"Mike Money" wrote in message
...

The Predator is equipped with a modified Honeywell ETCAS TPA-81A. The
system responds to Mode 1, 2, 3, 4, A, C, and S. Forward surveillance
has been extended to 360 degrees.

What do you mean by 360 degrees? What is the resolution? Better or
worse than someone with 20/40 vision? Is there collision detection
software analyzing the incoming video, or does it just rely on the ground
based operator to see what's going on.

And of course not all GA aircraft are equipped with TCAS, nor are
they required to be.


In addition, Predator is data-linked to airborne and ground commands for
control and observation.

From the crash reports that Larry provided, this seems to be a ground
link which is easily obscured by terrain. I'd have thought some satellite
link would be better.


Predator is piloted by a ground controller who is assisted by up to six
(6) mission specialist. Each specialists is responsible for the
sensor/system he/she is operating to complete the mission (optical, IR,
armament, etc.). The pilot ground controller is dedicated to flying the
airplane. Some controllers are certified pilots and all controllers
have spent many hours in a simulator.

"Some" are certified pilots??? Come on now.

I bet there are millions of little weenies with hundreds of hours
of Microsoft FS under their belts, but I certainly wouldn't want them
flying around in the same sky as me and my passengers.


There are more eyeballs on a Predator and its proximity to everything
than any GA aircraft.

It's not "eyeballs on a Predator" that concern me. It's the
eyeballs the Predator has looking out for other traffic and
the competence of those interpreting what they see which
is the safety concern.

In the final analysis, the operator of a Predator just has his
job on the line; I have my life on the line, and that of my
passengers.

Tell you what. How about fitting operators with a helmet
that has a built-in gun pointing directly into his head? If they
hit another plane, the gun goes off.