Originally Posted by
Bigapplepilot
I work at a 121 Operator based in NYC. Complete with newsletters.
My point is high profile events are prevented on a daily basis by humans operating in the system. Since they don’t happen, they don’t make the newsletters.
Do you do a walk around before flight? Why do you do them? To prevent a both high and not so high profile event from entering the newsletter.
That can be done by mx personnel, and arguably better and more through.
Do you conduct a contamination check on your aircraft during icing conditions? Why do you do that? To prevent a high profile event from entering the newsletter.
Much better done if there were cameras that looked down at the wing. I can't really see much on the ground. I can't even see the wing from the cockpit.
Do you have medlink procedures that handle a sick passenger or crew member so that hopefully you can avoid a situation in which a passenger’s health gets worse?
Here, often the Capts first indication of a gravely sick pax is an ACARS from dispatch telling them to divert and amending the release. Pilots are actually discouraged from making the decision.
Do you keep an eye out of the window to scan for traffic(like a GA aircraft not using a transponder or a yahoo operating a drone at 2000 on final)? Why? So hopefully you don’t have an high profile event that makes the newsletters.
The human eye is horrible at see and avoid. There are
inexpensive camera/software combos today that are being implemented now.
Studies have shown the probability of detecting a drone on final at under 10%. Depending on how the Iris testing goes and UAS growth, I can actually see a system like that being installed to supplement the ADSB/TCAS system.
Most of these things aren’t a ‘software’ issue, and I don’t see them being solved with software. Other things too. The landing gear being lowered manually,
Only because aircraft have been built to be operated by humans
or fighting on onboard fire
Is that something only a pilot is trained to do?
Or directing passengers on the how, when and where on an evacuation
Our FAs are trained to initiate an evacuation if needed.
. Or the myriad of legal issues and a communication with various departments that a captain has to do before and during a flight(dispatch, maintenance, gate agent, etc). The list goes on and on.
But you don't need a pilot on board for that. You really don't need a pilot at all, just a trained "flight coordinator" that can be assigned to a particular flight. And then move on to the next after it pushes.