Can you save a plane in distress ?

[FlyGuy42 4]

I'd probably crash it within the first 10 minutes, as I'd start derping around in the cockpit screaming, "ZOMG REAL 777!!!"  :wink:

[CaptainKorhonen 6]

I may be a bit optimistic here, but yes, I believe I could - assuming there were no serious system failures. I know where all the important buttons/switches/other things are located and know the basics of operating the most vital systems (flight controls, FMC, autopilot).

 

I've only logged a couple hours in a real airplane (ASK-21 glider) and flown 5 or 6 flights with the PMDG T7, but if I had ATC guiding me to the nearest airport and making sure I did everything right, I don't see any reason why I couldn't do it. It flies just like any other airplane, albeit with a bit more automatization, doesn't it?

[Don t moderate me this way 882]

Manual landings in a B738 after one month of training:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcrpR1YI1qc

[777simmer 117]

Manual landings in a B738 after one month of training:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcrpR1YI1qc

Thx for that post Olli.

Absolutely loved that video.....brings back some great memories.

 

Few things I would like to add:

 

1) Translating that funny Belgium language into Dutch and that into English is waaaaaaay more difficult than landing a 777 haha

And by the way, why, when a guy speaks Belgium Dutch......it sounds funny, but when a girl speaks Belgium Dutch......it sounds sooooooooo unbelievably sweet :-) ?)

Just close your eyes, and listen to how those stewardesses pronounce things.......sweeter, softer, sexier than French and Italian together I tell you :-)

 

2) a small part was not translated but deserves a translation!

Right befor the sudent pilot goes up for his first solo:

Student: " they say your first solo is an experience you will never forget"

Instructor: " Yes, and now you are going to experience that feeling"

 

not translated:

Camera man: "yes, but they say that about so many things ;-)"

Student: "well I hope this is better then ;-)"

Laughing :-)

 

3) and finally, I think the video shows exactly the thing you can not train except in a real aircraft: the dynamics of wind/gusts and temperature, the effect it has on the aircraft and how to correct in those last 100ft where it matters most!

[EGLL77W 1,508]

Force on the controls is SUCH an important thing for flying - it alone can tell you what the aircraft is doing. That's something greatly missing from flight sim. 

 

Having about 80 hours in a light aircraft myself beforehand- I landed a level-d 777 sim in Cranebank pretty standard. The only thing I was doing incorrectly, was handling on the roll motion. Since in my Piper/Cessna I'm used to larger inputs - just like you need on the 737/747. So it's sensitivity took a couple of minutes to grasp. But as a whole, it really did just feel like a big Cherokee! Just responded a bit more nicely. Standard flare at 30 feet like you do in the sim, not too aggressive, does it nicely! Weird how advancing reverse thrust is so natural too! 

 

If there ever was that scenario where the crew were not able to fly - I'd definitely offer to either be the PIC or provide assistance to someone more qualified. 

[VPA481 27]

Well the OP question is simple and I guess there's no simple answer, taking into account all the possible parameters.

 

If the failure is the restroom flush system, and that the airport allows an autoland, well, maybe. In all other cases, I give a very little chance if none. For example, there's one very basic parameter that only view of us know, except simmers who tested big simulators: the strength you need to move the pogostick back when flaring. I'm sure a huge percentage of us would make either too little or too large move on it, resulting in a poor touchdown rate or a wonderful hard landing. It's not a Saitek. That was an example.

[Yosm 19]

Just had an engine failure in the number 2 engine while on takeoff from Dubai, after V1.

 

Took off towards the Arabian sea. 

 

Dumped quite some fuel while i was in a holding pattern. then returned to Dubai (OMDB) and landed.

 

Really nice to have the needed checklists on the EICAS. Would have been a lot easier if there was a co-pilot though 

[PhantomTweak 3]

Could I save an airliner in trouble? Ego: "Oh, heck yeah! No problem!",  Logical Mind: "Are you Crazy? Look at how those times in the Des Moins sim and the Phantom Sim in Yuma went!!".

 

In reality? Probably not. I'd love to think the "real" answer is somewhere in all that. Until the situation arises, who knows? Pick the diety of your choice and ask them. I gave up trying to "see" ahead a few years back.

 

Just recently, within the last week, a B-1B pilot assisted a commercial bird's First Officer in landing a bird, after the Captain had suffered a heart attack at altitude. He is the first to say he was glad, very glad, the FO was still there and active. He read checlists, previewed proceedures, ran the radios, and so on for her, and the Emergency Landing went flawlessly. Right up until...they had cleared the main RW and were told where to taxi to park the bird. The FO looked at our intrepid B-1B pilot and asked if he knew  how to get to the gate. Turned out she had never before taxiied a plane around the airport they were at (Omaha?). Luckily for her, the B-1 driver had, and repeatedly. Apparently this was one of the main airports he had used when flying the B-1 for training. He taxiied them to the gate, she shut them down, and all was well. The Pilot even recovered eventually, although there are questions about the continuation of his career as a pilot.

