Computer Virus Hits US Drone Fleet

[Bluehawk]

... putting their lives on the line while the predadorks pack it up for the night and go to the bar for a beer. When I crash my aircraft, we run the real risk of being injured or killed and then having to evade an enemy and protect the lives in our care, that is being an aviator. Like Varangian said, they are not pilots, they are operators.

I'd have said it just about that way myself...

 

Seems like we're hoisted on a new-fangling pittard of wordage, and some hubris among UAV folks. Just for information purposes I looked up the formal definition of the word "pilot" and, now we know something about how they came to their decision to name themselves as such:

 

pi·lot/ˈpīlət/

Verb:

Act as a pilot of (an aircraft or ship).

Noun:

A person who operates the flying controls of an aircraft.

Adjective:

Done as an experiment or test before introducing something more widely.

Synonyms:

verb. guide - steer - lead - conduct - direct - navigate - fly

noun. aviator - airman - flier - flyer

adjective. experimental - tentative - trial

 

When as a skeeter wing "air crew in training" I hoped one day to earn that insignia, never ever did I assume that because it was a wing I was going to be a pilot.

 

While I don't mean to pick on my own branch, I gotta say again that this topic is another one of those instances where the AF gets itself very confused about insignia, and embarrasses others. I see no hope of correcting the problem, but it oughta be done.

[Spathologist]

Then real aviators or ground troops have to risk their lives to go get their heap of junk and cart it back, all the while, putting their lives on the line while the predadorks pack it up for the night and go to the bar for a beer.

 

A lot of these guys think that, since there are no consequences to them when wheels come off the cart, that there are no consequences. Among other duties, I'm also filling the shoes of the Division UAS officer until we get a real one, and after one crash too many due to a stupid operator trick I vented just a wee bit. When the response was, "we just turn in the parts and they'll issue us another", I vented a lot. About how the ground troops were having to go outside the wire to police up their little boo-boo, and men were having to risk their lives and their families' futures all because Opie the Operator had the attention span of a cocker spaniel.

 

A little light went on in his head, like he'd never even considered that. Or maybe he just had gas.

 

Don't get me wrong, most of the TUAS and SUAS operators I deal with are smart kids and dedicated to their mission. They're just really insulated from the consequences of their errors.

[hawkdriver]

That definition in the dictionary was probably written before remote control operators came aboard. One joke we used to make about UAV guys, if they want all the benefits and ackowledgement, then each UAV should be outfitted with a GI Joe and the operator gets a game board. If and when the UAV goes down, the operator must hit the eject button, which the GI Joe is then ejected. If he doesn't get that done, then a dungeon master (would have to be a new MOS) would stand behind him and put an end to his misery. If he successfully ejects, then he turns around, takes the die and rolls them. Whatever number comes up, that is his fate. Broken leg? the dungeon master would break his leg. Concussion? a good hard wack to the head with a bat would be the fate. Captured by the enemy? Well, that would be a myriad of things over several days. Would make UAV flying a little more realistic and serious. Would make that PTSD they file for more acceptable.

[Bluehawk]

That definition in the dictionary was probably written before remote control operators came aboard. One joke we used to make about UAV guys, if they want all the benefits and ackowledgement, then each UAV should be outfitted with a GI Joe and the operator gets a game board. If and when the UAV goes down, the operator must hit the eject button, which the GI Joe is then ejected. If he doesn't get that done, then a dungeon master (would have to be a new MOS) would stand behind him and put an end to his misery. If he successfully ejects, then he turns around, takes the die and rolls them. Whatever number comes up, that is his fate. Broken leg? the dungeon master would break his leg. Concussion? a good hard wack to the head with a bat would be the fate. Captured by the enemy? Well, that would be a myriad of things over several days. Would make UAV flying a little more realistic and serious. Would make that PTSD they file for more acceptable.

[Johnny Signor]

I'm sure "hasbro" would be willing to help with the "Pilots"