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Pilot-free plane in California conducts flight over San Jose: 'Monumental aviation achievement'
Fox News ^ | Stephany Price

Posted on 12/07/2023 11:55:39 PM PST by NoLibZone

click here to read article


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To: NoLibZone

Back in the 80s, a C5 Galaxy could do everything but take off by itself (for obvious reasons) - it could fly about anywhere and land itself (published/mapped airfields/runways) without pilot intervention though...


21 posted on 12/08/2023 5:24:30 AM PST by trebb (So many fools - so little time...)
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To: Oberon

They were remote controlling bombers back in WWII.


22 posted on 12/08/2023 5:35:07 AM PST by TalBlack (We have a Christian duty and a patriotic duty. God help us.)
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To: NoLibZone

How are new pilots supposed to build flight time? Short cargo hops are great for newer pilots. I can’t see them going pilotless on passenger flights.


23 posted on 12/08/2023 7:21:17 AM PST by Pocketdoor
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To: NoLibZone

My dad did avionics for the military for 40 years.
He told me that he was surprised the FAA insisted on their antiquated thinking.
Interesting concept.


24 posted on 12/08/2023 8:15:35 AM PST by Zathras
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To: Cowman

As long as Microsoft didn’t write the software, it will probably work.
“Windows Autopilot”
“We’ve got a Blue Screen of Death”
“Just push the reboot button”
“Crash”
“Windows Autopilot 2”


25 posted on 12/08/2023 8:18:46 AM PST by Zathras
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To: NoLibZone

Thank God for trains and cars


26 posted on 12/08/2023 8:32:44 AM PST by Vaduz (....)
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To: Chad C. Mulligan
"......a first for the aviation industry......

So all those Predator drones don't count, eh?"

And what about....

Joseph Patrick Kennedy Jr. was a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. He was a member of the Kennedy family and the eldest of the nine children born to Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy

Aug 19, 2014 · Seventy years ago, on August 12, 1944, Lieutenant Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. perished in one of the first American fatalities associated with a pilotless aircraft...

27 posted on 12/08/2023 9:58:06 AM PST by guest7
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To: Chad C. Mulligan
"So all those Predator drones don't count, eh? "

Since you asked, ... No.

"...all those Predator drones..." are flown by remote control. This was autonomous (which means it was piloted by its own onboard computers).

28 posted on 12/08/2023 10:30:30 AM PST by threefinger
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To: NoLibZone

well it can taxi to the runway on auto a human has to do it.

otherwise nope not a good thing


29 posted on 12/08/2023 12:13:38 PM PST by markman46 (engage brain before using keyboard!!!)
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To: irishjuggler
a while before I’d trust a situation with no human pilot on there at least an emergency backup.

The only way a human pilot is worth anything as a "emergency backup" is if the human pilot is actually flying the plane most of the time and uses the autopilot (by whatever name called) only when he needs a break.

30 posted on 12/08/2023 12:17:16 PM PST by NorthMountain (... the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
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