Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

posted by Fnord666 on Wednesday August 09 2017, @01:33PM   Printer-friendly
from the queue-the-'Airplane!'-references-in-3,2,1 dept.

Pilotless commercial airliners are about to be tested, but potential passengers are wary:

How comfortable would you feel getting on a pilotless plane? That is the question millions of people may have to ask themselves in the future if they want to jet off on holiday around the world.

As we move closer to a world of driverless cars, which have already been on the road in some US cities and have also been tested in London, remotely controlled planes may be the next automated mode of transport. Plane manufacturer Boeing plans to test them in 2018.

A survey by financial services firm UBS suggests that pilotless aircraft not be too popular, however, with 54% of the 8,000 people questioned saying they would be unlikely to take a pilotless flight. The older age groups were the most resistant with more than half of people aged 45 and above shunning the idea.

Only 17% of those questioned said they would board such a plane, with more young people willing to give them a try and the 25 to 34 age group the most likely to step on board.

[...] Steve Landells, the British Airline Pilots Association's (Balpa) flight safety specialist, said: "We have concerns that in the excitement of this futuristic idea, some may be forgetting the reality of pilotless air travel. Automation in the cockpit is not a new thing - it already supports operations. However, every single day pilots have to intervene when the automatics don't do what they're supposed to. Computers can fail, and often do, and someone is still going to be needed to work that computer."

Fnord666: So how about it soylentils? Would you fly on a pilotless plane?


Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
  • (Score: 2) by EvilSS on Wednesday August 09 2017, @04:53PM (3 children)

    by EvilSS (1456) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday August 09 2017, @04:53PM (#551187)
    I suspect this is how they will start out, flying overnight long-haul international cargo routes across the pacific between China and Alaska. It would be a good proving ground since the risk of human life would be pretty small in the event of a failure.
    Starting Score:    1  point
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  

    Total Score:   2  
  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 09 2017, @05:19PM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 09 2017, @05:19PM (#551200)

    It would be a good proving ground since the risk of human life would be pretty small in the event of a failure.

    You don't fly often, do you?
    The 2 most dangerous parts to any flight are take-off and landing.
    What do you need for either of these? Airports!
    Where are these airports located? Near high-density population areas!

    • (Score: 2) by EvilSS on Wednesday August 09 2017, @05:54PM (1 child)

      by EvilSS (1456) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday August 09 2017, @05:54PM (#551217)
      You don't know much about these cargo flights do you AC? ANC is located out on a peninsula with both runways positioned minimize the time air traffic spends flying over land at that end. Shenzhen Bao'an airport is similarly located on the coast, with minimal land fly-over for takeoff and landing. Both airports are ideally situated to allow testing these types of flights. Compared to most domestic cargo routes, I stand firmly behind my statement. Maybe spend more time researching before you reply instead of being an asshole.
      • (Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 09 2017, @06:40PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 09 2017, @06:40PM (#551239)

        Maybe spend more time researching before you reply instead of being an asshole.

        NO!