Re: Flight control systems on alien spacecraft

Andrew pointed out that the Vilani dispise extra technology, and therefore
would avoid auto-pilots.

Well, my understanding of the Vilani mindset, is that they want to USE the
technology, but avoid understanding it like the plague.  Thus their engineers
use advanced diagnostic computer programs to keep their drives going.

Well, in flight training, you quickly learn that you GOTTA understand the
machinery that is keeping you in the air, and keeping you ALIVE.  If some
Vilani pilot considers it beneath him to know what a fuel shut off valve does,
or that he should keep an eye on the tachometer, or that he should understand
wether or not the alternator is working, he'd BETTER have some computer doing
it for him.

I find in the cockpit, you spend roughly equal amounts of time monitoring the
instruments as you do watching out for traffic.  If Mr. Vilani doesn't feel
like watching the gauges, he will be dead, Dead, DEAD.  Thus auto-pilots to
assist.

Scott Kellogg
"Let's Go Down!"  --Darkwing Ducvax