Pilot lands aircraft one handed (Prosthetic arm fell off)

[Matthew Kane 1,343]

I didn't realize you could fly a commercial airliner with a prosthetic arm but apparently you can

 

 

A passenger plane had a nightmare landing after the pilot’s false arm came unhooked from the controls.

The 46-year-old had to guide it in with just one hand in dark, windy conditions but could not slow it down, leaving it to bounce and hit the tarmac “heavily”.

 

http://www.irishmirror.ie/news/world-news/pilots-false-arm-fell-mid-4047312

 

I think that it is pretty cool actually

[Tom Allensworth 1,532]

You beat me to it Matthew. Holy moley... B)

[vc10man 732]

As a follow-up to this news report which broke out on the BBC News this morning, the radio service interviewed a British one-armed pilot who went on to explain to listeners, that whereas he flew aerobatic aircraft that just had a stick, that FlyBe plane that made the bumpy landing in Belfast would have had an airliner-style yoke, which would go to explain why two hands were needed,and why that bumpy landing took place.

 

When asked by the radio host why did the FO not take over, he explained that at such a low DH height, there would not have been the time as the PF did not anticipate that his arm would come off and he would have been getting ready to flare.

[Matthew Kane 1,343]

You beat me to it Matthew. Holy moley... B)

 

Sorry bout dat 

[Don t moderate me this way 882]

I'm surprised myself.

 

EDIT:

Shouldn't safety come first? How is this Cpt. supposed to handle the whole aircraft on his own in case of an incapacitated PM?

 

http://avherald.com/h?article=478cc9e4&opt=0

Edited August 15, 2014 by olli4740

[Matthew Kane 1,343]

If he was the captain on any of my flights I wouldn't have any issues at all. I think it is great he was able to pursue his career and he is not the only one out there either.

[Jude Bradley 659]

He must have been following the Airline2sim guide

[fluffyflops 1,858]

How did he get a medical....???

We had a guy at virgin who had uncontrolled crying when concentrating.  His eyes would water like crazy on finals into egll with  stomping crosswind.  But lovely bloke

[michal 44]

 I think it is great he was able to pursue his career and he is not the only one out there either.

It is entirely possible he lost his arm after he was already a pilot.

[Matthew Kane 1,343]

It is entirely possible he lost his arm after he was already a pilot.

 

If that was the case then he was able to continue and overcome. 

[n4gix 4,947]

Actually, the article's (and thus this thread's) title is rather misleading. It was the "clamp" at the end of his prosthesis that became "unlatched" from the yoke.

[pinlifter 502]

 

 

How is this Cpt. supposed to handle the whole aircraft on his own in case of an incapacitated PM?

 

Might we call him "Captain Lonestar" :p0805:

[KingGhidorah 209]

He couldn't have simply told the FO to pull the throttles back?  "My arm doesn't work, Joe!  Pull the power back for me, NOW!"

[Matthew Kane 1,343]

He couldn't have simply told the FO to pull the throttles back?  "My arm doesn't work, Joe!  Pull the power back for me, NOW!"

 

 

Think about how much time elapses from when something goes wrong, to saying something to your co-pilot, and your copilot assessing then reacting to the situation. By the time all that happens the wheels hit the ground as this incident happened during a flare.

[vc10man 732]

Which is what that one-armed aerobatic pilot was telling the BBC when asked why he did not ask the FO to take over---very short time span to assess and react.