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There aren't too many IFR qualified helicopter pilots down here in NZ, mainly those doing offshore support. I can't understand requiring an IFR rating for a helicopter pilot, even a commercial one.Commercial pilots without instrument ratings are very rare and will not get much work. Most of the ones I know are towing gliders or crop dusters
Even no-electric system ragwing cubs, Aeroncas, and T-crafts hedgehopping in the desert miles from any controlled airspace or radar coverage? Or should we just bite the bullet and outlaw them entirely? Declare the EAA and the SSA terrorist organizations? They're almost there with ADS-B. You can't even fly a model airplane now unless it and you are registered for drone operations and are ADS-B compliant.All planes should have altitude reporting transponders.
I don't know about now, but back in the 70's a private pilot got instrument training, no not flying an IFR flight plan but some time flying and controlling the plane on instruments, night flight in a very dark area is similar to IMC conditions. Some of us low timers had no problems depending on the instruments and recovering from an unusual attitude.
This day and age there is no excuse for even an inexperienced pilot going out of control from entering IMC, all planes should be equiped with GPS synthetic vision and enhanced vision as well as TCAS , Terrain avoidance systems, and such should be incorporated into those systems. All for hire aircraft especially should have to have it. Those systems give a real time view of what the plane is flying over even in a dense cloud. And let you know where the other planes are that could run into you. All planes should have altitude reporting transponders.
The technology requires a LOT of maturing before that becomes feasible. Not in my lifetime. Over my dead body.Perhaps the future is pilotless VIP charter helicopters. Removing the pilot seems to be removing the cause of these IMC mishaps.
Perhaps the future is pilotless VIP charter helicopters. Removing the pilot seems to be removing the cause of these IMC mishaps.
They've already got apps that do better than the average Dr. at diagnosing obscure forms of cancer.Do we replace Dr.'s for instance with robots too?
They've already got apps that do better than the average Dr. at diagnosing obscure forms of cancer.
Scary thought, but what does a surgeon do? Analyze symptoms and history, then compare to knowledge and experience. If a standard procedure is indicated, proceed according to protocol, observing for abnormalities and accomodating as necessary. These processes are not too far beyond what industrial robotics are currently capable of. Consultation, innovation, and bedside manner still need a lot of work, but who wouldn't like to swim up from under the anesthesia to be welcomed by an observant, intelligent Siri?i'm referring to performing surgeries.
Well, a Dr's far more likely to kill you than a pilot.Human error is the cause of probably most injuries and deaths in every aspect of our lives.
Do we replace Dr.'s for instance with robots too?
That computer control would have to be a distributed redundant system like FBW, but what worries me is not hiccup, but hack, or maybe even EMP.How abou a sky full of commercial aircraft taking off and landing a few minutes apart all under nice safe computer control...then hiccup....
Well, a Dr's far more likely to kill you than a pilot.
Scary thought, but what does a surgeon do? Analyze symptoms and history, then compare to knowledge and experience. If a standard procedure is indicated, proceed according to protocol, observing for abnormalities and accomodating as necessary. These processes are not too far beyond what industrial robotics are currently capable of. Consultation, innovation, and bedside manner still need a lot of work, but who wouldn't like to swim up from under the anesthesia to be welcomed by an observant, intelligent Siri?
Again, scary thought!
Cheers,
Wes
In the words of Bill Voss (ex chair of Helicopter Safety International) "the difference is, they kill people one at a time"Agreed on that 100%
Just like aviation; rules written in blood. That patient dies, written off to collateral damage, and the software gets revised yet again.the problem is when something goes against what it is programmed to do
Nothing like aviation... The safety culture isn't there in medicine to be able to learn from mistakes. The medical field almost always write deaths off as 'one of those things' and unavoidable - something aviation dismissed a long time ago.Just like aviation; rules written in blood. That patient dies, written off to collateral damage, and the software gets revised yet again.