Would you feel safe on a "commercial flight" with one pilot, the other pilot is AI in the cockpit

[turbinetree]

Automation, Autonomy At Center Of Flight Deck Research
April 18, 2023

22 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Yes
	6 (27%)
	No
	16 (73%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[pdxflyboy]

1. Hell no.

N/T

[msongs]

2. I'm sorry Dave, I"m afraid I can't do that....

[Hugh_Lebowski]

3. Computers already basically fly commercial planes, y'all do know that right?

I'd trust it on a US flight cause I'd trust the FAA to properly regulate the situation if they allowed AI to be the co-pilot.

Many thousands of flights already happen with only 1 pilot and a bank of computers across the world every year, and probably millions have happened in history. It's just that it is smaller planes.

[relayerbob]

5. Exactly my thought

[mikewv]

7. Exactly. (NM)

[mahina]

9. Yep

[Effete Snob]

12. Yup

…including landings.

Just another automated feature. The interesting part is certifying it, I guess, but you can put it through a lot of simulation without a simulator.

[Hekate]

15. As my husband has always pointed out: Once you put a computer into something, it becomes ...

…. a computer. You are then operating a computer, which can cease to function at any moment.

His point was proven when we took a drive in our friend’s hybrid electric car. It began to lose power on the freeway, and our friend shrugged as he pulled over and said this had happened before. Essentially, it needed a reboot. We were fine — but JHC, that was not in the ads.

So yes, I know about airplanes and their computers, but I choose to ignore that feature as long as there is a human pilot up front. It’s been quite a few years since I’ve travelled, but supposing I choose to get back on a plane to travel the 3,000 miles to visit other family members, I’d like to not have to totally depend on the whims of electronics.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

21. The question was not about there not being a pilot, it was about there not being a co-pilot

Also I said I'd trust it in the USA because I'd trust our regulators to make the right call regarding the safety of such a system ... here.

As the situation exists presently, a computer is already the pilot, the human pilot is the redundancy, and the co-pilot is a 2nd redundancy, and is mostly a formality/something 'traditional' that potentially isn't truly needed. Millions of flights have already been made with only 1 pilot in history, even before there were computers.

[Disaffected]

19. Since about 90% of airplane accidents are caused by

human error or malfeasance, I'd say you would probably be safer in such flights.

[tinrobot]

26. Exactly. But label it "AI" and people freak out.

We've had autopilot in various forms for decades. Nothing to worry about.

[Buns_of_Fire]

4. You knew somebody would do this, didn't you?

[Bucky]

11. Otto is looking a little deflated there.

Time to get him back in full form

[Hugh_Lebowski]

22. It was the first thing I thought of ;) (nt)

[PuppyBismark]

6. Today it is two pilots and a many computers, AI is coming

The modern airliner is nothing more than lots of very complex computer/software systems. A minute or so after takeoff until a minute or so most planes are flown by the computers. Both Airbus and Boeing are researching single pilot airliners to reduce operating costs.

Today airliners are very capable of landing by them selves. In fact if the weather is very bad the pilots must use the auto land capability.

So it is just a matter of time.

[brooklynite]

8. Actually, that's not how commercial planes work...

There aren't TWO pilots flying; ONE pilot does the flying, and the other monitors settings and communicates with ATC. However, they can switch off as needed. AI isn't terribly different than turning on the autopilot.

[MustLoveBeagles]

10. Only if there's a manual override in case something goes wrong

[Hekate]

16. Exactly

[cbabe]

13. What if the one pilot has a medical emergency? Than no pilot left.

[Talitha]

14. How would I know who/what is in the cockpit?

[TheFarseer]

17. Would enough people refuse to fly

and keep refusing to fly to make a difference? If people would still fly, then United just doesn’t give a shit what you prefer.

[Ritabert]

18. Haven't flown since 2001 and won't again

If I can't drive to it or take a boat to it I'm not going.

[brooklynite]

24. It must be sad to be that scared of technology...

Since 2001, I've flown to Great Britain multiple times, Paris multiple tines, Italy every year, Chicago every year, Seattle twice a year, Syria, Russia, Uzbekistan, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Germany, Morocco, Dubai, Oman, French Polynesia, Hawaii, Mexico.....

[Metaphorical]

20. It depends upon the AI

Most larger aircraft are already autonomous - the pilots there exist primarily for redundancy if the primary and secondary systems fail. Now, such systems do fail, occasionally, so they are still needed, but most guidance systems today are generally capable of taking a plane from one city to another 99.999% of the time.

[Angleae]

23. Hell no, and this is just one of the reasons why.

#t=39

At 0:30-0:40. If that landing plane was on autopilot, those two planes merge.

[ecstatic]

25. Oh boy

As long as the co-pilot stays awake and keeps paying attention, I guess it's okay.

Computers are not perfect. Why do you think they update apps and software almost daily? It's due to bugs and security holes that need to be fixed.