Originally Posted by
AtlCSIP
Actually, it isn't as far off as you think. I know a UAV driver who is a commercial pilot, makes more than a senior Regional captain, has less than 300 flight hours, has thousands of drone hours, and can't get a flying job. A very high profile cargo carrier is very interested in acquiring the technology he uses for their ops. Also, if UAV time ever gets logged, it will be like Sim time, which is not flight time.
It is only a matter if time before we become obsolete for commercial passenger carrying ops. Cargo guys will get it first. 121 Trans Con will get it next to eliminate the extra crew members during cruise, then domestic flight crews will be reduced to just one pilot who does nothing but monitor the systems. Eventually, he will retire and nobody will take his place.
I think the technology will remain too expensive for aircraft with less than 50 seats, but it's eventually coming to a PAX airline near you.
Ir is not going to happen. But there are people tying to make money by pretending that it will.
1. Look at the accident rate. And also look at the accident rate of single pilot biz jets. Insurance companys are going to want 2 pilots on the aircraft, period.
2. You need a pressurized and temp controlled cabin for both pax and freight, so the weight savings is nil.
3. UAVs are remote piloted, not unpiloted. So what is the benefit in civilian operations of putting the pilots at the end of a fragile data link?
4. Look at the number of mechanical issues that can prevent CAT III/Autoland. Now imagine grounding every airplane every time one of them happens. Then expand that thinking to the entire flight envelope.
5. The Global Hawk block 30 has been cancelled. Block 40 might also get canned. Meanwhile U-2s are getting their lives extended (again).
Every one of us on this board is going to be dead and gone before large commercial airplanes are flying with less than 2 pilots.