Originally Posted by
Arfur Dent
Ian W - what do you mean by "CAT 111B used as crews are not capable of sufficient safe accuracy"??
With your use of half truths and semi facts, you are obviously not a pilot. Do you know how often pilots carry out CAT 3 autolands? Do you know what happens to flow rates at, say LHR, when LVPs are in force? Do you know what facilities are required regarding airborne and ground equipment to carry out LVPs?
When LVPs are not in force and sensitive areas are not required to be protected, almost every pilot will carry out a manual landing flying large parts of the final approach manually as well.
Yes, we have a vested interest as pilots but we do as passengers too. How can you possibly know how many millions of people have been saved by expeditious and timely pilot intervention? After you on the first pilotless aircraft - I won't join you - ever.
Actually, I do know all the limitations of ILS, which is rather too slowly being replaced by GLS and GBAS which is just as accurate (if not more accurate) and does not have issues with multi-path reflections requiring protected zones and extra in-trail separation. Perhaps you should read up about those, as GLS will be fitted to more advanced aircraft and they will not need to have extra separation. Perhaps you will then think about the number of days at Heathrow and other major hubs where the runway acceptance rate is severely reduced by aircraft using ILS when those aircraft using GLS could maintain the acceptance rates. An entire GLS/GBAS system can be installed at an airport for the cost of one annual ILS calibration and does not have the ILS limitations and will provide CAT IIIb accuracy for GLS approaches to all the runway ends within 20KM. GLS aircraft will save both the aircraft operators and airport operators significant amounts of money and disruption recovery exercises.
Not only that but as has been shown in developments in Seattle/Tacoma (SEA), curved instrument approaches can be carried out allowing reductions in flight time and noise nuisance while maintaining runway acceptance rates.
Autonomous operations are already being carried out in military developments and as said in this thread that includes carrier landings and air to air refueling both of which are far more complex than a simple IMC landing on a fixed runway. The potential financial benefits are not lost on the aircraft operators. As is always the case it is the regulators that cannot keep up with the capabilities of new aircraft. Although there are already UAS that are Part 23 certified.
Expect significant changes in the next decade and by 2035 the aviation world will have changed more than it did with the introduction of jet engines.
Addition>
I would have no problem being flown in a UAS. Enjoy your life in the aerospace museums saying "
You won't get me up in one of those things."