According to "Would you get on a pilotless plane?" (2017), the next automated mode of transport might be a pilotless airplane after self-driving car and train; however, an autonomous aircraft tends to be less popular particularly in elderly people following UBS’s survey. Flying is named as the safest transportation and UBS claim that applying pilotless will increase the safety because human error is a main cause of accident. Automated control is currently applied to some plane operations, but pilots are still essential to work since automation often breaks down. To take passenger’s reliability, therefore, a high security is required to eliminate psychological fear of “being in the air” without “humans at the front”. UBS also states that air transport business will gain benefit from pilotless flying owing to pilot and insurance cost saving and more income could be generated from cargo and commercial flight.
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My response
When I first read this article title “Would you get on a pilotless plane?”, my answer was definitely not as it sounds risky and frightened. I still insist on my fist answer after I had completed reading the article. I was quite surprised that majority of air accidents are caused by human error because I think that bad visibility, severe weather condition and accidentally mechanical damage are the main cause rather than human error. I do agree that automatic control will develop safety standard of flying due to the fact that technology is stable and perfectly works following instructions. However, human being possesses things that technology is unable to have. They are instinct and problem solving skill which is very significant when facing an emergency situation. How would it be if an automation fail during pilotless plane is flying.
Although the smallest number of accident results from flying, it seems to be dangerous and exciting transport form for several people including myself. This is because we are on the air at the high level of height and we cannot fly if there is any unexpected situation happened. In addition, even though number of air accident is the least, severity level is the most. As a result, transforming hands-on control to computer control is such a big change. It will provide great advantages to airline business in terms of security enhance and cost reduction; nevertheless, as compared to implementation and maintenance cost, will cost decrease? Furthermore, another negative impact is unemployment of pilots and aircrew. These issues should be considered properly.
What I advise is combination between technology and human. It is not necessary to be 100% control by computer or human due to the fact that each of them can work together for a better result. Technology help reduce human error while human monitors and works in some restricted parts of technology.
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My question for readers
"Would you get on a pilotless plane?" Why or why not?
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- Would you get on a pilotless plane. (2017, August 8). BBC News. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/business-40860911
Although I can understand Mon's concerns, which are shared by many as the poll shows, I would happily get on a pilotless plane if the solid facts were that it was less likely to kill me than a plane controlled by human pilots. For similar reasons, I am looking forward to the spread of autonomous cars that are not driven by humans.
ReplyDeleteAnother point that Mon's thoughtful response raised also interested me. Is the loss of jobs a good reason to stop or delay technological improvement that does a task better than human beings can? The improved performance, especially safety, seems to me a good reason to discriminate in favour of the machines.
Nowadays, almost airplane driving systems are control by computer instead of pilots. Auto pilot is a system that let the computer calculate the speed, altitude and the route airplanes should go when it cruise on the air. Pilots are on the plane to take of, landing, communicate with air traffic control and checking the auto pilot system. Moreover, it is true that most of the accidents are come form pilots. However, we cannot trust the system for 100 percents. If the system is down, who will control the airplane.
ReplyDeleteYour post reminded me of one American movie called, Sully, which is kind of involved with your writing. The movie is about Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger first officer who had decided to do the emergency landing at Hudson River, As a result, all 155 passengers and crew are survived; however, he was investigated because he did not follow the order from air traffic controller to landing in the nearest airport. He uses his own experience and knowledge decide to land in Hudson River. because the fuel is not enough to fly to another airport.
ReplyDeleteIn the investigation, the board believes the accident may have been pilot error. The board arrange to have simulation rerun. Both simulations were in a successful landing. Sully argue that the results are unrealistic because the pilot knows in advance of the situation. The board accepts that and arrange the new situation. The second test would have taken some time to react and run emergency checks before deciding to divert the plane. This time allow a 35-second pause before the plane is diverted. One of the plane landing short of the runway and the other crash into the building before the airport. The board concludes that Sully acted correctly in selecting the best of the options.
My point is there is also minority aspect of survival that uses the experience of the pilot. The passengers would have survived if Mr Sully had chosen to believe the air traffic control information to land in the airport. The information that evaluates by the computer.
I have known this movie, but haven't watched it yet. Your summary about movie can draw my attention. I will put it on my watched list Landing on the river sounds very interesting to me. Moreover, deciding to follow his own experience and knowledge and ignore the order is difficult and risky decision. That means he is very confident and conscious.
DeleteDo you remember on the first week we talked about telesurgery? And, maybe you remember our answers about this issue. For me the automated control in airplane and telesurgery look very similar. Gradually our life goes in virtual reality. I talk with my family every day using modern technology, I buy food and dinner in the Internet, I study in an online school. Nowadays it's normal! Look around: people spend all their time with their smartphone. 10 years ago it seemed impossible, but today it is reality. Humanity develops constantly, every day, every minute... Who knows, maybe in 20 years the plane without the pilot will surprise no one.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion,taking on the pilotless plane appeals to me. With the high technology now, the speed,directions,the time, all the things are accurately manipulated by computers.In addition, the rocket sent to the space also relies on the computer to calculate the accurate numbers.
ReplyDeleteI think that combining technology and human is a good choice for the computer would give some advice to reduce the human error and It is obviously that the risk would be much lower.
First of all, I'm appreciate you writing this blog about plane. I would never skip these kind of news. Another ridiculous that surprises me, you posted at 2 a.m.(really bad, I can't put any emotion icon here.)
ReplyDeleteWhat article mentions about safety of pilotless flight that is more reliable than with-pilot flight is unbelievable for me. If the statistics show that it really does, I don't know. But what I think about aviation today is that pilots have used auto-pilot since long time ago, while they're also in the cockpit. And it's really hard to believe that most accidents come from human's mistakes. When the pilot is flying, they have a strict rule and checklist in every section of flight. Also, pilots are discipline and have many hours in training flight before being in real commercial plane. For some news about plane accident, I saw its majority is from fighter plane whose security is maybe not so strict as commercial's that has passengers inside.(in fact, every flights is followed by rule) So in airline, I'm quite sure that it's almost never been an accident from human's mistake.
In contrast, human is the best reliable tool, maybe not for controlling a plane, but for solving many problems that comes without warning. For example, in the movie "Sully", the plane is crashed by a flock of birds. It's not human or machine's mistake, but the one who can make the best decision is human. Absolutely, in this case and many others, if there's no pilot looking the plane panel, no passenger would survive.
However, if there's pilotless flight, I wouldn't be afraid to fly in that plane; I'm never worried about safety of the plane(it really can't overcome my exciting of flying). But I'm pretty sure that it would be impossible(or really hard to happen) for this idea.
Sorry, what is "really bad" in my first paragraph is that "I can't put emotion icon here." I didn't mean that you posted at 2 is bad. I read my reply after posting and saw it might be ambiguous.
DeleteI have read your second reply before the first one. Don't be serious, I understand your meaning. Anyway, you reply referred to the movie "Sully" as same as Stamp's reply. I think I should watch it because it might help answer my questions.
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ReplyDeletePilotless plane sonds very interesting to me. I have heard this kind if idea before and I think it will take long time, maybe more than my life time, to make it safely use in comercial business.
I am not 100% sure I will be satisfied to take pilotless flight In the first time because I will feel better if I know that there is a pilot ,who can check the system running right and take care when unexpected situation happen, in the plane with us. It makes me feel better to know that there is someone to rely on even though they might rarely doing anything.
I think exactly the same as you. Having skilled person to deal with unexpected situation which might not happen makes me feel more safe and reliable.
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