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A comment on Boeing quietly pulls plug on the 747, closing era of jumbo jets. Parent comment

Re:Boeing quietly pulls plug on the 747, closing era of jumb... by samatman on Thursday July 02, 2020 @09:34PM (#23720200)
While I fully agree with the first paragraph, I question the second.

The risk to humans in automated flight is mainly in takeoff and landing. I can readily imagine making safe UAV tanker drones which take off and land on airstrips far from human habitation, such that the occasional mistake, while expensive, costs no human life.

What I can't imagine is the economics of this ever working out.

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Re:Boeing quietly pulls plug on the 747, closing era of jumb... by philwelch on Thursday July 02, 2020 @09:50PM (#23720321)
The safety issue would also apply for mid-air refueling; that’s a precision maneuver that would endanger the crew of the cargo plane. Plus, if the cargo itself is expendable you’d be just as safe handling the cargo planes the same way as you suggest handling the fuel drones.
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