But there are always futurists with Panglossian views of the redundancy of humans and the marvels of robots. Some dreamers have, for example, promoted the idea that with automated flight decks being so wonderful only one pilot would suffice, and he would be reduced to being, basically, a monitor watching over things while the computers did all the flying, from leaving the departure gate to reaching the destination gate.
Then, of course, there are the total tech believers. Remove people entirely, just like we already do in many automated commuter rail systems. The computers are much safer. They don’t make mistakes, only humans do that.
Well, our grandchildren may come to that place. Our grandchildren may live to be 150 years old and have brain replacements, following all the other organ replacements. But I’m damned sure that right now nobody of sober disposition will argue for the cockpit containing no humans at all.
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