Pilot Training

[GeoffH]

5 hours ago, earthdome said:

What about the Boeing 737Max??

I would argue the problems with that plane were caused by human error (no not just pilot error but human).

It is true that the computer over rode the human pilot because the computer got data from the plane that said that the plane was in an unsafe attitude so it pushed the nose down. 

But the human bean counter deleted a second back up sensor (included in the design as standard and fitted by some airlines at their own cost); in planes where that second sensor is fitted the problem doesn't happen, the computer gets two conflicting inputs and then notifies the pilot rather than taking control.

The second source of human error was the lack of familiarity of some of the pilots with what was happening.

An experienced crew who knew what was happening managed to land safely but less experienced crews took too long to realize what was happening and too long to implement the procedures once they did.

I'm not 'blaming' the pilots, I was a pilot and I know how much 'workload' can effect your piloting but I do wonder how much emergency training pilots get these days in third world airlines (as distinct from hours in the cockpit).

 

I guess what I'm saying is that the Boeing 737Max situation isn't just a result of computer automation failure, it's more complicated than that.

Edited January 27, 2020 by GeoffH

[Jake]

On 1/25/2020 at 5:22 AM, Snowy79 said:

I'm just looking at it from the current drones we have.  Guys and girls sitting in bunkers in the Nevada dessert flying some serious technology thousands of miles away with pin point accuracy.  

Creech Air Force Base is located about 50 miles northwest from where I live.  It's a two second delay from when you move the joystick to monitor a MQ-9 Reaper's reaction.  Awesome technology!

However, regarding the human factor piloting an airplane, ship or main battle tank, there are no combination of algorithms that could match the workings of the brain.  Call it gut instinct or just the basic presence of a human pilot(s) landing that Boeing or Airbus in a severe cross wind......yeah, autonomous vehicles are still crashing (Google Tesla accidents).  

This YouTube video inspired me during my 1st morning coffee.  Reflecting upon myself, no way I could achieve this level of guts and intelligence.  I know I don't have the right stuff.....but certainly these young Australian fighter pilots have bigger balls than me.  And I mean that with all due respect.  

 

Edited January 27, 2020 by Jake
spel chek

[Gator]

On 1/25/2020 at 8:19 PM, GeoffH said:

The technology is almost there now but regulations will slow things down.

Pilots are already doing much less actual flying on commercial planes than they did even 20 years ago and I expect that trend to continue.

I suspect we'll end up with the pilots remaining but becoming an emergency backup to the automation...

A friend who works at FedEx told me just that. In order to save money and boost their pilot rosters they are investigating the elimination of the co-pilot and letting automation take a larger role in their flight operations. But as you rightly pointed and as did Mike J, regulations and unions are hindering the process. I too see it as just a matter of time before it'll be a single pilot. The next logical step will then be a fully autonomous airplane. Maybe not for passenger planes, but at least for cargo planes.  

[GeoffH]

37 minutes ago, Gator said:

A friend who works at FedEx told me just that. In order to save money and boost their pilot rosters they are investigating the elimination of the co-pilot and letting automation take a larger role in their flight operations.

There are already jets that are certified for single pilot use although generally the pilot needs a single pilot type rating and they are still on the smaller end of the scale.

However single pilot commercial turbo-prop operation is increasing rapidly and there are strong motives for lower profit, regional, short haul services operating out of smaller airports wanting to make cost savings to go down the single pilot path in the near future.