flyantonov,
You make a very good point BUT if we were to go in the direction of piloting aircraft remote you remove the pilots key motivator- fear. Your ability to perform varies depending on your involvement in the situation. A kid answering a question on a piece of homework wouldn't put half the thought into it as they would in an exam- because it affects THEM if they balls it up in the exam. Would the sort of decision making on Cactus 1549/Speedbird 38 etc. be possible if the pilot was not in the aircraft? The human instinct and desire to survive motivates the pilot to do the best job possible. A pilot based remotely will survive (though perhaps not professionally) regardless of his/her actions. Also, being in the aircraft gives you ACTUAL situational awareness and a pilot's feel for the aircraft is difficult to simulate. The split second decisions you make based just on what you can feel from the responsiveness of the aircraft would be impaired by not being on board.
Cpt Sunshine