The point? It was a collaborative effort between all those aboard that were directly involved, not a solo, "I'LL Save us!" (picture very buff, hero type with chest stuck out and one forearm across his chest here) kinda thing. The B-1 driver had NO desire to try to fly the bird altho it was about the same size/weight as those he was used to, and teh FO needed the help and support of someone familiar with normal, civilian flying proceedures, altho she was very happy to fly the bird. All aside the fact that she hadn't a clue just where to drive the bird once on the deck!  

 

I guess that's my answer: I'd like to think I'd be able to part of the team that got us down safe. A small GA bird? No sweat. I have enough hours that a few S-turns and climbs/descents to get the "feel" back in my bones, I think I could. Please note the use of the word THINK there!

Pat

[paulyg123 135]

I have shared Level D full motion sims before with other experienced cyber pilots.  Most had a hard time making a good landing. I flown 707. 737, 747, 767 and 777 Level D sims, and have no problems manually landing these planes on difficult approached  (like KLGA  Expressway Visual  31 in a 767, or KJFK 13L in a 777, or a 747 in (Pauly bragging now - I am very GOOD)

 

I am 100% sure I can manually land any Boeing that is flyable under decent weather conditions.  (and as you all know - I am not a pilot - just an avid simmer for 15 years).

 

I do live in a world that fantasy crosses insanity - but in my mind - I can do anything. Now back to reality, I got to go mow the f%^&* lawn.

[vr-pilot 11]

 

 

I am 100% sure I can manually land any Boeing that is flyable under decent weather conditions.

Hi Paul,

that is also my estimation. Speed, power and flap settings should be approximately known and than landing a "big one" in real world should be possible when done successfully in a Level-D-Sim.

The hardest part could become manual thrust in IFR conditions, but as you said "decent weather", there should be no problem.

As I said in a preceding post in this thread, full motion simulators make flying much easier (in VFR conditions) because the accelerations let you fly the plane with the "butt sensor" (don't know the english expression for that) at last.

These helpful accelerations on the other hand make flying in IFR conditions more difficult because of the confusion of the equilibrium organ. So IFR training in front of a PC screen is good for the procedures, but actually far away from the "real thing".

 

 

 

I do live in a world that fantasy crosses insanity - but in my mind - I can do anything. Now back to reality, I got to go mow the f%^&* lawn.

It must have been right at noon as you wrote this. Actually mowing the lawn when the sun is in its zenith should not be a good idea, because the grass gets UV-burnt quite easily, especially at your high summer temperatures. We will also have about 30°C tomorrow, but my father in law already did the mowing last week B)

Greetings,

Claus

[miami747 7]

Perfect airplane in good weather? 

 

Yes. 

 

Many of us could be put into a level-D sim right now and would have a landing where everyone would survive, even handling the plane by hand. 

 

Serious issues with the airplane? Engine failure etc..? 

 

Hope I am not the only one that can help because then we got even bigger problems. 

[Airbusman330 300]

I'd ask ATC for an ILS system capable of an autoland but if its a plane with no autoland or its MEL'd then with my real flight experience in GA aircraft I'd probably stand a fair chance at best. The plane will probably incur damage but I wouldn't doubt that everyone would still be alive. 

[Pe11e 812]

I thought of that when my wife asked me the same - "do you think you are able to land the airplane if something happened to both pilots?"

 

I thought - yep, why the heck not? Hold the yoke, monitor the airspeed and altitude, talk with ATC, and do a nice final approach and land. But that's just a theory! Let's say you flew planes with good flight models in FSX (PMDG 737NGX for example or Airbus X Extended), still the sensitivity of the yoke in the real plane will be quite different than on our yokes and joysticks. You will need few attempts at least to get it right, but the fuel will be a problem. And then after all you will be so stressed out and tired from attempts that you will find it much more difficult than on a first attempt when you were confident and pretty focused. You are holding the life of say  100+ people on board, no simulator can simulate that stress.

 

And a simple scenario will be when only captain or FO are not capable to fly. Just sit in the chair and assist, listen to the pilot, try to help, how hard that can be?

[Airbusman330 300]

 

 

And a simple scenario will be when only captain or FO are not capable to fly. Just sit in the chair and assist, listen to the pilot, try to help, how hard that can be?

 

Usually they have an off duty pilot who may be in the cabin step up to help but if none are available the one of the FA's sits in the cockpit to assist with checklists, watch for traffic, etc.