# A Boeing 747 must be landed. Who do you want at the controls? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 4, 2014, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-boeing-747-must-be-landed-who-do-you-want-at-the-controls/694795 "2014-08-04T16:11:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-boeing-747-must-be-landed-who-do-you-want-at-the-controls/694795/1 "2014-08-04T16:11:02Z")
Hypothetical situation: A Boeing 747 is flying hundreds of passengers from New York City to Los Angeles when it suffers a one-in-a-trillion mishap: Both of its pilots die from heart attacks at the same time, completely due to natural causes (i.e., there are no toxins or anything in the cockpit; this is sheer improbable random coincidence.) The plane, still cruising at 600 miles per hour at 35,000 feet, must be landed by someone aboard the aircraft. Who would you prefer to be at the controls (if you could only pick one?) 1. ``` A passenger who's flown lightweight propeller and jet-powered Cessna airplanes for 5 years, but has never seen the systems of a 747 before, ``` or 2) A passenger who’s flown the Boeing 747 on flight simulators on his laptop computer for 5 years, but has no hands-on experience flying an actual airplane? Assume that if you pick one, the other person doesn’t exist - in other words, can’t assist or give advice. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-boeing-747-must-be-landed-who-do-you-want-at-the-controls/694795/2 "2014-08-04T16:33:34Z")
The real pilot, 100%. He’s well versed in flight dynamics, speaking to ATC, navigation, etc… He can probably be instructed in how to set various automated systems, and try and land it successfully. The other guy’s just playing a game. Look at it this way- let’s say it was a bus. Would you want the guy who’d driven a series of cars for 5 years, or would you want the guy who’d never driven a vehicle at all, but who’d played “Bus Simulator” until his eyeballs bled? ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-boeing-747-must-be-landed-who-do-you-want-at-the-controls/694795/3 "2014-08-04T16:43:13Z")
I also voted for the pilot. Even if it’s a completely different kind of plane, I’d rather have the guy who has experience landing aircrafts than the guy who knows exactly what all the controls do, but hasn’t actually flown. ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-boeing-747-must-be-landed-who-do-you-want-at-the-controls/694795/4 "2014-08-04T16:44:19Z")
I’m split. The general aviation pilot will be able to communicate with ATC much more effectively, but the sim pilot might have a better understanding of how the plane will respond to control inputs. I’m going to give it to the GA pilot, because you said the flight simmer was playing “on his laptop”. The kind of flight sim fanatic that I could trust in the cockpit ain’t using a laptop, with a keyboard and a dinky little touchpad. Instead, he’s spent a humongous pile of cash on a [home-built cockpit](http://www.pcpilotsireland.com/reviews/Michael%20Collins.htm), and has used it religiously for 10+ hours per week for the last five years. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-boeing-747-must-be-landed-who-do-you-want-at-the-controls/694795/5 "2014-08-04T16:45:45Z")
I’d go for the real pilot. A lot of 747 flying is automated anyway, isn’t it? The person with flying experience could talk to the tower and get instructions for what to do. Even if the simulation guy knew the controls, what’s to say he wouldn’t freak out and lose it because it’s a real-world situation he has no experience with? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-boeing-747-must-be-landed-who-do-you-want-at-the-controls/694795/6 "2014-08-04T16:48:25Z")
Which one has more experience in hand-to-shark combat? ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-boeing-747-must-be-landed-who-do-you-want-at-the-controls/694795/7 "2014-08-04T16:49:24Z")
Get me…Rex Kramer. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-boeing-747-must-be-landed-who-do-you-want-at-the-controls/694795/8 "2014-08-04T16:49:29Z")
Last thing you want to hear before the sim pilot tries to touch down: “OK, where’s the quick-save button?” ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-boeing-747-must-be-landed-who-do-you-want-at-the-controls/694795/9 "2014-08-04T16:50:39Z")
I don’t care, as long as they didn’t have fish for dinner. ---
