Mythbusters: could a passenger land a plane?

[Chris_F]

Anyone catch last night's episode of Mythbusters?  (Airs in the US on the Discovery network.)  It was right up SimV's alley.  The myth (as seen in the movie "Airplane") was: if both pilot and co-pilot were incapacitated, could a passenger land the plane.  Both of the show's "stars" played the role of the passenger turned pilot and the airplane was a NASA full motion simulator which appeared to be set up for a 737-800 or similar glass-cockpit commercial airliner.  (Graphics provided courtesy of MicroSoft Flight Simulator  ).  

Anyway, there were two tests: 1) the passengers were given no instruction or guidence from ATC.  and 2) ATC "talked down" the passengers.  No autopilot was used.  How "green" were the two passengers?  Well, the first thing Jamie did was wonder "okay, I probably want to know how fast I'm going but I can't find my airspeed" and Adam"s first thought was to play with the stick to figure out what it did, kinda a "pull back to go up?" sort of learning.

The result?  In test #1 both Jamie and Adam crashed.  In test #2 both were able to land the airplane with ease.  "Piece of cake" is how they described it.

So, in the endless argument "could a MS Flight Sim fanatic land a plane" it appears the answer would be "yes, with ease".  :)

[BFMF]

Wish I would have known about it, but oh well. Sounds interesting, but did they throw in factors such as night flying and/or poor weather?

[Chris_F]

Wish I would have known about it, but oh well. Sounds interesting, but did they throw in factors such as night flying and/or poor weather?

The first attempt was at night.  Weather was perfect for both.

[Fly2e]

It is on again!

http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-schedules/s ... 704.3913.x

[Alphajet_Enthusiast]

Quite frankly, I'd like to see them take the control of a 747 with 20nm visibility and turbulent skies.
There is no way they could land it. I've pondered this a long time and even with 10s of hours
in PMDG's Boeing Jets, getting used to the FMC and everything, I'm quite sure it would be a huuge
ask for anyone without a real instrument and/or multiengine rating to bring down
a large commercial airliner. I have my B license in gliding and I'd be nervous if someone
would send me off alone in a Cessna 185 tomorrow.

[Chris_F]

Long story short, talk is cheap.

Talk is cheap but simulator time is expensive.

[BFMF]

It is on again!

http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-schedules/s ... 704.3913.x

I'll try to remember. Thanks Dave...

[alrot]

[sarcasm]YES,THEY CAN, IT ALSO HAPPENED IN "SNAKES ON THE PLANE" THE FAT GUY WHO PLAYS A MISTERIOUS NINTENDO FLIGHT SIMULATOR ,LANDS A 747 WITHOUT PROBLEMS ,I COULD DO THAT TOO... [/sarcasm]

[expat]

I would say yes it is possible if you had some experience. Would it be pretty, well that would be another story.

http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb2 ... 1177011390


Matt

[C]

In test #2 both were able to land the airplane with ease.  "Piece of cake" is how they described it.

So, in the endless argument "could a MS Flight Sim fanatic land a plane" it appears the answer would be "yes, with ease".  :)

I'd question the wording there. Yes, they could possibly get it "safely" on the ground (most pax surviving, probably a write off though as there are other technical factor to think of), but in real life they'd also know they weren't in the benign environment of a simulator, and would have a couple of hundred real people behind them...

...and they'd be absolutely bricking it.

[C]

I would say yes it is possible if you had some experience. Would it be pretty, well that would be another story.

http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb2 ... 1177011390


Matt

I obviously missed that thread - probably whilst I was on my last course.

I would say lucky chap, but at the moment I'm getting rather tired of sims!

[Ijineda]

Exactly one year ago I had 2 hours of flight in an A320-200 Simulator from Lufthansa (I posted the pics in the photo forum, but Im too lazy to search for it now). Result:
Take-off - no problem at all
Cruising, banking, climbing, descending - piece of cake
Landing, both visual and ILS: ILS was easier than I thought, and visual was a bit more tricky, but I didnt crash at all.

Weather conditions were perfect almost all the time, only on zero-vis landing with ILS. No crosswinds.

So the answer: YES, a good flightsimpilot could fly (and land) a commercial airliner.

[expat]

In test #2 both were able to land the airplane with ease.  "Piece of cake" is how they described it.

So, in the endless argument "could a MS Flight Sim fanatic land a plane" it appears the answer would be "yes, with ease".  :)

I'd question the wording there. Yes, they could possibly get it "safely" on the ground (most pax surviving, probably a write off though as there are other technical factor to think of), but in real life they'd also know they weren't in the benign environment of a simulator, and would have a couple of hundred real people behind them...

...and they'd be absolutely bricking it.

If it was me, sorry, but the people behind I would not give them a second though, it would just add pressure. It would be all about me and me. I would be no use to anyone dead, least of all my children. If I pulled it off, being at the front and the first to arrive at the accident location, then there is a good chance that those behind would too. Then I could take all the glory That may be a bit hard, but that is life.

Matt

[Ijineda]

so im not that lazy, here are the posts of the sim:
http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb2 ... 1164710291
and
http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb2 ... 1164710993

[C]

If it was me, sorry, but the people behind I would not give them a second though, it would just add pressure.

Not everyone's you though Matt! A lot of people would!

Anyway, I'm alright...

So the answer: YES, a good flightsimpilot could fly (and land) a commercial airliner.

I bet you had someone sat next to you though.

The other thing to bear in mind is even the best simulators "handle" differently to the actual 100t plus aeroplane!