Have you been asked this before?

[738 77]

Interesting Gents!So i guess what im saying is if the steward came from the Flightdeck and asked "can anyone land this plane, we have an emergency" would you feel you could step up to the plate as you have good knowledgeover others with fine products like the NGX?I know i would cack my pants with excitement/fear but i would feel comfortable in say a 737ng when the nerves die down and i realise the job in hand from what the NGX has taught me.

[Tokitaumelie 164]

Chris Hick's signature line should pretty much be guidance here.Provided wx and ride conditions are optimum, ATC is on the ball, MEL is up to scratch and the destination AD is appropriately equipped for an ILS Cat 1 or lower, maybe we have an ouside chance :-)But I digress - Petkez pretty much sums it up! Jay Cargo

[Guest]

Well, if the crew was dead and the only options are 'CRASH' or 'DIY', I would certainly give it a try, although I would heavily (make that completely) depend on automated systems and ATC guidance... I don't think I would be able to hand (and feet) fly the plane... But again, it the only other option was crashing and dying anyway, I think the choice is rather 'easy'... I'd rather die giving it a shot then stay in my seat until impact... :(

[Nyxx 6,996]

In the 737 after countless hours in PMDG version I think I could, but since 150ish life's are on the line I would set up with ATC an AUTO land. I really do not think that would be hard at all.Ryan from PMDG sums up my feeling very well.

Edited February 23, 2012 by NyxxUK

[ArjenVdv 190]

Sometimes I hope that this actually would happen to me. Would be awesome (not that the pilots get unconsious or something...), but I think that I could fly it, would not be the smoothest landing. I know how to do an autoland, but still, if I had to land, I would land it manually. And then when I come on the news, I would say: "This would not have been possible without Precision Manuals Development Group."

[738 77]

Sometimes I hope that this actually would happen to me. Would be awesome (not that the pilots get unconsious or something...), but I think that I could fly it, would not be the smoothest landing. I know how to do an autoland, but still, if I had to land, I would land it manually. And then when I come on the news, I would say: "This would not have been possible without Precision Manuals Development Group."

Hahahah good one!

[ArjenVdv 190]

Autoland - fairly certain I could do it. Handflying would probably be quite difficult, but the thing is I'd know how to go around if I thought it wasn't going to work as I got closer to the ground - assuming there was enough fuel, I think it's plausible I could "practice" in a sense that way and possibly get it eventually after a few tries. It wouldn't be easy though, I know that.One huge leg up I think I'd have though is that whoever was talking me through this on the ground could use aviation terminology with me, tell me to do things in the cockpit and I'd know exactly where everything was, how it works and what it's all called etc. I could talk to ATC in the proper lingo without difficulty as well.I actually want to try this some time in the real sim - have a friend who can get me into one, I just have to find the time to travel for it. I'll have it set so I take over at cruise with the supposedly incapacitated pilots and I have to get it down with a manual landing.

Ryan, take me with you in that sim, we land it together! :(

[Vteckick 4]

It's an interesting question.I remember answering it before I started flight training, and now (finishing it):Before any RW flying, I thought that yes- I could land it and I thought that FS experience would get me safely on the ground, especially if I had AP. But I was very illusional as to the extent of my abilities.Now I can say that an FS only pilot, on a perfect VFR day, with little to no wind conditions, WITH ATC assistance is likely able to do it safely.However RW flying is rarely that good, and each layer of 'obstacles' can quickly change the outcome. You throw in things like Busy airspace, Poor weather, strong winds, poor landing surface, increasingly Limited fuel amount, location of the plane (over Atlantic or NY), low visibility, unfamiliar aircraft, systems, ICING, TC and so on..And most importantly managing the plane to be healthy all the way to landing. Should anything go wrong with the plane though, I think a FS pilot will be completely in over his head very quickly even in a Cessna 172, nevermind a Boeing.I'm sure my answer will continue to evolve as I get some actual experience flying commercially.

Edited February 23, 2012 by Vteckick

[Mean Aerodynamic Chord 269]

So I'm assuming that the plane is on a normal airport, not Innsbruck, Sint Maarten, Madeira, etc. or else we're all dead. :Nail Biting:Like Ryan said, I can probably help someone else during an autoland (frequencies or whatever). Landing it VISUALLY, of course not!However, I'd like to try this on a Level-D simulator as well.

[Ioan92 63]

I say yes if you refer to pmdg addons, it might take a little bit to get used to the handling but it's a possibility. Now that's only if it is not damaged or anything.If it was damaged you'd lost control pretty fast wihout knowing how she actually behaves irl.

[ramrunner800 10]

I got a couple of hours in a 777 sim at a major US carrier's training facility a few years back (having the right friends is great). With vectoring to the approach course from the instructor, I was easily able to hand fly ILS approaches, even when we added in bad weather. My only "qualifications" are a couple hours of GA time, simming, and a lifelong passion for flight. I think that with the level of automation in a modern cockpit, and direction from the ground, I and many other sim pilots could make a pretty good go of trying to bring the plane in.Cheers,Andrew Nelson

Edited February 24, 2012 by ramrunner800

[bpcw001 22]

Well, if the crew was dead and the only options are 'CRASH' or 'DIY', I would certainly give it a try, although I would heavily (make that completely) depend on automated systems and ATC guidance... I don't think I would be able to hand (and feet) fly the plane... But again, it the only other option was crashing and dying anyway, I think the choice is rather 'easy'... I'd rather die giving it a shot then stay in my seat until impact... :(

I'm with this. And I believe any of us would have a fairer chance than an F/A who rides the plane all day, but does not know much or even anything of what's going on in the cockpit in terms of flying. I don't understand why so many people put their stock into the F/As flying the plane when the pilots are gone just because they are part of the crew. As far as I know, there is no pilot-back-up training for F/As, but someone else might know better.Neither would a real pilot be very useful at the NG controls if he had only flown GA pistons so far and doesn't know anything about the NG's or any other airliner's systems.Best chance: a real NG pilot who happens to be passenger on the flight or in the jumpseat taking overSecond best: any real-world pilot with at least PMDG NGX background on the NGThird best: Some serious PMDG NGX simmer without a pilot's licenseEverybody else: crash 'n' die or a miracle. Edited February 24, 2012 by bpcw001

[adkleaddog 0]

I could probably fly the aircraft right to the scene of the crash site..... :Hypnotized:But seriously...maybe with ATC guidance. We can do amazing things under pressure, I would certianly try!

[PHXMD-11 86]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the legality of taking control and you aren't licensed to. Probably breaking a few FARs there.By the way if you crash and I'm on board, who do I sue? You or the airline?No offense to anybody's skills? Just a question.

[adkleaddog 0]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the legality of taking control and you aren't licensed to. Probably breaking a few FARs there.By the way if you crash and I'm on board, who do I sue? You or the airline?No offense to anybody's skills? Just a question.

Well, it figures! Let's see....FL300, both pilots incapaciated, no one else onboard with any aviation experience, and the lawyers somehow gets involved. :Waiting:Somehow you're assuming there's a safe landing.......-V