New York City, New York — Could you land a plane in an emergency? While the odds are slim for most travelers, the question has captured public imagination, especially given concerns about air travel safety. TikTok pilot Pete (@pilotpete.fly) recently shared tips for passengers who might find themselves in this unlikely scenario.
A 2023 survey revealed that a third of Americans believe they could safely land a passenger aircraft with air traffic control guidance, and nearly half of male respondents were confident in their ability to do so.
“One of the most important buttons is gonna be right here,” Pete says, demonstrating a button on the top of the Boeing 767 dashboard.
What You Need to Know Before Attempting to Land a Plane
Filming from the cockpit, Pete explained that the autopilot button is key.
“That’s the autopilot. So you’re gonna click that on, let the airplane do its thing, fly itself,” he says.
After engaging autopilot, he recommends immediately contacting air traffic control for guidance. With proper instructions, he claims,
“I’m sure you could land the 767, no problem.”
Can Someone Really Land a Plane Without Training?
While there are rare instances of non-pilots safely landing small aircraft with guidance from air traffic control, landing a Boeing 767 without experience is extremely unlikely.
However, automated systems like autopilot and AutoLand can assist in safely guiding the plane. Pilots rely on thousands of hours of flight experience, with commercial pilots required to have at least 1,500 hours of flight time.
“Naturally, these systems are fallible. This is why pilots do not always rely on them and instead use their own expertise,” experts note.
Real-Life Emergencies
Thankfully, such emergencies are rare. There have been cases where a co-pilot took over mid-flight due to the captain’s health issues or temporary absence:
“A flight from Moscow landed early after its pilot had a heart attack. The co-pilot was able to pilot the plane during this time,” one report noted.
In another incident, autopilot allowed a plane to remain safe while a co-pilot and captain dealt with a health situation in the cockpit.
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Internet Reactions
Many social media users joked about their confidence in handling such emergencies.
“My toxic trait is thinking I can do this,” wrote one user.
“I can do it,” declared another.
Some, however, admitted their fears:
“This is doing nothing for my phobia of flying. I’d need resuscitation if I heard the announcement, ‘is there a pilot on board’,” one commenter shared.
“I might be able to say Mayday on the walkie talkie thing,” added another.
Despite the rare nature of such events, the autopilot system remains the crucial tool for passengers or off-duty pilots who may ever face the unimaginable.
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