Almost half the men surveyed think they could land a passenger plane. Experts disagree

cnn ^

[gas_dr]

Flight now landing
Gate 2 … gate 3… gate 10 … gate 11 … gate 27 … gate 28

[piytar]

Modern aircraft can just about land themselves, so yes, one could.

To your point: https://www.flightdeckfriend.com/ask-a-pilot/can-a-plane-land-automatically

[Telepathic Intruder]

I’ve spent enough hours in flight simulators to land one. The trick is to level off at zero throttle and reach stall speed just above the ground, and let the plane drop onto the runway on its own. That way, you are certain that the plane touches the ground at the lowest possible speed.

[MNDude]

based on the track record of “experts” I think it’s safe to say that at least 50% of men and maybe 20% of women could successfully land a plane.

[DoodleBob]

Post of the thread.

[RckyRaCoCo]

I aced all the written tests...studied my butt off for years to learn weather, rules and regs, maneuvers, got pretty good in flight simulator on instrument approaches, pattern work, crosswind landings, etc...

...got in a REAL airplane...and was not just bad...but atrocious.

[crusty old prospector]

I could land it on the Bonneville Salt Flats. It might bounce a few times.

[entropy12]

If the pilot passes out in a commercial jet, use the co-pilot! Duh!!

[Bullish]

Bobby, you ever been in a Turkish prison?

[Gen.Blather]

I was in a flight simulator and the company salesman, who was a former pilot on this model cargo plane tried several times to take us off for a simulated flight. (You could have taken the controls out and installed them on the actual plane. The whole thing was on a huge, movable platform with movie projectors giving a stomach-twisting reality to the experience.) He crashed several times. And this was a guy who was a former pilot on that model. First time, he forgot the flaps. I don’t recall the other mishaps. But the cockpit is mind bogglingly complex. So, no. The average Joe is going to kill everyone. The reason it works in the movies is the author needs it to.

[FreedomPoster]

I’ve actually been in a 767/777 simulator and successfully landed it.

I have no illusions about being able to do it with the real thing.

[Rlsau1]

The first thing you notice is the lag time between what you’re doing in the cockpit and the response of the big aircraft. Everything happens much slower than you think, except for the crash.

[SaveFerris]

😆😂🤣😜

[PghBaldy]

Karen Black in Airport 75: https://youtu.be/kaddVUt79PM?si=fGa77oeljfmE5FTK

[SaveFerris]

Sounds like fun!!

[know.your.why]

...got in a REAL airplane...and was not just bad...but atrocious.

Really? Dude, that dont sound right. Was it the same plane? Was the wind bumping you around? Did your instructor not give you any basics...like add in a tiny bit of right rudder when you go full power on takeoff? Did you over control the plane? You should have at least been able to hold correct pattern airspeed and TPA...rotate, climb, turn to cross/down/base/final and line up decently enough to read the VASI and get her down. Wth happened?

[Paladin2]

I hate it when Stews say over the PA “We will be on the ground soon”.

[US_MilitaryRules]

I’ve been and still am a pilot for 40 years. I don’t think any young men can. They could look it up on google though! But by then they will have augured in.

[Bonemaker]

MS Flight Sim is actually quite useful...as long as one understands the fundamentals. I had 9 hours of flight instructions in a Cessna 150 many moons ago and have a pretty clear memory of them. The problem in landing a modern airliner for a novice would be maintaining proper flight characteristics, locating and undrestanding instruments and controls...flap setting, landing gear, power management, etc., and finally correctly lining up approach. All that without panicking. Good freaking luck!

[Responsibility2nd]

Just let Otto handle the landing.

After he's through getting (ahem) inflated.