Comments on: The Strange Impact of Predator Losses http://seekerblog.com/archives/20070404/the-strange-impact-of-predator-losses/ Seeking reliable, objective sources on economics, foreign-policy and energy-policy issues. Wed, 08 Sep 2010 17:14:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Eric Hv. http://seekerblog.com/archives/20070404/the-strange-impact-of-predator-losses/comment-page-1/#comment-7935 Eric Hv. Thu, 05 Apr 2007 23:47:55 +0000 http://seekerblog.com/archives/20070404/the-strange-impact-of-predator-losses/#comment-7935 That the Air Force "REQUIRES" it's UAV pilots to be actual pilots, I believe this is the Air force's keeping with it's tradition of keeping and training pilots. Let's face it...Once the Predator is in the air, You ARE watching a video game. While there are Situations such as Wind Sheer, Lift, and Turbulence that can make flying a UAV difficult, I believe that, on autopilot, the sensors aboard the craft are more than enough to compensate. There are missions, especially in Combat Support, Close In reconnaissance , and extremely difficult terrain (Mountain Regions in Afghanistan for instance) that a trained pilot could do a better job piloting a UAV around than a "CIVILIAN". In those cases, you could have a class of "SUPER OPERATORS", who could be on stand by, when these missions come up. But flying at 20000 over flat dessert, or over water, you cannot tell me that a trained pilot is required for those missions. I recently read that for pilots coming out of the USAF Pilot Training classes, where there is no flying Billits, are being offered 3 year "UAV/PREDATOR" slots. That means that someone with Wings, will spend the next three years flying and operating UAV's. While that person may technically be a "PILOT", that in no means gives anyone more skill in Navigation, Night Flying, Crosswind Landings, and Instument Flying, than someone trained from the start as a UAV Pilot. I respect any "COMBAT AVIATORS", who put their life on the line, and require daily honing of skills to be the best aviators, flying against similar trained adversaries. But flying an oversized "Model Aircraft" once it leaves the ground, can be equally done by training. The "SEAT OF THE PANTS" feel will not be of benefit until UAV OPERATORS get feedback from the ship, and have the CONSOLE Tilt, Rise, Drop and Shift in sync with the actual aircraft. Given that most "PREDATOR/UAV" are being flown via Satelllite link (To increase range, and prevent Over the Horizon LOS) that the delay will make it impossible to give a REAL TIME feellng to the operator. Also they talk about "VIDEO GAME" skills, that may assist users in beliieving they are actually in the cockpit, instead of watching it. If you have been indoctrinated since birth in this culture, with it's "SUSPENSION of BELIEF", then you may be better trained that someone who has to learn this stuff from scratch. One last point. The Predator, which is a fine ship, is by no means a high performance aircraft. Compared the the Speed, Response and Control of a Modern High Performance Jet Aircraft, the Predator is more like a CESSNA 172. Unless they can make a actual "MANNED" Predator, which pilots can go up and feel the responsiveness of that machine, they again will not get the feeling for the aircraft, until after they pilot it. This same skill can be applied to a Private/Commercial pilot as well. That the Air Force “REQUIRES” it’s UAV pilots to be actual pilots, I believe this is the Air force’s keeping with it’s tradition of keeping and training pilots. Let’s face it…Once the Predator is in the air, You ARE watching a video game. While there are Situations such as Wind Sheer, Lift, and Turbulence that can make flying a UAV difficult, I believe that, on autopilot, the sensors aboard the craft are more than enough to compensate.

There are missions, especially in Combat Support, Close In reconnaissance , and extremely difficult terrain (Mountain Regions in Afghanistan for instance) that a trained pilot could do a better job piloting a UAV around than a “CIVILIAN”. In those cases, you could have a class of “SUPER OPERATORS”, who could be on stand by, when these missions come up. But flying at 20000 over flat dessert, or over water, you cannot tell me that a trained pilot is required for those missions.

I recently read that for pilots coming out of the USAF Pilot Training classes, where there is no flying Billits, are being offered 3 year “UAV/PREDATOR” slots. That means that someone with Wings, will spend the next three years flying and operating UAV’s. While that person may technically be a “PILOT”, that in no means gives anyone more skill in Navigation, Night Flying, Crosswind Landings, and Instument Flying, than someone trained from the start as a UAV Pilot.

I respect any “COMBAT AVIATORS”, who put their life on the line, and require daily honing of skills to be the best aviators, flying against similar trained adversaries. But flying an oversized “Model Aircraft” once it leaves the ground, can be equally done by training. The “SEAT OF THE PANTS” feel will not be of benefit until UAV OPERATORS get feedback from the ship, and have the CONSOLE Tilt, Rise, Drop and Shift in sync with the actual aircraft. Given that most “PREDATOR/UAV” are being flown via Satelllite link (To increase range, and prevent Over the Horizon LOS) that the delay will make it impossible to give a REAL TIME feellng to the operator.

Also they talk about “VIDEO GAME” skills, that may assist users in beliieving they are actually in the cockpit, instead of watching it. If you have been indoctrinated since birth in this culture, with it’s “SUSPENSION of BELIEF”, then you may be better trained that someone who has to learn this stuff from scratch.

One last point. The Predator, which is a fine ship, is by no means a high performance aircraft. Compared the the Speed, Response and Control of a Modern High Performance Jet Aircraft, the Predator is more like a CESSNA 172. Unless they can make a actual “MANNED” Predator, which pilots can go up and feel the responsiveness of that machine, they again will not get the feeling for the aircraft, until after they pilot it. This same skill can be applied to a Private/Commercial pilot as well.

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