Peter Duniho wrote:


The real question is whether pilots on average are able to come up with
inspired solutions to problems more often than they create problems with
perfectly good airplanes.

I admit, I don't have the statistics in front of me, but I suspect that
human error in the cockpit causes more accidents than human novelty recovers
from.


That question is really at the heart of a long-running difference in
design philosophy between Boeing and Airbus. Airbus favors greater
automation, citing the fact that most accidents are caused by pilot
error. Boeing favors greater pilot control over systems, saying that
the only reason system error has not caused more accidents is that it
has not had the opportunity to do so. The truth of the matter is, no
one really can claim to know which is better: at this point it all
boils down to emotion and marketing.

I think if pilotless aircraft are to become successful, they will first
be widely used by the military. As the public gains acceptance that
these aircraft are safe, then eventually commercial will follow. There
is a huge attitude problem to overcome. Heck, Australia doesn't even
want private pilots to share airspace with commercial airliners. Who
knows what regulators there and elsewhere would demand of pilotless
airplanes?