Reply to: The Human Factor

[Euler]

Hard to keep up these days.

That's because you're a cretin, probably

[fullyautomatix]

Whose sockie is this ? Hard to keep up these days.

[Euler]

Fantastic novel...

Indeed. Re-read it last year.

[minestrone]

Fantastic novel...

[Euler]

I didn't miss the comment the first time.

It's not that it's not possible .... in fact in is currently possible as the countless drones and the US Air force pilot-less space shuttle prove.

But are the fee-paying public ready for pilot-less flights? We haven't even managed to get driver-less tubes yet.

Well the general public are generally stupid.
But consider:

1. Air France crash in Atlantic - pilot incompetence
2. Malaysian disappearance - seems deliberate
3. Air Asia crash - pilot incompetence
4. German wings - deliberate.

The only major crash recently that was not pilot related was the shooting down of the 2nd malaysian plane.

If this continues even the general public may be convinced.
It seems planes are now super-safe tech wise but humans have not improved in the same way.

[hyperD]

I didn't miss the comment the first time.

It's not that it's not possible .... in fact in is currently possible as the countless drones and the US Air force pilot-less space shuttle prove.

But are the fee-paying public ready for pilot-less flights? We haven't even managed to get driver-less tubes yet.

I think it's also the human factor in terms of political clout of unions which will resist the hardest too.

I would hope that all trains, tubes, taxis and cars would be fully automated first before planes, although I suspect planes are closer to full automation than trains.

Interesting thoughts for a Friday!

[tomtomagain]

Read my post again, there would be an override possible from the ground, drone-stylee.

I didn't miss the comment the first time.

It's not that it's not possible .... in fact in is currently possible as the countless drones and the US Air force pilot-less space shuttle prove.

But are the fee-paying public ready for pilot-less flights? We haven't even managed to get driver-less tubes yet.

[vetran]

this one could have been solved by a electronic cockpit release, combine this with a local key / password individual to cabin staff and a locked down crew phone / radio outside the cockpit with a camera.

but it does seem autopilot running in the background autonomously advising the air traffic control of deviation or odd behavior would be useful. So if a plane starts to dive like this the plane phones home and the control tower knows what is happening at least and may have certain overrides such as cockpit door opening or silent fuel dump enabled.

[EternalOptimist]

Orbital mind control lasers.

it covers all the angles wibble

[OwlHoot]

I'm sure they would love to overide the drones that are killing them in droves at the moment.

"They" already have, if you include Iranian Republican Guards - Didn't they override US drone and down it not so long ago?

[MyUserName]

It's easier to protect one place rather than each individual plane, shirley. A company of SAS commandos would do it.

Assuming you could station special forces at every control tower in the UK that would only really guard against an blatent armed attack.

With this much of a golden target rich and well resourced terrorist gangs would be looking at everything from trying to get a sleeper agent hired to kidnapping someone's family and blackmailing them. Just think of the damage you could do with a dozen planes under your control. Even if your plan takes years to work it would still be worth it.

[Euler]

But would you really want to be in a completely automated plane with no one available to respond to an emergency?

Read my post again, there would be an override possible from the ground, drone-stylee.

[Euler]

They would just need to infiltrate or storm the control towers and they could crash a dozen planes at once. Rather than having to infiltrate or storm each plane individually.

It's easier to protect one place rather than each individual plane, shirley. A company of SAS commandos would do it.

[tomtomagain]

So surely it must be time to remove the weak link, the pilot, and automate the whole shebang?

The human has been removed from 95% of the flight. That is why flying is so safe. My friend, a pilot of Airbuses for BA, tells me the only thing they do is the landing. Autopilot for the rest of the time.

But would you really want to be in a completely automated plane with no one available to respond to an emergency?

[MyUserName]

How would it make it easier for terrorists?
I'm sure they would love to overide the drones that are killing them in droves at the moment.

They would just need to infiltrate or storm the control towers and they could crash a dozen planes at once. Rather than having to infiltrate or storm each plane individually.