Originally Posted by
GlobalNav
What I don’t get is why they did away with the boom operator looking directly out the tail of the airplane. How can natural vision, real 3D stereoscopic vision, be matched by a hi-falutin’ 2D video game? You’re designing performance penalties into the system in too many ways: adding delay, diminishing visual acuity, adding complexity and reducing reliability, and by the way spending more money for the privilege. If, perhaps, they wanted to add some additional visual symbology, etc., they could have still done so with “HUD” symbology overlaying the real world view.
First of all, the remote boom operator station was a USAF requirement - apparently they felt that forcing the boom operator to lay on the floor in the back and drive the boom was a bit 20th century. It also means that the boom operator stations are just aft of the flight deck, meaning they don't need access to the back when the cargo area is full of other stuff.
Second, the remote boom operation station
is full 3d, not 2d. I don't know details of the 3d system (and likely couldn't talk about it if I did), but it's definitely 3d. Apparently much of the issue is that it's a ten year old video system, and 3d video technology has gotten a lot better in the last 10 years.