Airlines lobbying FAA to have only one pilot in the cockpit • Hacker News Board

Re: Airlines lobbying FAA to have only one pilot in the cockpit

#261

Post by pictureofabear » Tue, Dec 13, 2022, 4:33 AM UTC

teeray wrote: post #16

Since we’re going to be talking about automation quite a bit here, I found Sully’s take on automation in the cockpit to be quite relevant: > “I’VE COME across a number of people over the years who think that modern airplanes, with all their technology and automation, can almost fly themselves. That’s simply not true. Automation can lower the workload in some cases. But in other situations, using automation when it is…

Automation really just takes out the hand-eye coordination part. It helps you fly more precisely. It does not take out the decision-making. It is also comforting to passengers that there are highly experienced people overseeing the operation of the plane.

Re: Airlines lobbying FAA to have only one pilot in the cockpit

#262

Post by hulitu » Tue, Dec 13, 2022, 9:53 AM UTC

defrost wrote: post #29

polar8 wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The other pilot is working from home.

For the sake of the discussion this isn't an entirely ridiculous notion. Here in W.Australia Rio Tinto manage and remote co-pilot otherwise fully automated 100 tonne Haulpak dump trucks (that can easily run over and crush a car or pickup truck) from 1,000 km away. I'm fully in favour of a human pilot and a co-pilot (an advanced trainee even) for short haul flights that don't require shift work for the pilot (eg: long…

" For the sake of the discussion this isn't an entirely ridiculous notion"

They tested it only with remote assasinations.

Re: Airlines lobbying FAA to have only one pilot in the cockpit

#263

Post by hulitu » Tue, Dec 13, 2022, 9:54 AM UTC

josefx wrote: post #84

biomcgary wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why not require a pilot with 1.5k of hours and allow co-pilots with 250+ hours for cargo and 500+ hours for passenger? It would decrease the upfront cost of getting trained as a pilot before getting paid.

Some accidents where caused by pilot and copilot providing conflicting input. Having two pilots pilots with significant training differences has the potential to make things worse.

They need a manager in the cockpit.

Re: Airlines lobbying FAA to have only one pilot in the cockpit

#264

Post by hulitu » Tue, Dec 13, 2022, 9:57 AM UTC

soheil wrote: post #260

pixl97 wrote: post #246

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Also keep in mind buses have one driver and it's just as bad if a bus crashes, Buses go 400MPH at 40k feet? I guess I should travel by bus more often.

A difference without a difference. A bus crash at 60MPH on a freeway can be just as deadly for everyone inside. There is a deadly bus crash with multiple fatalities almost once a month: https://www.google.com/search?q=bus+crash+multiple+fatalitie...

Maybe, although you still can recover the bodies.

FWIW i wouldn't take Google as a source of information.

Re: Airlines lobbying FAA to have only one pilot in the cockpit

#265

Post by hackerman123469 » Tue, Dec 13, 2022, 10:51 AM UTC

rysertio wrote: post #68

WalterBright wrote: post #31

All you gotta do is watch a few episodes of "Aviation Disasters" to conclude that the pilot needs a backup - the copilot. After all, when the pilot goes to the potty, who is flying the airplane? The computer? LOL. When something unanticipated goes wrong, the computers are COMPLETELY USELESS because it wasn't programmed to deal with unanticipated problems. Me, I'll pay a bit extra for my flight to have 2 pilots. Pilot…

But would that pilot have to be in the plane to fly it? We have been using remote controlled killer drones for years now.

Drones fail all the time, so I wouldn't classify that as a success example.

The difference here is that if the drone fails then nothing really happens, the targets might even be spared lol, but if a commercial airplane fails then hundreds of lives could possibly be lost.

I don't think the airline industry is ready for that massive risk. It's already risky enough for them now.

Re: Airlines lobbying FAA to have only one pilot in the cockpit

#266

Post by pixl97 » Tue, Dec 13, 2022, 6:18 PM UTC

soheil wrote: post #260

pixl97 wrote: post #246

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Also keep in mind buses have one driver and it's just as bad if a bus crashes, Buses go 400MPH at 40k feet? I guess I should travel by bus more often.

A difference without a difference. A bus crash at 60MPH on a freeway can be just as deadly for everyone inside. There is a deadly bus crash with multiple fatalities almost once a month: https://www.google.com/search?q=bus+crash+multiple+fatalitie...

Yea, that's some pretty poor research.

When a deadly bus crash occurs in the vast majority of cases a few people may die at the impact zone (for example a semi hitting the back of the bus).

When a deadly plane accident occur it is very common for there to be no survivors at all.

Re: Airlines lobbying FAA to have only one pilot in the cockpit

#267

Post by phkahler » Fri, Dec 16, 2022, 2:45 PM UTC

null0ranje wrote: post #198

kwanbix wrote: post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And what happens if THE pilot has a heart attack or similar problem that prevents it from flying the plane?

It’s the insurance company’s problem. /s

Plane crashes are a major problem for the airlines. When it happens, we all hear about it, often with horrific imagery of wreckage and talk of hundreds of dead people. That's a problem for the popularity of the industry and they'd probably rather pay the victims/insurance than have people lose trust in their safety.