Could I land an airliner?
Discussion
Stupid question, could be interesting though. I've done one half hour flying experience in a Tiger Moth, and a 1 hour lesson in a Cessna where I took off and ligned up the thing before landing. Have played perhaps 20 hours of flight simulator and could land a plane alright on that using the rudder and stuff (not sure what my difficulty settings are though) and have played a few other plane games.
Is there any chance whatsoever that, for some reason in an emergency on a big clear runway, I could land a small airliner without completely ballsing the whole craft into tiny smithereens? What about if I had guidance from someone ... over the radio? ...in the cockpit?
Is there any chance whatsoever that, for some reason in an emergency on a big clear runway, I could land a small airliner without completely ballsing the whole craft into tiny smithereens? What about if I had guidance from someone ... over the radio? ...in the cockpit?
I'd say you could.
Have you seen the Mythbusters show covering this very topic? The two presenters were put in a simulator with no instruction and told to land the plane. IIRC both crashed, then they were "talked down" by a chap and both landed safely...
They concluded that it's possible to do it, but unlikely to ever be needed as the automatic systems on most planes can land it for you!
HTH
Chris
Have you seen the Mythbusters show covering this very topic? The two presenters were put in a simulator with no instruction and told to land the plane. IIRC both crashed, then they were "talked down" by a chap and both landed safely...
They concluded that it's possible to do it, but unlikely to ever be needed as the automatic systems on most planes can land it for you!
HTH
Chris
There was a program on the TV a little while ago when they put a home PC computer simulation player into a proper full airliner simulation machine and he landed it. Not quite the same thing (no nerves or pressure) but still needed all the same skills and ability to know what everything did and where controls and dials were.
No you couldn't.
It would take you ages to set up the aircraft for an autoland. You could only do this if you were able to use the radio on the aircraft and then get hold of someone on the other end. Once you did this you would have to find someone familiar with the aircraft you are actually in who could talk you through setting up the aircraft. Do you think qualified experts are just sitting around in ATC centers in case this event happens?
You can't just do an autoland at any airport and not all aircraft even have an autoland facility. The airport you have somehow got yourself to must have the necessary equipment for an autoland to be possible.
It would take far too long to do and you would most likely run out of fuel.
Before all the PHs have-a-go-heroes turn up and say it's easy they've done it in a simulator. Remember most of these 'simulator experience' days are either in easy to fly unrealistic sims at airshows or real ones with someone telling them exactly what to do and when, with the easiest most benign conditions possible.
It would take you ages to set up the aircraft for an autoland. You could only do this if you were able to use the radio on the aircraft and then get hold of someone on the other end. Once you did this you would have to find someone familiar with the aircraft you are actually in who could talk you through setting up the aircraft. Do you think qualified experts are just sitting around in ATC centers in case this event happens?
You can't just do an autoland at any airport and not all aircraft even have an autoland facility. The airport you have somehow got yourself to must have the necessary equipment for an autoland to be possible.
It would take far too long to do and you would most likely run out of fuel.
Before all the PHs have-a-go-heroes turn up and say it's easy they've done it in a simulator. Remember most of these 'simulator experience' days are either in easy to fly unrealistic sims at airshows or real ones with someone telling them exactly what to do and when, with the easiest most benign conditions possible.
Pentoman said:
Stupid question, could be interesting though. I've done one half hour flying experience in a Tiger Moth, and a 1 hour lesson in a Cessna where I took off and ligned up the thing before landing. Have played perhaps 20 hours of flight simulator and could land a plane alright on that using the rudder and stuff (not sure what my difficulty settings are though) and have played a few other plane games.
Is there any chance whatsoever that, for some reason in an emergency on a big clear runway, I could land a small airliner without completely ballsing the whole craft into tiny smithereens? What about if I had guidance from someone ... over the radio? ...in the cockpit?
The theory is quite simple but, autoland aside, the practice is somewhat trickier. Holding 300 tonnes of aircraft on the edge of a stall "feels" different to a simulator of any description.Is there any chance whatsoever that, for some reason in an emergency on a big clear runway, I could land a small airliner without completely ballsing the whole craft into tiny smithereens? What about if I had guidance from someone ... over the radio? ...in the cockpit?
The bigger problem these days would be getting into the bloody cockpit...
CraigW said:
radio tower, turn on autoland, job done.
Yeah right.The misconception that these systems actually land the plane is often passed around by the media. On those 1% of days when there is no traffic, you have plenty of time, there is no wind and the weather is perfect - then I am sure they are fine. But on the rest of the 99% of the days, you will find that there is a pilot at the end of the controls making sure that you land correctly.
Funny - if we didn't need two pilots in a commercial airliner, why do we still have them?
DLR trains?
I was on a corporate hospitality thing and landed a Boeing something or other at the old Hong Kong airport - complete with turn at the sign and everything.
The Instructor seemed quite impressed so I asked him if I'd be able to land for real if a "can anybody on board fly this plane" cry went up and he quite deflated me by saying "no"!
However, I was on a shuttle some time later and sitting next to a Captain, so I asked him, and he thought it would be perfectly possible.
The Instructor seemed quite impressed so I asked him if I'd be able to land for real if a "can anybody on board fly this plane" cry went up and he quite deflated me by saying "no"!
However, I was on a shuttle some time later and sitting next to a Captain, so I asked him, and he thought it would be perfectly possible.
Had a go in the Nimrod simulator when I was up at Kinloss for a bit. Great fun, the only thing that caught me out slightly was the height of the flare. I kept forgetting that the Nimrod is slightly higher up than the trainers that I was flying.
Of course, nothing beats then opening the throttles, and then trying to take the bugger under a bridge inverted. (Then getting kicked out for cocking about)
Of course, nothing beats then opening the throttles, and then trying to take the bugger under a bridge inverted. (Then getting kicked out for cocking about)
El stovey said:
Timmy35 said:
Wouldn't you just switch on the 'auto-landing' system in a modern airliner?
Ah ^^^ beaten too it.
How would you do that?Ah ^^^ beaten too it.
Don't we have any PH pilots?
Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff