4 ms·
Why are human test pilots still used in $current_year?
by kleton 6y ago
Why are human test pilots still used in $current_year?
- missedthecue 6y agoBecause it's currently still safer than software trying to fly an experimental aircraft
- selectodude 6y agoPilots have a better chance of saving the plane if something goes wrong, software is less good at dealing with edge cases than an experienced test pilot and in order to figure out what the edge cases are in order to programmatically deal with them, you need a human to find out what they even are and figure out how to fix them.
- redis_mlc 6y agoTest pilots are often involved in designing the airplane, like Scott Crossfield and the X-15. They are also involved in understanding the flight envelope. If you think of them as "drivers", then you don't understand what they do at all. I do maintenance test flights, which involves verifying what mechanics did to the plane before students attempt to fly. Always find something.