Comments on: Brave New World Still Human …

By: Patron Vectras

Patron Vectras — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 23:47:33 +0000

UAVs were designed to eliminate pilot deaths, though.
So the main objective is successful!
This really isn’t so much about the pilot’s mistake, but the program’s overcoming of it.

By: 22lr

22lr — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 21:49:23 +0000

Biggest thing I ever flew was a 182, with glass, sweet airplane. I never said UAVs don’t have a place, but to replace a real pilot it BS.

By: 22lr

22lr — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 21:20:18 +0000

Yo, ya ive flown, granted it was only a 172, but I fly all the time in those little birds. So you are saying a totally automated car would be safer than a real driver. Because all a car does is stop and go. No computer will ever take the place of a human brain. That statement was about the failing of the software, ya i know the cus who fly the UAVs are trained but they couldn’t go fly a F-16. To fly you have to know what is happening with your airplane, sound is the first indication that something is going wrong. If all a pilot does is sit is a seat from point A to B we would never be flying today. A pilot must constantly decide on everything he does, how much he pushes the yoke, how much throttle, how much flaps, is the gear down. Ironicly enough a single pilot can fly an F-16 into combat, while it takes 2 people to fly a computer. UAVs are all good but they will never ever replace a real pilot, in a real seat, flying a real airplane. Im just trying to figure out how a UAV is so much better than a real airplane. But maybe the TV has been saying how good they are, and we all now anything you see on TV is the gospel truth.

By: Pantera

Pantera — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 20:56:59 +0000

On the bright side of this accident, no one died. And yet it will still force the UAV’s to greatly enhance their safety.

By: ohwilleke

ohwilleke — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 20:33:26 +0000

“the more things change, the more they stay the same.“
Except that little bit about the pilot not dying.

By: Takeo

Takeo — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:28:04 +0000

“Not really, how much training does a UAV “pilot” have, Ill bet it ain’t nothing like a real pilot. “
to .22lr
Are you a moron? Do you KNOW anyone involved in UAV operations? Have you ever flown a plane yourself? How about you check up on stuff before you talk out your ass?
YES with very few exceptions UAV pilots are REAL PILOTS. In the USAF, they are pilots that are tracked from manned aircraft to give them operational experience with UAVs. This might change in the near future, but for now they are fully qualified and experienced flight officers. I suspect that other government agencies do the same thing.
As for errors, anyone and I mean ANYONE who has flown a single engine plane knows that you can make serious mistakes. The whole point is that you try not to make the mistake that is going to kill you, but even then it happens. It is a rare occurance indeed where two jet fighters actually trade fire in the skies. Mostly what’s required now is bombs and missles flying overhead where they are dropped on command. For that a UAV is perfect.

By: demophilus

demophilus — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:23:52 +0000

@Lugo:
I didn’t say manned aircraft were foolproof, or that UAVs are required to be foolproof, or that this story discredits the employment of UAVs.
If you want to pick nits with something I post, I’d be much obliged if you read it, first. When you do, it would be mighty white of you not to read anything into it that isn’t there.
FTR, I’m a big believer in UAVs. Just not to the complete exclusion of manned systems.
Maybe satire’s not to your taste. If not, sorry I offended you. But, just FTR? This is America. If you can’t take a joke, you’re f*cked.

By: Lugo

Lugo — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 12:37:03 +0000

Demophilus, have any manned aircraft ever crashed due to the pilot’s failure to follow proper procedures? Hmmmm, yeah, they have. Many, many of them. So it is hardly credible to say that this accident discredits the employment of UAVs. Why are UAVs required to be foolproof but manned aircraft are not?

By: Patron Vectras

Patron Vectras — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 07:26:18 +0000

Remember the beginning to ‘War Games,’ starring Matthew Broderick? And the premise?
We can’t have human error, but we have to have humans in the loop.
And; I helped teach a summer camp course to middle schoolers about LEGO Mindstorms. By the end of the class, any one of those tykes would be able to brainstorm a nifty little bit of code like Weaver said.

By: 22lr

22lr — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 02:30:38 +0000

Not really, how much training does a UAV “pilot” have, Ill bet it ain’t nothing like a real pilot. I’m all for UAV and they have a vital role in recon but they will never be a replacement for a real pilot flying a real combat mission. No computer has situational awareness, and the split second decision making capabilities as the human brain. Flying UAVs from a TV is a heck of a lot different from being in the seat. Like flying flight sim, and then go flying a real airplane.