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Learning on the Fly

posted by janrinok on Wednesday June 01 2022, @06:56AM   Printer-friendly
from the meh-amateur dept.

pkrasimirov writes:

HARRISON: "I've got a serious situation here. My pilot has gone incoherent. I have no idea how to fly the aeroplane."

CONTROL: "ATC: 333 Lima Delta, Roger, what's your position?"

HARRISON: "I have no idea. I can see the coast of Florida in front of me but I have no idea."

CONTROL: "Maintain wings level and just try to follow the coast, either northbound or southbound. We're trying to locate you."

On 10 May at 10,000 feet above the ocean a Cessna 208 Caravan pilot suffers aortic dissection and collapses. The other two people on board are passengers without piloting experience -- Russ Franck, 69, and Darren Harrison, 39. The plane goes into a dive. Harrison takes control, slowly levels the aircraft, establishes radio communication and gets assistance from ground controller Robert Morgan, a seasoned Cessna flight instructor. One hour later, after what Franck describes as "a normal landing", the pilot Kenneth Allen, 64, is rushed to Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center where his life is saved for second time that day.

The story:
• May 11 https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/passenger-safely-lands-aircraft-after-pilot-incapacitated/
• May 11 https://medium.com/faa/miracle-in-the-air-air-traffic-controllers-guide-passenger-to-land-plane-safely-27362004f07c
• May 12 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-61416384
• May 12 https://people.com/human-interest/air-traffic-controller-speaks-out-after-helping-passenger-land-plane/
• May 16 https://people.com/human-interest/passenger-who-landed-airplane-with-no-flying-experience-speaks-out/
• May 17 https://people.com/human-interest/pilot-has-miraculous-recovery-after-health-emergency-led-to-passenger-landing-plane/
• May 26 https://people.com/human-interest/pilot-who-had-medical-emergency-speaks-out-after-passenger-landed-plane/
--
Ever wanted to know how to fly an airplane just in case?

Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 5, Informative) by RamiK on Wednesday June 01 2022, @09:49AM

    by RamiK (1813) on Wednesday June 01 2022, @09:49AM (#1249388)

    The control tower did a great job at setting them up with forgiving landing conditions:

    The passengers had planned to land at Boca Raton in Florida, but Mr Morgan instead guided Mr Harrison to Palm Beach airport because it had a longer runway, was less congested, and had much-needed radio coverage, the FAA said.

    ( https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-61416384 [bbc.com] )

    Palm Beach International Airport covers 2,120 acres (858 ha) and has three runways:[1]
            10L-28R: 10,001 x 150 ft. (3,048 x 46 m) Asphalt
            10R-28L: 3,214 x 75 ft. (980 x 23 m) Asphalt
            14–32: 6,931 x 150 ft. (2,113 x 46 m) Asphalt

    ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_Beach_International_Airport [wikipedia.org] )

    CESSNA 208 “CARAVAN”
            Cruise 186 kts.
            Stall 61 kts.
            Initial climb rate 1,234 fpm.
            Service Ceiling 25,000.
            Takeoff distance (50′) 2,053.
            Landing distance (50′) 1,655 ft.

    ( https://www.planeandpilotmag.com/article/cessna-208-caravan/ [planeandpilotmag.com] )

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