A great source of info is the online aviation forum, AVSIG. It is astounding what you can learn on AVSIG. Ask any question—and I do mean any—and you will probably have the correct answer within 24 hours, max.
One of the current “threads” on AVSIG in recent days asks if you would ride an airliner with only one pilot. Also much discussed is the area of unmanned aircraft.
In my wildest dreams I never imagined aircraft flying around with no pilots aboard. Today, however, thousands of such craft fly worldwide. Fire departments use them (there’s a video of that on AVSIG), the military uses them with dramatic success, and now there is much discussion of their use for freight and even passenger airlines.
One big question concerns fitting unmanned aircraft into civilian airspace. A recent issue of AviationWeek & Space Technology—another great source of info—includes an article on that subject.
Obviously, unmanned aircraft have many important advantages. The debate seems to revolve around the problems. Most agree, however, that such problems will be addressed and these aircraft are here to stay, and that their usage will be expanded.
What a great time to observe the changes in aviation. As goes the punch line of an old Southern story, “Just you sit back and watch!”
