Sound Bite
A 747-400 captain warns about the drive toward fully-automated passenger flights in the light of recent accidents. While he identifies many invaluable ways that instrumentation and automation have made it less demanding and safer to fly, he draws attention to many examples where no computerized system can save the day.
About the Book
Relying entirely on Artificial Intelligence in place of the warm-body pilots would offer airlines major cost savings. But especially in light of the 737 Max 8 accidents, the author asks: "Are you ready to board a fully-automated pilotless aircraft?"And even more important: "Do you think you'll have a choice?" Total reliance on 21st century computer systems doesn't appear to be the answer.In an analysis of the last 10 years of accidents, the author highlights where the human/computer weaknesses lie. He explores the vulnerability of the human pilot in the aviation world, and then he takes the debate to the next stage by asking how we need to redesign the interface between pilot and machine.A possible solution borrowed from the film '2001' is introduced. By looking at our own human evolution, can we reverse engineer fatal outcomes from recent accidents, combined with simulator trials, to build fully secure safety systems? The seemingly impossible solution to keeping the flight deck secure from terrorist activity and at the same time preventing pilot suicide is likewise addressed.The book also illustrates in a simplified way how computer logic works, showing why it would be impossible to program in a solution for every one of the infinite number of things that can go wrong.
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