Originally Posted by
CBreezy
What happens when there is an RA? What happens when ATC says cancel approach clearance and proceed direct to a fix that isn't on your flight plan? What happens when ATC gives you a step down that the airplane cannot do? What happens.... I could go on and on. So a robot can program an autopilot under ideal conditions with an optimally performing ILS. I could teach a 6 year old to do it and fly to an autoland. But the robot can't land in a 30 kt gusty crosswind. It more than likely cannot adjust to abnormal, non-profile clearances (or clearances at all). Plus, do we want to trust Siri or Alexa to understand a guy mumbling into a mic...or doing literally what the controller says even it's not what he means?
As far as single pilot, the amount of money it's going to take to build the infrastructure to support it is going to be WAY WAY more than the cost savings on labor. And then how do we get those experienced Captains if they don't first spend time as an FO somewhere? We will just magically have experienced Captains? "Hi, this is CA Steve. This is his first ever flight in a jet and he's the only one here. Good luck!" The remote operator is also a bad idea. I can't tell you how many times I cross the country with inop satellite wifi systems or no ACARS signal. Anyone who thinks a remote operator is going to be able to assist the in flight pilot with a situation like what happened on Southwest is delusional. I don't doubt we will be replaced by automated systems at some point. To say that it's right around the corner is to be lacking any perspective of the complexity of airline operations.
Literally nothing in your post is accurate.
The aircraft can easily avoid TA/RAs with the new ADS-B mandate. Currently unmanned aircraft have the ability electronically “sense and sequence” themselves timing arrivals to the second.
Also, landing in 30 knot winds means nothing to the airplane. Only the pilot knows it’s windy. Unmanned aircraft can land within 1.5m of a predetermined point every single time, regardless of weather conditions.
The Siri-Alexa example is a non-starter. It won’t be AI, the aircraft will only do what it’s told...just like when Otto flies now.
As far as the telemetry is concerned, private space flight cures that. Once Elon starts launching cheap micro-communication satellites bandwidth becomes cheap and coverage is complete.
We are about to be England in 1851. The new Crystal Palace is going to cause a major paradigm shift.