Why are starfighters always manned?

[Eddo36]

Well, in most space movies, why are there always a freaking pilot in a ****pit of fighters? With all that cool giz whiz space technology they have, the pilot can be controlling the fighter by remote control somewhere in the mothership. Heck, the USA is using unmanned drones more and more to replace fighters. No ****pit and life support systems means the fighter can be smaller and more mobile with bigger payload.

[Musopticon?]

Because, where is the excitement in drones? Surely it's more interesting to see how a pilot fares and maybe even fear for his life a bit, than to watch people play video games on the orbit.

[Gfted1]

Word is that the F-22 will be the last manned fighter produced by the United States.

[Laozi]

Yeah, its all going to be rocketpacks from here on out.

[kirottu]

Strange. I have thought Eddo would like to have his "****pit" to be "manned".

[Musopticon?]

The world needs power armors. Give us power armors!

 

Edit: Kiro, you have achieved a new low, congrats.

Edited July 26, 2006 by Musopticon?

[LostStraw]

Well, in most space movies, why are there always a freaking pilot in a ****pit of fighters? With all that cool giz whiz space technology they have, the pilot can be controlling the fighter by remote control somewhere in the mothership. Heck, the USA is using unmanned drones more and more to replace fighters. No ****pit and life support systems means the fighter can be smaller and more mobile with bigger payload.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In many movies there's often a lot of small starships very long distances from any sort of possible command station, this would make controlling them remotely very difficult -- but now that I think about it, they often have (magical) real time comunication anyway .

Edited July 26, 2006 by LostStraw

[Oerwinde]

Yeah, its all going to be rocketpacks from here on out.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Here's a picture of the prototype in action:

 

[Alec]

Screw all the fighters, build a real Enterprise like Star Trek!

[Laozi]

Screw all the fighters, build a real Enterprise like Star Trek!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Yeah complete with a constantly mal-functioning holodeck for gimpy non-space adventures and a bar featuring Whoopi Goldberg.

[kirottu]

Edit: Kiro, you have achieved a new low, congrats.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Thank you! Oh! Thank you! I can hardly conjugate verbs! I feel so horny! And this statue - it's so suspiciously phallic! Oh, thank you again! I just want everyone to bow down before me and accept that even in my wildest fits of self-loathing, I never would have imagined that this could ever validate my mediocrity. And to the other super-amazing nominees, I want each of you to know how totally wonderful your jealosy makes me feel right now!

 

You know when they first told me I was nominated, I just had to take a Xanax and brag about how great my thighs have been. I guess it all just makes me feel kinda wrinkly.

 

You know, there are so many blood-sucking Napoleon Complex-suffering studio execs to thank! First off though, I want to bitch slap the self-congratulatory circle jerks of the Academy, who looked deep within their cold, black hearts before giving me this fantastic award! Also, I want to thank Charleton Heston, for being such a powerful force in my loins. And to the hooker with the heart of gold, who taught me to take life by the fifth of bourbon. And finally, to all the Producers I slept with - I couldn't have done it without you!

 

Thank you America, and good night!

[Rosbjerg]

[Jinny]

Well, in most space movies, why are there always a freaking pilot in a ****pit of fighters? With all that cool giz whiz space technology they have, the pilot can be controlling the fighter by remote control somewhere in the mothership. Heck, the USA is using unmanned drones more and more to replace fighters. No ****pit and life support systems means the fighter can be smaller and more mobile with bigger payload.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You do realize that a guy in the plane itself is a much more creative thinker than a drone and if something wrong happens, like just say we were going to nuke someone but we found out they did nothing wrong and the drone won't deactivate or something like that, you're screwed. But a pilot could do something, maybe stop the missile from launching or crash his plane to stop the weapon. It's just that drones have too much blind obidence, they can't think for themselves or find out moraly right from wrong.

[Oerwinde]

Well, in most space movies, why are there always a freaking pilot in a ****pit of fighters? With all that cool giz whiz space technology they have, the pilot can be controlling the fighter by remote control somewhere in the mothership. Heck, the USA is using unmanned drones more and more to replace fighters. No ****pit and life support systems means the fighter can be smaller and more mobile with bigger payload.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You do realize that a guy in the plane itself is a much more creative thinker than a drone and if something wrong happens, like just say we were going to nuke someone but we found out they did nothing wrong and the drone won't deactivate or something like that, you're screwed. But a pilot could do something, maybe stop the missile from launching or crash his plane to stop the weapon. It's just that drones have too much blind obidence, they can't think for themselves or find out moraly right from wrong.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I think he's trying to say have them be remote controlled drones. Like there is a pilot in a ****pit somewhere, just not in the actual fighter. Like a flight simulator that controls the unmanned drone. That way their best pilots could be shot down many times but still fly the next mission.

[Gfted1]

I think he's trying to say have them be remote controlled drones. Like there is a pilot in a ****pit somewhere, just not in the actual fighter. Like a flight simulator that controls the unmanned drone. That way their best pilots could be shot down many times but still fly the next mission.

 

In addition, the humans are the weak link in the machinery. Unmanned aircraft are much more capable of high G's and radical manuvering.

[Laozi]

Ya but if theres a power outage there goes a whole airforce.

Edited July 26, 2006 by Laozi

[Hurlshort]

Man, I saw the movie "Stealth" (well, parts of it...it was too bad to watch completely) and AI is definitely not the way to go. Those things go rogue too easy.

 

Seriously though, remote piloting is pretty common in real life, hence the mars explorers. But remote control has drawbacks as well.

[SteveThaiBinh]

I certainly wouldn't sign up to pilot a starfighter, at the rate they get blown to bits, and who in their right mind would? A sure sign of conscription under an oppressive regime.

 

In anything like Star Wars or Star Trek, there's no justification for not having either AI or remote control. Battlestar Galactica has a plot-related reason for not having that kind of technology, which is fine.

[Sturm]

Screw all the fighters, build a real Enterprise like Star Trek!

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Thinking of Star Trek in these forums? Shame on you all thinking about it. Be gone I banish thee all.

[Fenghuang]

Hey mods, looks like one of the rabid fanbois escaped the KotORII forums again. Rectify this situation immediately plzthx.

[Hurlshort]

Oh, I didn't realize this was a Star Wars forum

[Blank]

I didn't realize ****pit was a bad word.

[Alec]

Screw all the fighters, build a real Enterprise like Star Trek!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Thinking of Star Trek in these forums? Shame on you all thinking about it. Be gone I banish thee all.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

This is a Way-Off topic... I can speak about anthing I like

[LostStraw]

I didn't realize ****pit was a bad word.

I'm not sure why they put the blanket ban on the word "****".

Just a list of some of the other words netted as well, these words also have more definitions -- I picked one definition per word to keep it short.

(everything is from www.dictionary.com)

 

****

-An adult male chicken; a rooster

 

****ade

-An ornament, such as a rosette or knot of ribbon, usually worn on the hat as a badge

 

****ed

-The position of the hammer of a firearm when ready for firing

 

****er

-A ****er spaniel

 

****led

-Any of various bivalve mollusks of the family Cardiidae, having rounded or heart-shaped shells with radiating ribs.

 

****y

-Overly self-assertive or self-confident

[Nartwak]

Yeah, its all going to be rocketpacks from here on out.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Here's a picture of the prototype in action:

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

See avatar. <---

 

My answer to why pilots is that you're watching entertainment programmes; manned flight involves mortal peril and therefore raises dramatic tension.

Edited July 27, 2006 by Nartwak