# Remotely controlled passenger jet in 1984. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 8, 2004, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remotely-controlled-passenger-jet-in-1984/258902 "2004-08-08T18:35:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nonpolar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3da27b/32.png) [@nonpolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonpolar)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remotely-controlled-passenger-jet-in-1984/258902/1 "2004-08-08T18:35:02Z")
Has anyone seen on Discovery or other science channels before 9/11, footage of boeing 720 in conntrolled impact demonstration ? I have seen that many times.Now they don’t show that any more . Apparently in 1984 plane was remotely conntrolled and crushed in some military base to check data on fuell safety (something like that)Very innteresting footage . I’m not conspiracy nut ,but if it was possible to do that then imagine what we can do now. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remotely-controlled-passenger-jet-in-1984/258902/2 "2004-08-08T18:48:18Z")
You mean the NASA demonstration in 1984? See [http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Gallery/Movie/CID/](http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Gallery/Movie/CID/) > [@](#): > > I’m not conspiracy nut ,but if it was possible to do that then imagine what we can do now. [You mean this?](http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/budget/fy2001/dot-e/airforce/01predator.html) So what’s your point, besides the one on the tinfoil hat? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remotely-controlled-passenger-jet-in-1984/258902/3 "2004-08-08T20:18:04Z")
> [@nonpolar](#): > > Has anyone seen on Discovery or other science channels before 9/11, footage of boeing 720 in conntrolled impact demonstration ? I have seen that many times.Now they don’t show that any more . > Apparently in 1984 plane was remotely conntrolled and crushed in some military base to check data on fuell safety (something like that)Very innteresting footage . > > I’m not conspiracy nut ,but if it was possible to do that then imagine what we can do now. Like what… make increasingly sophisticated military RPVs… like they’ve doing for ummm… 20+ years now. What exactly are you ohhing and ahhing about? ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remotely-controlled-passenger-jet-in-1984/258902/4 "2004-08-08T22:49:33Z")
If you’re wondering why we don’t just fly all our passenger planes via remote control, that’s been discussed many times here. The upshot is that there’s little reason to believe it would really enhance the safety of the people on board. In fact, it’d be arguably more dangerous. ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remotely-controlled-passenger-jet-in-1984/258902/5 "2004-08-08T23:04:39Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > If you’re wondering why we don’t just fly all our passenger planes via remote control, that’s been discussed many times here. The upshot is that there’s little reason to believe it would really enhance the safety of the people on board. In fact, it’d be arguably more dangerous. Yes indeed, if I was a passenger on an aeroplane I’d be a lot happier knowing that the person controlling it was up there with me and had a vested interest in getting it down safely. ---
**Author:** ![RumMunkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@RumMunkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RumMunkey)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2004, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remotely-controlled-passenger-jet-in-1984/258902/6 "2004-08-09T12:09:43Z")
To answer the OP, I have seen that footage. Pre AND post 9/11. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2004, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remotely-controlled-passenger-jet-in-1984/258902/7 "2004-08-09T12:49:33Z")
I worked at Edwards AFB, and I saw that airplane. (Didn’t see the test, though.) IIRC they missed the target slightly, which did not give them the results they were expecting. The test was to see if a new additive to jet fuel would prevent it from creating a fireball in a crash. Another aircraft they tested when I was there was the HiMAT ( **Hi** ghly **M** aneuverable **A** ircraft **T** echnology). This was a small aircraft that maneuvered so tightly that a pilot would not have been able to withstand the Gs. Last I saw it, it was hanging in the Museum of Science and Technology at Exposition Park in L.A. Of course, there have been remotely piloted aircraft used as target drones for decades. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2004, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remotely-controlled-passenger-jet-in-1984/258902/8 "2004-08-09T12:52:18Z")
> [@](#): > > Last I saw it, it was hanging in the Museum of Science and Technology at Exposition Park in L.A. Sorry. That should be “California Museum of Science and Industry”.