UAV future
Automation will continue its slow advance. The flight deck will get cameras and then free flight will reduce pilot work load to near zero while en-route. Slowly but surly ground control will eventually make an appearance. The pilots will loose actual control of the plane but will still be up front just in case.
Eventually the crew will be cut to one impotent pilot in the flight deck who basically sits there as an organic back up system. A UAV pilot on the ground will be the one who is controlling the aircraft. Every three months the back up pilots will go to the sim to remain current. Once a year they will get to land the real plane.
At one time airport subways and elevators all use to have operators and now they don't. Some transportation systems have a half asleep minimum wage person up front to give the appearance of on-board control for the passengers benefit. Pilots have been slowly loosing control since aviation began. Ground control is the next logical step, but not quite yet.
Skyhigh
Last edited by SkyHigh; 11-21-2009 at 06:18 PM.