Glad to see the update regarding helicopters; they do not necessarily fall like a rock. I used to fly in helicopters quite a bit and had semi-reassuring conversations with pilots about autorotation. As with fixed-wing glides, landing requires a combination of skill and luck. See http://www.copters.com/pilot/autorotation.html
His exploit was truly riveting and impressive, Jim, but I remain curious about the manner that such skills were acquired. You refer to simulating engine failures during training, but does that include the communications with controllers on the ground? Did he have experience as a military aviator or otherwise professional pilot? Perhaps he used software simulators to hone his technique over the years. Beyond that, I have a sense his successful recovery from a such a catastrophic incident is rare among those encountered by your fellow practitioners...
Good points. The comms skills are not so much the ones I worry about. It's the one-chance-only, betting-your-life calculation of the exact glide angle to make a power-off touchdown just where you intend.
I am in tremendously admiration of this pilot and all the others. And, also, I am glad to have an airplane that gives me the option of pulling the parachute. It would be less heroic. But the odds would be better — and would not depend so heavily on Sully-like skill.
I watched while holding my breath, and when he safely landed, I actually cried. I cannot imagine how terrifying it must have been. The courage and self control Mayes showed probably saved his life and those of the people he could have crashed on. And the cool way the people he radioed handled the crisis was spectacular.
I was on an extremely turbulent plane trip about 15 years ago, a small commuter jet flying from Newark to Buffalo, the only time I ever was afraid while flying. Exactly one month later, that same commuter flight crashed on top of a residence outside of Buffalo, killing all on board and 2 people on the ground. It opened up an investigation that was instrumental in putting Continental Airlines out of business. The pilot and copilot had been flying for 3 days without rest, and the copilot wasn't even licensed. Contrast this with the total professionalism of the pilot in this small plane. Wow.
Yes, that Buffalo crash was a tragedy and disaster on so many levels. (Obviously starting with all the people who were killed.) I wrote about it long ago in the Atlantic, in a post I don't see find right at the moment. It appears to have been mis-management of an airframe-icing problem, in circumstances that probably originated with just the stress you mention.
And the pilot and copilot should not have been flying due to extreme fatigue and the copilot having fewer than the required hours to be flying. Soon after, Continental Airlines went out of business.
I got sidetracked on Deb's commentary on "say souls on board," which was fascinating, and somewhat enticing, the feel I got for wandering the country in a small aircraft, while under the watchful eye of ATC.
The calm is amazing. Incidentally, I have a friend who took up flying a number of years ago, the excuse being that she'd moved to Switzerland, but was maintaining the relationship with the guy in England. One time, flying to England, she ran out of gas in the air. She activated the auxiliary tank, pointed the plane at the ground to start it. She said that once she landed, it took her four hours to calm down enough to take off again and finish the journey. She's an unusual character. Owns and runs a sheep farm, also works as an immunologist at NIH.
I have found *practice* engine-out landings stressful enough. And it is why, back in 2000, we were among the very first customers for the "plane with a parachute," the original model of the Cirrus SR20.
Katie, thank you. (Given my parachute-equipped Cirrus, which you recall, I was thinking of other options available. But he handled this incredibly well.)
Glad to see the update regarding helicopters; they do not necessarily fall like a rock. I used to fly in helicopters quite a bit and had semi-reassuring conversations with pilots about autorotation. As with fixed-wing glides, landing requires a combination of skill and luck. See http://www.copters.com/pilot/autorotation.html
The US Army gives out 12 to 15 Broken Wing Awards annually to pilots for safe autorotation landings: https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-trending/army-aviation-broken-wings-award/
His exploit was truly riveting and impressive, Jim, but I remain curious about the manner that such skills were acquired. You refer to simulating engine failures during training, but does that include the communications with controllers on the ground? Did he have experience as a military aviator or otherwise professional pilot? Perhaps he used software simulators to hone his technique over the years. Beyond that, I have a sense his successful recovery from a such a catastrophic incident is rare among those encountered by your fellow practitioners...
Good points. The comms skills are not so much the ones I worry about. It's the one-chance-only, betting-your-life calculation of the exact glide angle to make a power-off touchdown just where you intend.
I am in tremendously admiration of this pilot and all the others. And, also, I am glad to have an airplane that gives me the option of pulling the parachute. It would be less heroic. But the odds would be better — and would not depend so heavily on Sully-like skill.
I watched while holding my breath, and when he safely landed, I actually cried. I cannot imagine how terrifying it must have been. The courage and self control Mayes showed probably saved his life and those of the people he could have crashed on. And the cool way the people he radioed handled the crisis was spectacular.
Thank you. This was really remarkable. Right until the final seconds of turning toward the runway.
I was on an extremely turbulent plane trip about 15 years ago, a small commuter jet flying from Newark to Buffalo, the only time I ever was afraid while flying. Exactly one month later, that same commuter flight crashed on top of a residence outside of Buffalo, killing all on board and 2 people on the ground. It opened up an investigation that was instrumental in putting Continental Airlines out of business. The pilot and copilot had been flying for 3 days without rest, and the copilot wasn't even licensed. Contrast this with the total professionalism of the pilot in this small plane. Wow.
Yes, that Buffalo crash was a tragedy and disaster on so many levels. (Obviously starting with all the people who were killed.) I wrote about it long ago in the Atlantic, in a post I don't see find right at the moment. It appears to have been mis-management of an airframe-icing problem, in circumstances that probably originated with just the stress you mention.
And the pilot and copilot should not have been flying due to extreme fatigue and the copilot having fewer than the required hours to be flying. Soon after, Continental Airlines went out of business.
I got sidetracked on Deb's commentary on "say souls on board," which was fascinating, and somewhat enticing, the feel I got for wandering the country in a small aircraft, while under the watchful eye of ATC.
Thank you. The *calm* of everyone involved, starting with the pilot but extending to everyone else, was really exemplary.
The calm is amazing. Incidentally, I have a friend who took up flying a number of years ago, the excuse being that she'd moved to Switzerland, but was maintaining the relationship with the guy in England. One time, flying to England, she ran out of gas in the air. She activated the auxiliary tank, pointed the plane at the ground to start it. She said that once she landed, it took her four hours to calm down enough to take off again and finish the journey. She's an unusual character. Owns and runs a sheep farm, also works as an immunologist at NIH.
I have found *practice* engine-out landings stressful enough. And it is why, back in 2000, we were among the very first customers for the "plane with a parachute," the original model of the Cirrus SR20.
I'm sure Polly would have liked having a parachute attached. But if the first was around 2000, she was ~a decade and a half too early.
Incredible. I chipped in, too.
Katie, thank you. (Given my parachute-equipped Cirrus, which you recall, I was thinking of other options available. But he handled this incredibly well.)