Technology Removes Need for Human Pilots

Yahoo! News - Technology -m Reuters ^ | Sun Nov 23, 9:43 AM ET | By Chelsea Emery

[Bobby777]

Technology Removes Need for Human Pilots

the landscape is changing but I think it will be quite awhile before we don't have humans in the sky ... I'd hate to be setting on a carrier depending upon drones (only) to protect my battle group ... but hey, that's me ...

[Bobby777]

I'll bet you might have a thing or two to say ... 8)

[ServesURight]

No technology is smarter than the human brain.

[mewzilla]

Depends on the brain :)

[Bobby777]

technology ping ...

[Bobby777]

In this file photo, the remote-controlled drone aircraft Proteus is seen during a news briefing at the Mojave, Calif., airport Thursday, April 3, 2003. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

[College Repub]

And what happens if the remote control (or the computers controlling it) fail?

[pabianice]

Impressive. Reuters Islamic News (RIN) is precisely ten years behind the rest of the news business.

http://www.jedonline.com

http://www.navlog.org.

[Young Werther]

It was reported that the Navy has landed an F-18 on an aircraft carrier using a GPS autoland system.

The Kettering Aerial Torpedo, nicknamed the "Bug", was invented by Charles F. Kettering of Dayton. It was developed and built by Dayton-Wright Airplane Company in 1918 for the U.S. Army Signal Corps.

The unmanned Bug took off from a dolly which ran along a track. It was stabilized on course toward its target by a system of internal pre-set vacuum pneumatic and electrical controls. After a predetermined length of time, a control closed an electrical circuit which shut off the engine. The wings were then released, causing the Bug to plunge to earth where its 180 pounds of explosive detonated on impact.

Although initial testing was successful, World War I ended before the Bug could enter combat. Fewer than 50 Bugs had been completed at the time of the Armistice. After the war, the Air Service conducted additional tests on the weapon, but scarcity of funds in the 1920s halted further development. The full-size reproduction of the Bug was built by Museum personnel. It was placed on display in 1964

[Bobby777]

well, with them flying over commercial traffic (now), I'd hate to think ... I just hope they know what they are doing ...

[dljordan]

I remember in the 60's reading a Popular Mechanic's magazine that said we were all going to be flying to work in out own personal aircars by now. Right.

[College Repub]

You don't?

[Malsua]

Star Trek accurately predicts the future ;)

Anyone remember the episode "A TASTE OF ARMAGEDDON"?

Here's a synopsis.

ST:TOS Episode 23

Kirk learns that the war is fought by computer simulations instead of real weapons, and the people calculated as casualties voluntarily report to disintigration chambers to die, but the planets' culture and infrastructure survive. Since the Enterprise is in orbit, it becomes a target in the virtual war, and in the latest attack, the ship is listed destroyed by a tricobalt satellite explosion, and everyone on the Enterprise is ordered to beam down to the planet to be killed.

Coming to a battlefield near you! Heh.

[jigsaw]

Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles.

'scuse me but when the heck did Unmanned Aerial Vehicles become Uninhabited?

Such PC baloney.

[expatpat]

Reminds me of a joke about automated airliners of the future:

Their cockpits will have two occupants -- a pilot and a dog. The pilot's job is to feed the dog; the dog's job is to bite the pilot if he touches anything.

[Pukin Dog]

ACLS (Automated Carrier Landing System) has been an available option for Hornet pilots from the moment they entered service. D model F-14's carry a similar system.

[Pukin Dog]

I'll bet you might have a thing or two to say ... 8)

Not much, actually.

These systems are good for single-mission aircraft, where we dont care much whether or not the aircraft comes back. When decisions and adjustments need to me made during a mission, you really need a man in the cockpit. Air to Air Combat will likely always require a man, because you could probably never duplicate SA (Situational Awareness) with a computer.

Besides, who would ever join the Navy, except for the opportunity to fly a hot-rod? I sure as hell didnt sign up for the food and benefits.

[SamAdams76]

The future has already arrived.

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

Computer-controlled aircraft? I hope it's not Windows-based. The thing will lock up and kill you.

[Young Werther]

Who'd thunk that she would have to Lewinski him to keep the flight aloft.

And don't call me Shirley!