What the hell?

[JimNtexas]

Lockheed is offering a "pilot optional" version of the F-35 to the Air Force:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/15/AR2006081501288.html

 

[handlesaregay]

I hijacked this from another post because it's oh so appropriate here. Set your mood controls to 19.

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/2006/09/airportofthefuture.html

 

[propsarebest]

I hijacked this from another post because it's oh so appropriate here. Set your mood controls to 19.

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/2006/09/airportofthefuture.html

That was BITCHIN!

mood control set to 19...

 

[91100 100 set]

I hijacked this from another post because it's oh so appropriate here. Set your mood controls to 19.

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/2006/09/airportofthefuture.html

"How do you like your quasi-futuristic uniforms Mr Powers? I designed them myself..."

 

[sbav8r]

Good stuff

 

[Gorilla]

The biggest problem I see with remote pax transports is the integrity of the data link. I think it goes without saying that there must be a continuous data stream, and override capability, between a dude in a control center, and the jet with 300 souls on board.

Sounds simple, but it's not. The only technology that we have today, and for the forseeable future, is radio, either atmospheric or satellite. And radio - let's just say we all know it isn't 100%. Think of bandwidth, too. Thousands of jets flying, terabytes of info streaming, and it all must be 100% accurate and error corrected.

It must also be totally secure. "Hijacking by proxy" isn't so far fetched.

Proponents of unmanned transports, please stop comparing what is ultimately a simple military drone with a far more dynamic and demanding passenger system. They're not even close.

We won't see it in our lifetimes, both for technological and for psychological issues. All it would take would be ONE accident where the board concludes "...the presence of a human pilot on board could have saved this aircraft." It'd be all over for unmanned pax jets.

 

[JimG]

Let me put it this way, by the time they have the technology to make passenger UAV's a viable concept they will have already perfected the flying car making airline travel obsolete.

I don't know about you guys, but the thought of having that many idiots off of the freeway and into the air just scares the hell out of me.