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Imagine this: You are comfortably seated in your seat, on the way to your destination, when the voice of the flight attendant breaks the silence:
“Ladies and gentlemen, the pilots are incapacitated. Are there passengers who can land this plane with the assistance of air traffic control?”
If you think you can do it, you are not alone. The results of a recent survey suggest so One-third of American adults They believe they can safely land a passenger plane under the guidance of air traffic control. The level of confidence among male participants rose to nearly 50%.
Can someone with no prior training guide everyone into landing without any problems?
We’ve all heard stories of passengers saving the day when the pilot became unresponsive. For example, last year, Darren Harrison was able to land the plane A twin-engine plane in Florida, USA, after the pilot lost consciousness, under the supervision of an air traffic controller who coincidentally was also a flight instructor.
However, these accidents tend to occur on small, simple aircraft. Flying a much larger and heavier commercial aircraft is a completely different matter.
You can’t always trust autopilot
A pilot spends about 90% of his time monitoring the autopilot’s systems and making sure everything is working as intended. The other 10% is spent on managing problems, driving the plane onto the runway, and taking off and landing.
There is no doubt that take-offs and landings are among the most difficult tasks for pilots and are almost always performed manually. Only on very few occasions, and in a number of aircraft models, can the pilot use the autopilot to land. This is the exception, not the rule.
To take off, an airplane must gain speed so that its wings can generate enough lift to pull it into the air. The pilot must Pay me close attention to various external devices and signals, while keeping the aircraft centered on the runway until it reaches take-off speed.
Once in the air, you’ll have to coordinate with air traffic control, follow a specific path, retract your landing gear and maintain a specific speed and direction as you attempt to climb.
Landing is more complex and requires precise control of the aircraft’s direction and landing speed.
To land successfullyThe pilot must maintain sufficient speed and manage the gear and landing gear configuration at the same time PaintingsRespect air traffic rules, communicate with air traffic control and complete a series of paper and digital checklists.
As the plane approaches the runway, the pilot must accurately assess its altitude, reduce its power, and adjust the landing speed, ensuring that it lands in the correct area of the runway.
On the ground, they use brakes and power reverse to bring the plane to a complete stop before the end of the runway. All this happens in just a few minutes.
Both takeoff and landing are too fast, technical, and require significant concentration to be performed by an untrained person. Moreover, it requires a series of skills that can only be acquired through extensive training, such as understanding the information displayed on different pressure measuring devices and the ability to coordinate the hands and feet in a certain way.
Landing a plane is not as easy as it seems. Getlinear Images/E+/Getty Images
Pilot training
The journey from student to commercial pilot is a long one. Typically, it starts with a recreational license, followed by a private license and then a commercial license (which allows you to fly professionally).
Even before entering cockpitThe student must study aerodynamics, air law, flight rules, meteorology, human factors, navigation, aircraft systems and performance, and flight planning. You also need to spend some time getting to know the specific plane you will be flying on.
Once they learn the basics, the trainer takes them to practice. Most of this training is carried out in small, light aircraft – with a simulator briefly introduced at the end.
During class, the teacher demonstrates each maneuver or action before the student attempts it. Your attempt can be modified, corrected, or even terminated early in critical situations.
The first ten to fifteen lessons focus on takeoffs, landings, basic flight control, and emergency management. When students are ready, they are allowed to “go solo” – when they complete the entire trip on their own. This is a big milestone.
After years of experience, they are ready to move to a commercial aircraft. At this point, they may be able to take off and land reasonably well, but they must still undergo extensive training specific to the aircraft they are flying, including hours of advanced theory, dozens of simulator sessions, and hundreds of hours of flying the aircraft. Training (mostly done with passengers on board).
Therefore, if you have never learned the basics of driving, your chances of successfully landing a passenger plane with the help of air traffic control are almost non-existent.
However, flying is a skill like any other
Flight training has become democratized with the advent of sophisticated computers, virtual reality and flight simulation games, e.g Flight simulator From Microsoft and X plane.
Currently, anyone can set up a desktop flight simulator for a few thousand euros. Ideally, this configuration should also include the basic physical controls for a cockpitsuch as joystick, throttle, and pedals.
Flight simulators provide an immersive environment where professional pilots, students and aviation enthusiasts can develop their skills. So, if you really think you can compete with a pro, consider trying out a simulator.
You almost certainly won’t be able to land a real passenger plane in the end, but at least you’ll be able to appreciate the sheer skill of the pilots.
