Do you think you could land an airplane if the pilots were incapacitated by laughing gas?

[Telekinetic-Potato]

Imagine you're in a Boeing 747 and a flight attendent comes out asking if anyone is a pilot... Everyone just stares blankly. She says she can get you into contact with the control tower but when you sit down in the cockpit this is what you see.

I think I'd have it tbh. I'm a good listener

[SueShe]

Landing a heavy jet is actually not that difficult. Someone else stated that they have over 1,000 hours on the flight simulator. Provided those 1,000 hours are on a heavy jet and not on a smaller Cessna C-150 for example, this is something that is actually feasible by anyone that has good coordination skills and the ability to react quickly.

Jets like the B-747 are equipped with autoland system category IIIA, meaning that with the sole touch of a button (engaging the autopilot) will allow the airplane to fly a pre-definined approach to the selected airport. The approach has been punched into the FMC (flight management computer) before even starting the engines.

While the airplane will NOT land automatically, it will nonetheless get you about 100 feet above ground, at which altitude, you will have to disable the autopilot (punch a button) and manually land the airplane. This should be feasible by anyone that can listen to guidelines given from a qualified pilot on the ground.

B747 FMC

[purplepoppy]

They've done experiments along these lines in flight simulator. Everyone dies.

But I reckon 99% of those buttons are never used, bit like a lot in cars. Just look for the ones with dust on and ignore them.

[NathanDavis]

it has been done before, so...

yes

most of it... is an automated process, the plane will mostly land itself... tower control will guide you through it, so... as long as no chickens get on my way, it should be fine

it's mostly about remaining calm and not being overwhelmed by the dire situation and, I can do that just fine... lol

[Iron_Man]

I give it my best What choice do we have? When I was a child I flew a 7 27 with my father, I steered the wheel for a few minutes in the cockpit,

[Telekinetic-Potato]

That's really cool

[Iron_Man]

Thanks

[lilBigPotato]

I know that planes can land mostly automatically these days if you know which buttons to press so yes I guess most people could do it with an instructor. But why would I have to do that if the attendant is still there and knows obviously more than me shown by the fact that they know how to get in contact with tower?

[lilBigPotato]

The realistic scenario should be that no one can show me how to contact help and then I'm probably screwed.

[HarveyLaw]

If there's no pilot on board and no one else has any experience, I'd absolutely take the controls. I'm not going to just sit here and let us all die without trying.

[EmmaMary]

I know I certainly couldn't, but my father in law possibly could as he has a private pilots license, so would have just a little more knowledge than I would.

[DryGermanGuy]

A friend of mine is a licensed pilot (VFR, IFR) for small propeller planes and his instructor told him, he should be able to land a large jet airliner, but the plane would probably be a total write-off. 🤔

[NoDecision]

It's more likely that we will all die!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/q8_R4AG2o1w

[FreyaRed]

Yes, give me a little bit of this gas and let us die, I have 1000 hours in MS flight simulator achievement

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[Mark_Est]

Yes, easy, i have over 1000h in simulators. I haven't done my pilots license yet, other projects got in the way.

[Agape93]

Absolutely. But nobody would survive. To quote bane "I'm crashing this plane."

[beenherebefore]

I'm able to assist the pilot but I wouldn't know how to land the airplane myself.

[TonyMetal___1986]

Nope i can't because i know nothing about flying a plane!
Last time i flew a plane, it was a fighter game on my computer, flying an F-22 Raptor 😂

[Alex-Snow]

It would be a rough landing for sure

[Micheal6918]

I will try my best but I think i can

[arianna1414]

no way