Note from the Antonov AN-2 POH – applicable even after raiding the vodka rations.
“If the engine quits in instrument conditions (blind flying when you can’t see the ground) or at night, the pilot should pull the control column full aft (it won’t stall) and keep the wings level. The leading-edge slats will snap out at about 40mph (64km/h), and when the airplane slows to a forward speed of about 25mph [40km/h], the airplane will sink at about a parachute descent rate until the aircraft hits the ground.”
Yes, this procedure (ended above ground obviously with a recovery) was part of my AN2 conversion course as well. it is very impressive. On flat terrain, it will work. On rugged terrain, you’re slow enough to stand a chance.
But what about the risk? 90-95% of all private flying is done with only the pilot on board, or a student/pilot or pilot/pilots. Then the possibility of the pilot being incapacitated is extremely remote (pilot error on the other hand is something else). In the end, the risk of the general public dying due to the pilot being incapacitated is probably lower than the risk of being struck by lightening. Thus, focusing on how to survive such an event is meaningless, and a typical example of being blinded by the consequence.
Having said that. The rescue men on Norwegian civilian ambulance helicopters are required to take the PPL-H theory and have to be current in landing the helicopter in case the pilot gets incapacitated (at least that where the rules some years ago when I had a “rep maneuver” in the air force with a couple of rescue men from Norsk Luftambulanse , and I’m pretty sure it still is). They fly with a crew of two/three; pilot and rescue man and often, but not always, a doctor. But, they fly a lot, several hours each day (it’s their job after all). In my opinion this shows what really is required to do this: you have to have theoretical knowledge and you have to regularly practice. Otherwise a ballistic recovery system or parachute is the only meaningful option.
I personally am very much for this kind of course for frequent passengers such as spouses or similar.
There is more than one benefit to it.
The first and foremost is that in case of cases… but we all know that this is a) highly hypothetical and b) not done with a Pinch Hitter course and then 10 years of inactivity for the big event. It would require regular training and routine.
But the 2nd benefit, which I personally regard as even more beneficial, is that a Pinch Hitter seminar ON THE AIRPLANE you fly, will get the spouse much more involved in flying. It may well serve to ease fears, as fear is mostly of the “unknown” and of things people can’t do anything about. It may well wake an interest in the airplane and it’s operation which may before not have existed. And it may well turn the dreaded “one person hobby” with the other dragging along just to please into a common experience.
Equally important to me at least will be that the PH course is done by a good instructor who has a positive attitude to this kind of thing as well as the same kind of idea about it. Instructing your own spouse almost never works. Ideally, if you have a good instructor who knows you and has flown with you, he can even take this on board and adapt his instructing to what he knows is what the candidate will later encounter when flying with you. Equally, the instructor should be well familiar with THE airplane (not just the type) and know how it is operated within the operation.
Many years ago I had a long time GF flying with me. I did send her onto a flying lesson with an instructor I knew. The result was really good. She started to participate in the flight prep, was very interested in the whole thing and eventually acted as “human autopilot” in cruise quite often. She later had herself another sets of lessons and landed herself on the 2nd or 3rd day which was what she wanted to achieve. Never made a license but was very keen to fly for as long as I knew her.
Best regards
Urs
It’s great if your right seater takes an interest in flying, and that should be nurtured however it works. However, unless invited, I think that offering or otherwise providing a how to, will incite uneasiness, and not be meaningfully useful anyway. Of course, no pilot will carry a passenger if they feel unable to complete the flight safely – that goes without saying. So with that, the chances that a pilot becomes incapacitated are so small, that were that to be a valid concern for safety, there would be dozens of other hazards you’d have to brief too, and you’d never have the time left to get the flight underway.
Brief pax how to get themselves out safely, fire ex and first aid, and what/what no to do, and leave it at that….
… and that seems to be exactly the purport of the ICAO document I remember. No surprise.
My other half did the AOPA Companion Flying course in our aircraft with an instructor. After the second or third session, she was comfortably doing crosswind landings onto 600M of grass in a taildragger! I think there’s far more natural ability there than I had.
One thing is landing the plane when in IMS, another if the weather is fine. Passengers are present more often when the weather is fine, though.
As a non-flyer, there is no chance whatsoever in IMS, just too complex with too many places for trivial error to end badly.
On the other hand, if the weather is fine (good visibility and light gusts/crosswind) and the airplane is docile, I can imagine myself landing on a wide and long runway of a major airport… the aircraft might not survive, but I should (I hope!).
I have few hours of flightsim and maybe 15min in ultralight. And I understand the physics involved… still not the real thing.
600m grass with trees and power lines on both ends is another matter…
However, unless invited, I think that offering or otherwise providing a how to, will incite uneasiness, and not be meaningfully useful anyway.
I once scared a passenger shitless just by pulling the airplane out of the hanger and doing the pre-flight which included opening the cowling (Bonanza). She later said she thought there was somerhing wrong wih the engine. I then proceeded to show her how to open and close the door (there might have been an emergency exit from the rear in that airplane) and that was the icing on the cake.
She nevertheless came long for the flight from Oakland to Columbia for breakfast. We had a wonderful time in this gold rush town. Then on the flight home she was very uneasy. I offered to show her the Golden Gate bridge and San Francisco, but she refused. She wanted to get back on the ground. She almost crushed my wife’s hand from apprehension.
If an F-106 can make a satisfactory landing on its own, an untrained passenger’s chances shouldn’t be much worse.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornfield_Bomber
I do know two Cessna drivers who survived CFIT. One did need hospital treatment, but the other just collected his somewhat scattered belongings, fired up Google Maps on his phone and walked away without a bruise or scratch.
The key to the latter outcome was minimum ground speed (full flap, stick back), a good tight harness (or airbags) and a willingness to sacrifice the airframe in favour of its occupant.
