Ask a Pilot anything....
Discussion
GIYess said:
Its sort of been covered but I'm going to ask it a different way.
When I had a lot more free time (University Cough Cough) I played MS Flight Sim quite a lot. My dad had a PPL and always encouraged me to fly realistically so I answered radio calls, followed tower instructions and used the virtual dash to set autopilot, start engines correctly, monitor fuel balance and all the rest of it. I also landed and flew using just the instruments etc. I also have a few hrs instruction in gliders and exactly 1hr in small aircraft.
In the unlikely (hopefully) event both pilots were incapacitated on a flight, should I volunteer to attempt to land the aircraft (in the event of no more experienced people being on board.) I recon I would have half a fighting chance with help from the ground to land it given that I know the principles of flying etc.
There was a Mythbusters episode featuring your scenario.When I had a lot more free time (University Cough Cough) I played MS Flight Sim quite a lot. My dad had a PPL and always encouraged me to fly realistically so I answered radio calls, followed tower instructions and used the virtual dash to set autopilot, start engines correctly, monitor fuel balance and all the rest of it. I also landed and flew using just the instruments etc. I also have a few hrs instruction in gliders and exactly 1hr in small aircraft.
In the unlikely (hopefully) event both pilots were incapacitated on a flight, should I volunteer to attempt to land the aircraft (in the event of no more experienced people being on board.) I recon I would have half a fighting chance with help from the ground to land it given that I know the principles of flying etc.
All done in a proper simulator, the presenter guy, who only had limited experience - probably similar to you, was talked down by control and managed to land successfully.
Previously tried to land without control talking him through it and ended up crashing.
I'm sure I've seen that episode and he is already set up on like a 5 mile final already configured with calm winds which is totally unrealistic.
Maybe more realistically would be aircraft in the cruise FL350 with thick cloud cover. You've then got to do a whole descent and approach and landing. Also to be talked down in the first place you got to know how to transmit, tune in a radio frequency and where the headset is. Let's say aircraft is just leaving Lisbon airspace and setup for funchal in Maderia. You'll want to be able to change the flight plan in the FMC/FMGC which in itself will be no easy task.
Just maybe if you already have prior knowledge of that particular aircraft's autopilot and if you are going somewhere where there is an opportunity to autoland and calm conditions you may have a very small chance of been successful.
Maybe more realistically would be aircraft in the cruise FL350 with thick cloud cover. You've then got to do a whole descent and approach and landing. Also to be talked down in the first place you got to know how to transmit, tune in a radio frequency and where the headset is. Let's say aircraft is just leaving Lisbon airspace and setup for funchal in Maderia. You'll want to be able to change the flight plan in the FMC/FMGC which in itself will be no easy task.
Just maybe if you already have prior knowledge of that particular aircraft's autopilot and if you are going somewhere where there is an opportunity to autoland and calm conditions you may have a very small chance of been successful.
Hifly130 said:
I'm sure I've seen that episode and he is already set up on like a 5 mile final already configured with calm winds which is totally unrealistic.
Maybe more realistically would be aircraft in the cruise FL350 with thick cloud cover. You've then got to do a whole descent and approach and landing. Also to be talked down in the first place you got to know how to transmit, tune in a radio frequency and where the headset is. Let's say aircraft is just leaving Lisbon airspace and setup for funchal in Maderia. You'll want to be able to change the flight plan in the FMC/FMGC which in itself will be no easy task.
Just maybe if you already have prior knowledge of that particular aircraft's autopilot and if you are going somewhere where there is an opportunity to autoland and calm conditions you may have a very small chance of been successful.
Yea the complication of where to find everything to change the auto pilot/radio would be a problem ok maybe be a bit more chance of landing the likes of a Dash 8 or something a bit smaller and more simple.Maybe more realistically would be aircraft in the cruise FL350 with thick cloud cover. You've then got to do a whole descent and approach and landing. Also to be talked down in the first place you got to know how to transmit, tune in a radio frequency and where the headset is. Let's say aircraft is just leaving Lisbon airspace and setup for funchal in Maderia. You'll want to be able to change the flight plan in the FMC/FMGC which in itself will be no easy task.
Just maybe if you already have prior knowledge of that particular aircraft's autopilot and if you are going somewhere where there is an opportunity to autoland and calm conditions you may have a very small chance of been successful.
Always wanted to ask...
-Is there a large board with a bunch of keys to the aircraft in an airport like you find them in car rental companies / dealerships ?
-Could anyone (if they got past security, knew how to fly, plane fueled up and didn't need a tow backwards) walk up to a jumbo jet and fly it ?
-Is there a large board with a bunch of keys to the aircraft in an airport like you find them in car rental companies / dealerships ?
-Could anyone (if they got past security, knew how to fly, plane fueled up and didn't need a tow backwards) walk up to a jumbo jet and fly it ?
thefrog said:
-Could anyone (if they got past security, knew how to fly, plane fueled up and didn't need a tow backwards) walk up to a jumbo jet and fly it ?
