Originally Posted by resar40
The autopilot is there to fly the aircraft. The question is, why could the crew of the AC in question not use its autopilot to save their lives?
You most likely know far more than me about the details of how much programming, physical manipulation etc is required to setup the presently installed AP and its limitation wrt to 3D nav, approach and landing.
My point is that we now have new autopilot technology (as can be observed in UAVs) which can navigate an aircraft completely autonomously, and of course the autopilot may be manually controlled from the ground (anywhere in the world) with a variety of existing comms links with (for example) click and drag waypoints, climbs, descents, and various configuration changes with ease.
Some people may believe that UAVs or their control systems are still inherently unreliable or do not have the full functionality required for complete flights. This is however demonstrably untrue, but the same fundamental technical and human system problems are present in UAV operation as with conventional piloted aircraft. This should not be seen as a reason to dismiss the technology and its potential to increase safety in situations such as the topic of this thread.
Reliability or functionality of UAV is competely irrelevant, if one is unable to program or reprogram it.
Just a simple experiment: Program your UAV for a mission and bring it in the air. 20 minutes after takeoff, put on a blindfold and then start reprogramming your mission, click and drag waypoints, climbs, descents, and various configuration changes with the goal to land your UAV safely within 20 minutes on any airport in its vicinity.
Remove your blindfold after your UAV has landed.
Can you do it? Will it be possible?
For all others unfamiliar with UAV's another experiment: Do you see the reply button in the lower right corner of my post? Yes?
Put on a blindfold, then move your mouse, click on that reply button, write a reply with 10 sentences and submit it.
After sending your reply, remove the blindfold.
Have you been successfull? How many spelling mistakes are in your 10 sentences? Did your PC record any sentences at all?
A "simple" task if you can see, but without vision it is a hundred times more challanging and I personally doubt that it is possible to submit a reply when blindfolded and you are untrained in doing so.
Now imagine you are sitting in the smoke filled cockpit of a burning airliner, unable to see your nosetip, its getting hotter than in a steam bath, you use a mask to breath oxygen, you don't know exactly where you are, your heading, speed and altitude are are only guessed from information you received by radio from a radar measurement...