Electric cars.

Yeah, but you wouldn't take the pilot away, would you.
As cluless says,for things that travel on a straight line, in effect, semi automation can work, similar to cruise control in a car but total automation is dodgy imo.

 

I think it already is the same with modern airliners to some extent.

But would you fly in one without a pilot.
How many people have had problems with sensors on their cars,often main dealerships can't sort out the problem.

 

I actually like flying and the smaller the plane the better.
I like to actually know you are up there and a few bumps makes it more interesting.
When I get rich it's going to be a spitfire.

 

I think this is specific to fighter jets though.

The eurofighter typhoon is famously intentionally not aerodynamic. It was designed to be aerodynamically unstable so it could turn better in combat. Being unstable means a pilot has no chance of manually adjusting for all its wobbles, so a computer takes care of that, but the pilot is still relevant, effectively telling the computer what he wants the plane to do.

 

Three of us wanted to take a one hour pleasure flight from Headcorn, but the biggest one had to duck out as the plane would have been overweight, in another trip we got to the end of the grass runway and one of the magnetos was playing up so after a lot of engine revving we had to taxi back.
The pilot gave it one more try and it was working ok so we went.
It was a really hot day and the landing was interesting.

 

I think most modern fighter jets have been built unstable for a number of years, probably back as far as the F15 , F16 to name just a couple.

 

The pilot gave it one more try?

If the plane didn't work first time I'd want to be off it at least until a suitably qualified mechanic had taken a look.

 

No, apparently it happens a lot, it was a modified BMW v8, and they have two spark plugs per cylinder, this is just what I was told.
So the engine would run ok in flight but they are not allowed to take off with one magneto not working 100%.

Apparently they clear their selves with a bit of revving but it just took a bit longer than usual.

My glider flight was even more interesting.

 

Any one fancy wing walking or acrobatics.

 

No, should we be calling you, "Pete Top Gun Maverick" now.


I went to the TT's on the man back in 1984 with the lads, flew out of Blackpool, with the return landing in Liverpool. I think the aircraft was a "Short" a small propelled plane operated by Manx Airlines.