It is possible to develop an adaptive semi intelligent flight control program capable of dealing with unique events, such as an uncontained engine failure or structural failure. BUT and that is a big but, the cost of developing such a high tech certifiable program would be biblical and it would also take many years.
There are only about half a dozen companies in the US or EU capable of writing, testing and developing the type of programs that are capable of thinking for themselves in terms of dealing with non standard emergency situations for which no checklist can be written in advance. All of those high tech companies are very busy working for various defence or automotive sector customers, doing such things are developing driverless cars or intelligent fire and forget missile systems.
Most airlines can't even afford to fit a certified 3 channel auto land system, so it is rather unlikely that they would be interested in paying the hundred billion plus to develop either an integral system OR an android that sits in the pilots seat. I kind of suspect that it is more likely that a android pilot adapted from a military or car industry unit is more likely than a built in unit.
Originally Posted by
Willie Everlearn
"priority now should be the elimination of human pilots from the system via automation"
For the salaries on offer these days, great idea. Can't happen soon enough.
On a more serious note, is the artificial intelligence refined enough to accommodate that level of automation and how soon could it be incorporated into today's technology?
As an aside, I don't think I'd be that comfortable getting onto anything, especially something leaving the ground, that doesn't have a human behind the wheel (other than the train at Disney World). The though is still unnerving to me and I can't imagine the average afraid-to-fly-in-the-first-place passenger would either.
Willie