The last fighter pilot was born 20 years ago.

An email from a fellow (former) fighter pilot.



News from the skunk works - no more flying pilots....

From a CAL pilot friend;

"Steve Chealander, member of the NTSB 2007-2009, is a retired American Airlines Captain.
He gave a safety presentation at recurrent training about two years ago. He opened the floor for questions and one guy asked facetiously "When are we going to the one pilot cockpit?"

> Chealander said that is not funny. He said Fed Ex and UPS are now,
> (two years ago), working on the procedures for a one-pilot long haul
> over-water operation. The pilot would be at the controls for take off
> and landing then go to the bunk for cruise while the guy back in
> Memphis would take over for the cruise. One pilot passenger flights
> will take a bit longer to get approved.
>
> Twelve years ago, I was Director of Operations for the Alaska Air
> Guard. I went to a high-level conference and this three-star General
> gave a presentation that said the exact same thing the major said. The
> only limitation on fighter aircraft now is the pilot. We have the
> technology to do everything from the ground and it will be a huge cost
> savings. No search and rescue, no life support systems, no backlash
> when we lose a plane. So this article is right on the money.
>
> I attended a flight safety presentation last evening from a retired AF
> Major test pilot from Edwards, Bill Koukourikas, now serving there as
> a civilian. During the course of his presentation, his statement, "No
> future attack military aircraft within the next 15 years will have
> pilots in the cockpit. The last tactical aircraft with a pilot in
> the cockpit will be the F-35."
>
> He also indicated that, within the next 10 or so years, all UPS and
> FedX cargo flights will be with pilot-less aircraft. This prediction
> comes from their test shop at Edwards. All drone testing,
> development , etc., is taking place just south of Edwards in the
> Palmdale area. Sounds like a continuation of the Skunk Works
> developments of Lockheed which previously took place in that area."
>
> Simply amazing! Hey, are we a dying breed or what?
>
> Guess you'll have to invite your computer to "have a beer" after the
> day's flying is done. Oh, I forgot. They're taking that one away too!

Hunh

It's something that is obviously coming down the pike and past "I don't like the idea." there's not much to say. Of course the first time a passenger flight anywhere or cargo flight over a populated area loses a downlink (which will happen) the insurance filings will establish the actual course of future civil aviation...

On the military side we are well used to tossing away billions and collateral damage...

How long before we have drone androids to be operated remotely?

Rempote tanks?

War of the future: Line up a bunch of machinery on a "battlefield" and smash it all.

This is a weapons manufacturer's DREAM COME TRUE!!!!

Al they do is sell high tech hardware. No consequences to "soldiers" any longer because nobody on our side has to die, just the poor schlep we go after.

I think that they expect telemetry to link to operators on the ground.

They'll still see camera shots and think that they are RPGs.

Try again later.

Hal