Only if you had 15 minutes to spare: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEaVaXJsykYDr Jekyll said:
Krikkit said:
As long as you've got the fuel to take your time, I'm sure a rational, level head could figure out how to set the radio to something you'd find someone to help you on.
Whoever it was already tuned into would probably be the most useful to speak to in the first instance.surveyor said:
Dr Jekyll said:
Krikkit said:
As long as you've got the fuel to take your time, I'm sure a rational, level head could figure out how to set the radio to something you'd find someone to help you on.
Whoever it was already tuned into would probably be the most useful to speak to in the first instance.griffdude said:
surveyor said:
Dr Jekyll said:
Krikkit said:
As long as you've got the fuel to take your time, I'm sure a rational, level head could figure out how to set the radio to something you'd find someone to help you on.
Whoever it was already tuned into would probably be the most useful to speak to in the first instance.
griffdude said:
thefrog said:
Always wanted to ask...
-Is there a large board with a bunch of keys to the aircraft in an airport like you find them in car rental companies / dealerships ?
No.-Is there a large board with a bunch of keys to the aircraft in an airport like you find them in car rental companies / dealerships ?
griffdude said:
thefrog said:
Always wanted to ask...
-Is there a large board with a bunch of keys to the aircraft in an airport like you find them in car rental companies / dealerships ?
No.-Is there a large board with a bunch of keys to the aircraft in an airport like you find them in car rental companies / dealerships ?
A couple of landing questions, I'm aware of reverse thrust and how it is operated but apparently most of the slowing down is done by the brakes - how are these operated, is there a pedal....?
Secondly, once on the ground at taxi speeds the rudder would become useless - how is the nose wheel operated for steering the thing back to the terminal?
Secondly, once on the ground at taxi speeds the rudder would become useless - how is the nose wheel operated for steering the thing back to the terminal?
Cobnapint said:
A couple of landing questions, I'm aware of reverse thrust and how it is operated but apparently most of the slowing down is done by the brakes - how are these operated, is there a pedal....?
Secondly, once on the ground at taxi speeds the rudder would become useless - how is the nose wheel operated for steering the thing back to the terminal?
Depends on the aircraft.Secondly, once on the ground at taxi speeds the rudder would become useless - how is the nose wheel operated for steering the thing back to the terminal?
Typically the brakes are activated by pushing the top of the rudder pedal with your toes (or the bottom with the heel in some historic aircraft). On most aircraft, differential braking is possible by applying different forces to the left and right pedals.
For steering on the ground, small aircraft typically use differential braking. The nosewheel may be linked to the rudder. Large aircraft tend to have a separate tiller that the Captain can use to steer the nosewheel (usually only one tiller on the left side of the cockpit hence the Captain doing it even if the First Officer is the Pilot Flying.
These videos demonstrate both in an Airbus A320:
Braking with the rudder pedals - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7ormVjGh5o
Tiller nosewheel steering - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeyXo1iAR6I
Cobnapint said:
A couple of landing questions, I'm aware of reverse thrust and how it is operated but apparently most of the slowing down is done by the brakes - how are these operated, is there a pedal....?
Secondly, once on the ground at taxi speeds the rudder would become useless - how is the nose wheel operated for steering the thing back to the terminal?
Whilst the brakes are operated by foot pedals on top of the rudder pedals, on landing in an airliner, invariably the braking is done automatically. You can set the rate of retardation required depending on runway length etc. If it's short, then a higher setting is required. Secondly, once on the ground at taxi speeds the rudder would become useless - how is the nose wheel operated for steering the thing back to the terminal?
On takeoff you set the auto brake to RTO (Rejected TakeOff) which gives you full braking up to the antiskid system as you would invariably be likely to use the entire runway length if you rejected the takeoff just before V1 (the go no-go speed.)
Steering on the ground on an airliner is usually done using a tiller which control the nose wheel.
ninja-lewis said:
Cobnapint said:
A couple of landing questions, I'm aware of reverse thrust and how it is operated but apparently most of the slowing down is done by the brakes - how are these operated, is there a pedal....?
Secondly, once on the ground at taxi speeds the rudder would become useless - how is the nose wheel operated for steering the thing back to the terminal?
Depends on the aircraft.Secondly, once on the ground at taxi speeds the rudder would become useless - how is the nose wheel operated for steering the thing back to the terminal?
Typically the brakes are activated by pushing the top of the rudder pedal with your toes (or the bottom with the heel in some historic aircraft). On most aircraft, differential braking is possible by applying different forces to the left and right pedals.
For steering on the ground, small aircraft typically use differential braking. The nosewheel may be linked to the rudder. Large aircraft tend to have a separate tiller that the Captain can use to steer the nosewheel (usually only one tiller on the left side of the cockpit hence the Captain doing it even if the First Officer is the Pilot Flying.
These videos demonstrate both in an Airbus A320:
Braking with the rudder pedals - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7ormVjGh5o
Tiller nosewheel steering - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeyXo1iAR6I
Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff