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Passenger lands plane in Fla. after pilot dies


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WOW! Pretty scary thing to have happen during a flight.

 

The passenger that landed the plane was a pilot himself, but only had 170 hours of recent flight experience in a Cessna 172.

 

That's like me trying to land an aircrane by my self for the first time with only 170 hours of R22 time :o also a thumbs up for ATC for helping the pilot get it down safely.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/passenger_lands_plane

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Ok, I'm sorry, call me cynical but I don't think that's a huge deal. Fixed wing is fixed wing, they all fly the same no matter how big or small. Pull back houses get smaller, push forward houses get bigger. I read an article that said he had 20 years of experience, I would think after 20 years you'd be able to land. The only extra things he'd have to deal with would be a prop control and landing gear, and with 20 years of experience I would imagine he's flow a complex airplane before. I guess I just think the media blew this one way up, pretty soon they're going to be calling him a "Hero." Just like that Hudson crash, he wasn't a Hero, he was doing his job! If I'm a certified pilot and the person flying the plane is incapacitated I have a responsibility to make that flight end in a safe manner, I'm not a Hero.

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Ok, I'm sorry, call me cynical but I don't think that's a huge deal. Fixed wing is fixed wing, they all fly the same no matter how big or small. Pull back houses get smaller, push forward houses get bigger.

 

Yes, thank you! I'm glad he was there to land the plane but it was nothing like the media made it out to be!

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Yes, thank you! I'm glad he was there to land the plane but it was nothing like the media made it out to be!

 

You can listen to the ATC audio here if you wish:

 

http://news-press.com/assets/mp3/A4132719413.MP3

 

 

Fly safe,

 

Goldy

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Good for him, but I have to agree it isn't a huge deal.

I'd say it's like an R22 pilot landing a Jet ranger. Raise collective, left pedal, etc.

Hell I've taken off and landed my boss' King Air 200 with his airplane pilot just telling me what airspeeds to use, and I only have a few hours of fixed wing single time.

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Good for him, but I have to agree it isn't a huge deal.

I'd say it's like an R22 pilot landing a Jet ranger. Raise collective, left pedal, etc.

Hell I've taken off and landed my boss' King Air 200 with his airplane pilot just telling me what airspeeds to use, and I only have a few hours of fixed wing single time.

 

 

OK, before we start bashing what this guy accomplished remember this.

 

1. He didnt get on baord thinking he was gonna be flying this thing in half an hour

2. He had a guy dying next to him

3. I'm sure he had other passengers on board who were less than calm

 

All of that adds to the stresses you feel and how much you can process before your brain overloads. Yes, it wasnt a 747 that he was landing, but the guy still did a good job. Enough said..

 

Goldy

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OK, before we start bashing what this guy accomplished remember this.

 

1. He didnt get on baord thinking he was gonna be flying this thing in half an hour

2. He had a guy dying next to him

3. I'm sure he had other passengers on board who were less than calm

 

All of that adds to the stresses you feel and how much you can process before your brain overloads. Yes, it wasnt a 747 that he was landing, but the guy still did a good job. Enough said..

 

Goldy

 

 

Who is bashing him at all?I think we all agree he did a fine job. It's the media, and the headline. Passenger lands plane after pilot dies...It's just a bit misleading and not that big of a deal, really, it's not. Again, I am grateful for all involved that there was a "passenger" on board who just so happened to be a "rated aviator". Now if the guy was able to do it with zero flight experience, fine I can see that making headlines. This guy had experience though and like Angelfire said, an obligation as a rated pilot to take charge, therefore it's an overblown story in my book.

Edited by jfcorey
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Well I'm kind of surprised, I fully expected to be bashed for saying it wasn't a big deal. It was never my intention to bash the "Passenger" only the media. I agree the gentleman did a fine job of flying and it would definitely be a stressful situation, but by the sound of the audio recording he had a good amount of experience it was just little things that needed to be passed; speeds, flaps settings etc....

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There was an episode on mythbusters some time ago. The put them in a full motion 737 simulator and had an ATC guy and 737 captain "talk" them down. They both got it on the centerline on the first try.

 

But this guy had to deal with a dead guy next to him and some nervous passengers I am sure. Great job all around!

 

JD

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There was an episode on mythbusters some time ago. The put them in a full motion 737 simulator and had an ATC guy and 737 captain "talk" them down. They both got it on the centerline on the first try.

 

But this guy had to deal with a dead guy next to him and some nervous passengers I am sure. Great job all around!

 

JD

 

I remember that episode, actually that's the first thing I thought of when I read the article. Adam and Jamie also crashed and burned when they didn't have anyone to talk them down. Funny story, I'm watching Mythbusters as I type this. lol.

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I have to disagree. Landing a King Air for a 172 pilot is a pretty big deal, as is landing an airbus on a river without anyone getting hurt. The pros that have been doing it their whole careers and still screw it up from time to time. Nothing easy or routine about it. Landing an airbus full of people in the water is not part of any training. Some of you have no idea how you will react when a REAL emergency hits you. It takes a real hero to not fold under the pressure and screw up. I have personally been faced with a real emergency and did my best. I walked away, the helicopter did not. Some of you have no clue, and I hope you won't ever be in that situation. Some people just have trouble giving someone else a little recognition.

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I have to disagree. Landing a King Air for a 172 pilot is a pretty big deal, as is landing an airbus on a river without anyone getting hurt. The pros that have been doing it their whole careers and still screw it up from time to time. Nothing easy or routine about it. Landing an airbus full of people in the water is not part of any training. Some of you have no idea how you will react when a REAL emergency hits you. It takes a real hero to not fold under the pressure and screw up. I have personally been faced with a real emergency and did my best. I walked away, the helicopter did not. Some of you have no clue, and I hope you won't ever be in that situation. Some people just have trouble giving someone else a little recognition.

 

I agree with you completely.

 

Jerry

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I have to disagree. Landing a King Air for a 172 pilot is a pretty big deal, as is landing an airbus on a river without anyone getting hurt. The pros that have been doing it their whole careers and still screw it up from time to time. Nothing easy or routine about it. Landing an airbus full of people in the water is not part of any training. Some of you have no idea how you will react when a REAL emergency hits you. It takes a real hero to not fold under the pressure and screw up. I have personally been faced with a real emergency and did my best. I walked away, the helicopter did not. Some of you have no clue, and I hope you won't ever be in that situation. Some people just have trouble giving someone else a little recognition.

3rd'ed!

Larger aircraft move much faster, so you alot less time to perform the same function's as a smaller one.

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