51–60 of 491 posts
Wow... They should make a movie about that. For you youngins out there... this is a joke, there were several Airport 7X movies (including an episode of The Incredible Hulk (Bill Bixby series) where Banner/The Hulk had to land a plane) in the 70's.
Mythbusters once went to a commercial airline simulator to test the idea that a passenger with no training could land the plane. Without ATC help, it wasn't a great outcome. With ATC, they faired much better. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJ8K-hOcRHk
Large aircraft are one thing, but most folks could land a light aircraft most of the time in good weather with barely any training. But most is like 80% and there's probably a 10% chance of dying or at least badly damaging the aircraft.
And absolutely agreed on the large aircraft part. I'm a private pilot, but no instrument cert yet, with only piston single experience - not even a high performance or complex endorsement - and I'm pretty sure if I had to land a widebody commercial airliner the only difference between me and someone with no experience is I'd sound better on the radio. I think the end result would probably be the same.
He's obviously a hero and saved the lives of everyone on board, but it's still illegal to fly a plane while unqualified, right?
Also a throwback to the infamous "barefoot bandit" who learned how to fly a plane by:
"It is believed that he learned how to fly small planes by reading aircraft manuals, handbooks, watching a "How to fly a small airplane" DVD, and playing flight simulator computer games."
He stole and flew a Cessna 400 and a Cessna 182.
Pilot here. I'm floored that a person with no flying experience could put this airplane down without a scratch. Air traffic controllers are not necessarily pilots, but luckily, this one was a pilot and certified instructor. ATC and passenger worked through a stressful situation to produce an amazing outcome. Bravo!
Stupid question, but could this guy end up in some sort of legal trouble? He's obviously a hero and saved the lives of everyone on board, but it's still illegal to fly a plane while unqualified, right?
What, uh, is the alternative?
Stupid question, but could this guy end up in some sort of legal trouble? He's obviously a hero and saved the lives of everyone on board, but it's still illegal to fly a plane while unqualified, right?
Not a lawyer, am a flight instructor, I think 91.3 is how this non-pilot gets to use pilot regs to get out of pilot jail :)