Would you be able to land an Airliner in an emergency ?

[Guest]

I have read though the responces in this forum and I have one simple responce, a simulator flies like a simulator, and an airplane flies like the airplane that it is.Theres a big diffrence between flying a C150 and a B1900, and an even bigger diffrence between those two and a B737.And to answer the question, if it indeed does happen and I am the most qualified pilot in the aircraft, I would at least give it a try even if I am not typed for it, but do I really think that I could do it? No not really but its worth it to try and die trying than die without trying.

[Guest Martin]

But why did she land with the gear up? Hehe.Martin767 fetishistIt's a lot like life and that's what's appealing

[Guest Martin]

I suspect domestic/international are US terms. I don't think they're used in Europe anyway, since all the upper airspace is RVSM, and thus practically all jets are RVSM certified. I guess you used "domestic" to describe a plane without autoland capabilities.My conclusion is still that assuming good weather, suitable airports in range, no technical problems, that you're actually allowed into the cockpit, an aircraft with autoland capability and with which you're somewhat familiar (combined with help from the ground), and last but not least that you can keep cool enough to pull through it (and that's assuming a lot! :-)), the chance of surviving is good.As you said, you could could make an autoland on any CAT II/III certified runway, and on some CAT I runways. In the extremely unlikely situation that all such runways within range are below visibility minima, I think you could still go ahead with an approach, since after all it's an emergency.Martin767 fetishistIt's a lot like life and that's what's appealing

[Guest]

>Only a small number of people have even mentioned let alone >factored in the

[Guest Dominik Mann]

Truly a very good question...Well, I don't consider myself a true hardcore flightsimmer, but even though this is probably no news to most of you reading this, whenever I buy a new flight sim - be it military or civilian - I can get myself oriented in the "cockpit" pretty quickly. I honestly cannot say if I could get myself acquainted with the cockpit layout in a real-world onboard emergency within just a few minutes, let alone cope with the stress imposed on me by the very real danger...but if I limit my consideration strictly to my basic familiarity with cockpit controls and instruments I would say I might have at least a chance of getting the plane on the ground more or less in one piece. Of course, nothing beats the experience with the real thing that many of you on this board have, and any of those who actually have some flying practice would probably be better off than me in said situation - but I think FS does indeed have some degree of purpose in basic instrument, system and handling familiarization. Let's look at it this way - it's better to have a simulator pilot in the front office than no pilot at all, isn't it?

[Guest obk]

Teropa....1) Read "Basic Flying Skills" by Trevor Thom2) Get the Several-Hundred page REAL WORLD 767/757 Cockpit Study Guide...Read it3) Next time you visit an MD-11 sim, lock out the INSTRUCTOR.Now try......you might find your replies to bit a little more...different.

[Guest]

It seems not many of us belive we could land a real airliner in an emergency, this is probably very true. I for one feel I would be able to at least crash the aircraft on the airfield.Hmm not very comforting. Fortunatly the chances of both the pilots going down is small.

[jagabom 21]

After the shock. You sit down. Wow. OK lets get down to business.First thing to do. The flight is on AP. Cruising at FL350.OK. We need to call somebody. OK, who can tell me where the radio is and how do I key the mike? Lets land this thing? B767? Do it.Enough of the B.S.JimCYWG

[Guest]

given all thats concidered, and being a person who actually flies in real life and had real, i mean REAL, sim experience on large planes such as the L1011 and 764, i think id be able to do it because once you have the feel of a plane, then you got it. all you need to do now is shake off your fears and do what you do best

[Guest cufcskim]

747-200/400 yes and i have the paperwork to prove it!

[Guest]

Yes of course I could - no problems......no one would survive, of course!

[Christopher Low 5,353]

I really do think that flight sim pilots are pretty naive when it comes to questions like these. It's all very well being familiar with the cockpit routines, and the myriad of dials and switches, but when it comes to the crunch........could you handle the FEAR ? There is a MASSIVE difference between flying a 747 on your PC, and flying a real plane. If you had to take the controls of a real plane, it is extremely likely that you would be so scared that even simple operations would be forgotten.Chris Low,ENGLAND.

[Guest]

I would have no problem trying, but I think my trying would maybe delay the eventual outcome of a bad crash landing at best.It is much more complicated than this FS2002.

[brucek 38]

Interesting question. I think the auto-land and auto-pilot would be of help in such a situation, assuming the aircraft had a glass cockpit. If a GA pilot (non-simmer) was also a pax they may know more about landing planes, but chances are that one of us would know more about the glass panel operations.This brings another perhaps more relevant question: If you were taken up in a C172 with a CFI for a joy-ride, and he/she let you sit in the left seat (as is usually the case), then he/she was incapacitated, could you land the C172? (no auto-land here, just stick and rudder). I regularly land both the simulated and the real a/c, and they are very different. Just a thought.Thanks,Bruce.

[orchestra_nl 927]

I've some experience in PC flightsim's and have wondered about this too.In a situation where all pilots were unable to fly, I believe that putting me in the front office would increase the chance on a safe landing....by a few percent, which is actually a lot if you consider that without anyone in the cockpit it would be zero. However, I think that an experienced F/A who is trained to keep her head cool may have a better chance than a sim-pilot who may panic under the workload. Since both would only have a chance to land the plane by programming auto-pilots and autoland systems, guided by a pilot on the radio, I think a cool head is more important than experience in a simulator.My 2 cents.Allard.