British FAA: Cockpit Computers Unfit For Human Consumption
Sir Arthur C. Clarke warned us in 1968
The phone conversations between literary agent Sam Fleishman and myself continue around themes in my forthcoming Murder By Computer.
Sam: "You're saying that pilots have lost control to computers?"
John: "Not me; the British FAA are saying this. They looked back to the genesis of computerized cockpits and found that Airbus and Boeing sold airlines that computers would reduce pilot workload and allow us to focus attention on 'more important parts' of flying. They remind me of this pitchman."
John: "Cockpit computers were oversold and understudied. Allow pilots to 'focus on more important parts of flying?' The Brits find the opposite -- pilots don't understand the Computer well enough to control the plane's flight path."
John: "Our British friends find that even when pilots see the Computer making a mistake? They sit there, watch it mess up, reluctant to intervene, then take over manually and hand-fly only after they're in deep trouble. The Dutch NTSB bravely finds that's what happened in February 2009."
John: "Here's your culprit."
Sam: "You must write about that. What's next?"
John: "The British document that pilots can't fly without the Computer's help."
Sam: "So who's in charge . . . the Computer?"
John: "The Brits add that when the Computer fails catastrophically . . . pilots don't see it. Or if they see the computer crashing, they misdiagnose the problem, then do the wrong thing as the situation gets worse. Like 'pilots' at this computer-controlled candy factory."
Sam: "I get it. How long have we known about these issues?"
John: "The 1996 FAA Report on Automation warned that plane crashes have come from the Computer hiding a problem, then suddenly disengaging into cascading failures across multiple computers that accelerate out of control, confusing pilots, and denying them a chance to prevent a crash."
Sam: "An eerie harbinger of last year's Air France 447 disaster."
Sam: "What happened to that '96 report?"
John: "The government has top men working on it."
Sam: "Scary; do any industry execs agree that computers confuse pilots?"
John: "Airbus VP Captain Jacques Drappier admitted at an international conference last September that pilots are so addicted to the computer that they've forgotten how to fly."
John: "The Cali crash airline's training VP testified to identical words way back in '96."
Sam: "Computers have caused plane crashes since '96?"
John: "While the Brits document that airline executives offer pilots this kind of help."
John: "Let me show you the navigation display that pilots around the globe use every day."
John: "Not much different from 1969 Pong."
Sam: "Oh . . . my . . . gawd."
John: "Those aren't maps; this is a map."
Sam: "This is nuts; what do you think should happen?"
John: "Steve Jobs showed us in 1984."
Read all John Halliday's columns at: www.huffingtonpost.com/john-t-halliday/
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.