Unmanned Cargo Aircraft??
03-28-2017, 01:55 AM
#12
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Joined APC: Jun 2008
Posts: 273
Originally Posted by Seaboard World
LOL! One reason at my age I won't ever fly for a cargo outfit. You guys flying for FedEx/UPS or Kalita are the last of the " stage coach drivers". I work with drones a lot and the technology and enthusiasm of the younger gen doing it are amazing. I figure they drone a Van then move on up the food chain…..then pax ops. ;-)
03-28-2017, 10:55 AM
#13
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Joined APC: Feb 2017
Posts: 2,275
Originally Posted by esa17
It will happen one day, in our life times for sure, but today is not that day.
03-28-2017, 01:03 PM
#14
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Joined APC: Feb 2007
Posts: 461
Originally Posted by No Land 3
Today is not the day, and we have plenty of time to figure out a plan B. If I didn't need to fly an airplane to pay the bills, I'd stop flying tomorrow.
It's the rookies that should think long and hard about their long term plans.
Airplane pilot shouldn't be your only skill. have a fallback.
03-29-2017, 03:55 AM
#16
Line Holder
Joined APC: Jan 2009
Position: MD 11 FO
Posts: 64
I would suggest you discuss the current situation with RPA crews in the AF/ANG. The processes to do this flying are very complex, expensive and dangerous. Hence why the "GO-CO" contracts pay soo much money to hire these folks once their mil obligations are up. HUGE money! The technology must advance greatly before the cost/benefit makes this a feasible alternative to passenger/cargo operations.
03-29-2017, 04:46 AM
#17
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Joined APC: Oct 2012
Posts: 128
Originally Posted by No Land 3
I built my own UAV with open sourcecode and hardware. The tech is already here. The holdup is regulators and economics.
03-29-2017, 04:51 AM
#18
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Joined APC: Oct 2012
Posts: 128
Originally Posted by CrimsonEclipse
The old timers need not worry.
It's the rookies that should think long and hard about their long term plans.
Airplane pilot shouldn't be your only skill. have a fallback.
It's the rookies that should think long and hard about their long term plans.
Airplane pilot shouldn't be your only skill. have a fallback.
03-29-2017, 05:31 AM
#19
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Joined APC: Feb 2008
Position: Retired
Posts: 651
In the software world failure is tolerated and problems are expected. After all the fix is just some code. Products routinely go to market with known defects.
The problem, as seen in the failure of Eclipse Aviation and the looming problems at Tesla, is that the rest of the world does not work like that. Failure is often disastrous, perhaps even fatal. Fixes after release are difficult to impossible. You don't get "do overs", you don't get to just throw out release 1.1 with a FAQ and a PR "sorry". 99% good is not good enough.
Add to that the simple truth that the real world is really, really complicated.
Business focused aircraft working in a world with a low risk tolerance are going to continue to have two pilots sitting in the thing for a long, long time.
The problem, as seen in the failure of Eclipse Aviation and the looming problems at Tesla, is that the rest of the world does not work like that. Failure is often disastrous, perhaps even fatal. Fixes after release are difficult to impossible. You don't get "do overs", you don't get to just throw out release 1.1 with a FAQ and a PR "sorry". 99% good is not good enough.
Add to that the simple truth that the real world is really, really complicated.
Business focused aircraft working in a world with a low risk tolerance are going to continue to have two pilots sitting in the thing for a long, long time.
Last edited by 742Dash; 03-29-2017 at 05:33 AM. Reason: wording
03-29-2017, 07:19 AM
#20
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2008
Posts: 273
Originally Posted by No Land 3
Today is not the day, and we have plenty of time to figure out a plan B. If I didn't need to fly an airplane to pay the bills, I'd stop flying tomorrow.
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