Comments on: What if both pilots have a medical problem onboard?

By: sam i am

sam i am — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 07:11:38 +0000

nose dive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! sam i am

By: aviophage

aviophage — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:29:07 +0000

The “both pilots incapacitated” scenario has NEVER happened in the history of commercial aviation. NOT ONCE. It is not likely ever to happen, either. Pilots are healthy, by law, and the same thing would never happen to both of them at once.

Also, the NTSB did a study about ten years ago, and discovered that about 85 percent of all flights are carrying at least one pilot qualified in the same or a similar type of aircraft.

So even if the “thing” did happen, the chances of an unqualified person having to attempt to land the machine are vanishingly remote.

So don’t worry about it. It won’t happen. aviophage

By: CaptainRowdy

CaptainRowdy — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 22:05:47 +0000

most long haul flights have 2 crews nowadays. CaptainRowdy

By: sailor

sailor — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 05:27:30 +0000

Most of the women on board could fly & land it, it doesn’t have a reverse as fare as i know sailor

By: Alloy Boy

Alloy Boy — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 20:16:40 +0000

The passengers should strap in and execute a mass ejection. The seats double as a parachute, that button on your arm rest that never seems to do anything is the ejection button, only activated by a flight attendant during a double pilot incapacitation. I found this out by accident when I actually paid attention to the preflight briefing the flight attendants do. That day i was late and didn’t have time to grab a magazine. Alloy Boy

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 16:12:49 +0000

This was on myth busters where they had to try to land a plane with Zero flight time and they both crashed. so then they both tried again but this time with the help of Air traffic control (ATC) and they both made it down safely

Note: they were both on simulators Mike

By: Bindi Stingray

Bindi Stingray — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 13:32:02 +0000

Commercial pilots have to have 2 comprehensive medical exams per year if they’re over 40, and 1 per year if under 40 (in Canada anyway).

It’s unlikely you’d have 2 pilots both get so sick that they can’t control the plane.

In the event though, there’s probably some form of pilot onboard, or at least a flight attendant who is a little familiar with aviation.

They can just let someone on the radio tell them what to do.

It’s complicated to fly properly, but most people should be able to follow basic instructions to at least get the plane down somewhat safely.

Or everyone could just panic and die. Bindi Stingray

By: snoodshooter

snoodshooter — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 05:52:41 +0000

It would be a very unlikely scenario, but alot of times there is a pilot (not part of the crew) jumpseating to another airport. They would be the most likely candidate, but outside of that some regular joe would just have to step up. snoodshooter

By: huckleberry58

huckleberry58 — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:51:10 +0000

if it’s a modern airliner with an autoland capability then it wouldn’t much of a problem i would think. just get the guy to descend to 3000ft early (well before 10nm), set the autobrake on max, engage the approach mode and keep the autopilot on. the plane would land itself quite nicely. when the plane slows down, just get the guy to set the park brake and that’s it. pretty simple really. the thing is, if there isn’t a pilot on board then this would be done by a cabin crew rather than ’some ol’ joe’. huckleberry58

By: Michiganpilot

Michiganpilot — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:53:16 +0000

I asked my chief pilot an ex DC-9 pilot what he thought the odds of Sunday pilot landing a transport category aircraft without drama was. He was pretty sure that they would stall it in when they put down full flaps, due to the fact you have come up on the power so much due to the drag.

If both pilots got sick they would have to be passed out to not be useful, they are gonna fly it till they cant. Puking is not gonna make them jump up and say ” I cant do this “. To have both of them sick can happen but chances are you would never ever know. Cause they will NOT give up, they don’t want to let anyone else land either cause they want to live… Michiganpilot