Autopilot in
the economy. When is it valid as a metaphor?
What is an
"autopilot"
The "autopilot" (PA) is a computer-assisted
navigation system created to support the pilot during the flight and free it
from part of the work, tense and with high demand for attention and energy,
which after hours causes great fatigue in the arms, shoulders and back. The
aircraft is kept at constant speed in straight and level flight (without yaw,
pitch or roll), without the pilot operating the joystick. The system allows the
plane to continue flying in a straight line, through a sky theoretically clear
of any other object, but at all times the pilot has to be aware of the flight
to react to an unforeseen event or change course. With the development of
electronics and computers, the PA system evolved to an even more complex and
complete level, where it is able to maintain a speed, a course and a level, and
also perform maneuvers as required.
The AP usually used in commercial flights in the phases of
ascent, cruise, descent and approach, and in the landing, has always been
programmed and supervised by the pilots. The taxiing at the airport between the
terminal and the runway, or from the runway to the terminal, as well as the
takeoff can only be done in manual mode, under the absolute control of the
pilots of the plane.
An important detail: The pilot does not perform mechanical
maneuvers, but never stops paying attention to the trajectory, continuously
supervises the operation of the PA. Believe that while the PA is active, the
human pilot sleeps, goes for a walk in the cabin or plays bridge with the
co-pilot or the crew, it is a naivety or absolute ignorance. This last belief
is usually attributed to the governments and governments of countries without
leadership, vision, or plans that clearly define their position and destiny in
the world; and that when they are well economically it is due to the presence
and action of favorable external factors.
Peru grew and had positive performance in the first decade of
SXXI because China was devoted to frantically buying minerals and other raw
materials, significantly raising prices and demand; when China lowered demand,
the image of a successful country deflated. There was no PA because there was
never a pilot who would route the ship (the country) in the right direction and
according to suitable parameters (speed, altitude, indications for maneuvers,
et.). Without euphemisms, if there is no expert pilot, there can be no
"autopilot"; there is no leader in a country, there is no possible
growth or development, only random events.
Autopilot tasks
The PA system of the modern aircraft, activated and programmed
by the pilot of the same, and according to the specific type of aircraft, is
capable of:
a) Maintain the programmed altitude, b) ascend or descend to a
new programmed altitude, c) maintain the programmed speed, d) accelerate or
reduce to a new programmed speed, e) follow a programmed course, f) follow a
route plan programmed with control points, including course changes, ascents or
descents, g) aligning the aircraft with the airport runway, h) performing an
automated landing (there are different categories of instrument-assisted
landing, although not all aircraft, not all pilots can do it).
Each of the above references can easily be translated to its
equivalent in terms of economy or government of a country. Point f) route
programmed for the airplane corresponds to the feasible and coherent Government
Plan that mediocre rulers or improvised political groups never have; the only
thing that exists is a list of unfeasible and destructive promises that are
never fulfilled. This is like letting the plane fly because the winds and other
atmospheric variables are favorable.
When PA is mentioned in an economy or country that is clearly
in crisis, in a phase of stagnation or setback, with intense internal violence,
it is a mantra, a euphemism; Perhaps the opinion comes from the spokesmen and
members of the failed government, or from people who want to look good and get
some government perks. Hypocrisy and interests prevent saying that there is no
PA, or rather, that there is no plan or a leader or ruler to do what he should
do.
When there is no autopilot
When it is not correct to talk about PA when evaluating the
overall management of a country or economy:
a) The pilot (president) is not present because he or she has
an idea of the destination (What is
expected as a country?), the direction (the application or execution of
appropriate policies), the crew (the ministers and officials obliged to fix
details, procedures, terms), the airplane (the way in which each region acts,
strengths and weaknesses, threats and opportunities).
b) When the population does not know the president, does not
know the vision or plans to lead the country to a better level, when it is
excluded or when it is not committed.
c) When economic, social, and political agents are at odds,
and those who have power or advantages take advantage to impose their criteria
and interests, leaving aside national interests (one way of understanding this
is political vendetta, in which the government takes all political parties out
of the way to have absolute dominion)
When there is a real Autopilot
It is correct to talk about PA in a country:
a) When the ruler and his team (airplane pilot, captain of a
ship) have a goal and a known and desired destination;
b) Know and are following the programmed route (they have an
emergency plan, plan B)
c) They have experience and have always reached their
destination;
d) They know what they have (competent, honest officials, with
no criminal record). In terms of the airplane it corresponds to the personnel,
type of machine, etc.
e) They know how to organize and assign tasks and
responsibilities to human groups so that they follow the Government Plan (the
pilot schedules the teams to keep the course and other navigation parameters)
f) They are in permanent and total contact with the
population, with social and economic forces. They never isolate themselves as
mentally alienated (the pilot maintains contact with the ground stations)
In Peru, there is nothing of all mentioned, it is absolutely
impossible that there is PA; It is like believing that with the enactment of a
law that prohibits theft, criminals will automatically become honest and
exemplary citizens.
References
Así
funciona el piloto automático de los aviones (y por qué ha tardado en llegar a
los coches) 20 Febrero 2017 - Actualizado 9 Marzo 2019, 05:36
