground vehicle traffic involved). Even some of those actually still have drivers.

If they can't do it with trains, they probably can't do it with airliners.

 

[CheyDogFlies]

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

Are there unmanned pax trains nowadays? Where are they (not counting the underground aiport terminal shuttle)?--My train GK is weak, much like my aircraft GK.

 

[McNugget]

I think the real issues here are: Will the robots be on the master scab list for stealing jobs? Will VALPA (virtual ALPA) represent the robot group? Will the robots be allowed to fly past age 65?

 

[NEDude]

Are there unmanned pax trains nowadays? Where are they (not counting the underground aiport terminal shuttle)?--My train GK is weak, much like my aircraft GK.

You know what is really sad? Those subway operators make more than many airline pilots.

 

[Cheeta]

This is to move passenger aircraft to single pilot operations by 2017....fact!

 

[Mr Hat]

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.

30-40 years to design the plane properly...then 20 years for the FAA to approve it. The FAA is still thinking about the benefits of NDB's. They got a ways to go before they get to pilotless airliners.

 

[Crossky]

The bottom line

In a word, money. Airlines' single largest cost is staff wages, which consume half of a typical airline's annual revenue—far more than fuel, aircraft leasing or servicing costs. Pilots are the most costly airline workers to employ. At a typical airline, industry insiders say, 97 of the 100 most highly paid employees will be pilots. #'s 98, 99, and 100 however make more than all the pilots combined.
(the Economist)

The Economist HAS to be WRONG.

Labor cost is always behind that of the airplane and fuel, that's common knowledge in this industry and has been forever.

 

[Flyby1206]

This is to move passenger aircraft to single pilot operations by 2017....fact!

Bingo! They will take us down 1 at a time. They already eliminated the Nav officers, and FEs. FOs will be next!

 

[luckytohaveajob]

Bingo! They will take us down 1 at a time. They already eliminated the Nav officers, and FEs. FOs will be next!

Freight doesn't care how many pilots are on board.