**Author:** ![Frazzled](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frazzled/32/3368_2.png) [@Frazzled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frazzled)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-boeing-747-must-be-landed-who-do-you-want-at-the-controls/694795/10 "2014-08-04T17:00:28Z")
I had a flight simulator for years and could fly it well before I ever took my first flight lesson. Even though I’d landed many times in the simulator, I was not comfortable enough with flying in real life to be able to land the plane on my first few flights. The simulator is close to what it feels like to fly a Cessna but isn’t exact. My understanding is that the difference between how the simulator feels and jets is far more divergent. The Flight Simulator junkie who thinks he’s capable of flying a real 747 is dangerously ignorant - no way would I want him attempting to land the real thing. On the other hand, pilot 1 may not be able to do it if he’s only flown Cessnas, but if he has jet experience then I definitely think he could do it. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-boeing-747-must-be-landed-who-do-you-want-at-the-controls/694795/11 "2014-08-04T17:08:59Z")
The high-sim-time kid did just fine in _Soul Plane_, and I’d still take him over a weekend Cessna jockey like me. The guy who knows how to set up the autoland is ahead of the guy who doesn’t, and he isn’t going to be distracted by the sight picture in the flare from up on the second story. A dedicated [virtual-airline](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_airline)nerd will also know how to tell ATC about the problem, and even set the transponder. ---
**Author:** ![Krouget](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b38774/32.png) [@Krouget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krouget)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-boeing-747-must-be-landed-who-do-you-want-at-the-controls/694795/12 "2014-08-04T17:14:43Z")
I’m inclined to almost always go for experience. I’ve played with a number of racing simulators, but it doesn’t translate to any actual experience I’ve had on a course/track, aside from simply grabbing the concept of what I’m doing. When faced with an experience for the first time (from what I’ve observed), people tend to be more conservative than normal, while a smaller number tends to go clearly overboard. I liken it to first-time drivers who lurch the car forward when accelerating, or send you shooting forward when braking. Experienced drivers in new vehicles, seem to do both of these a bit less, or more quickly adapt. I’ll assume the same is somewhat true for flying a plane. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-boeing-747-must-be-landed-who-do-you-want-at-the-controls/694795/13 "2014-08-04T17:24:56Z")
Krouget raises a good point. I’ve driven hundreds of thousands of _Gran Turismo_ miles but I’ve only done a dozen or so laps of a track in real life (except karting, which is completely different). There is no way a simulation can prepare you because the worst thing that can happen if you brake too late into that negative-camber sweeper (in a game) is a bad lap time. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-boeing-747-must-be-landed-who-do-you-want-at-the-controls/694795/14 "2014-08-04T17:39:15Z")
It might be a tougher question if you removed turbine experience from the GA pilot, OP. A jet pilot, even a microjet, is going to be more comfortable with how far s/he needs to think ahead of the airplane, than someone only used to the speeds and configurations of a 182. ---
**Author:** ![buckgully](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb9ed0/32.png) [@buckgully](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buckgully)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-boeing-747-must-be-landed-who-do-you-want-at-the-controls/694795/15 "2014-08-04T20:02:58Z")
> [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > I don’t care, as long as they didn’t have fish for dinner. Yes, yes, I remember, I had the lasagna. Also of critical import for this question: How many snakes are on this monday-to-friday plane, and how had it with them am I? ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-boeing-747-must-be-landed-who-do-you-want-at-the-controls/694795/16 "2014-08-04T20:42:58Z")
I just want to know if anyone is shipping a parachute in checked baggage. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-boeing-747-must-be-landed-who-do-you-want-at-the-controls/694795/17 "2014-08-04T20:53:45Z")
Surely you must be joking. No amount of computer game time will equal really landing a plane. Now if the flight simulator is one like [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8JUWUKXV08) my answer would be different. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-boeing-747-must-be-landed-who-do-you-want-at-the-controls/694795/18 "2014-08-04T21:11:59Z")
The real pilot, because he/she can get advice from the control tower. Also, conspiracy theorists are going to blame him/her. I know the the pilot’s innocent, because you said so, and I’m suspicious! ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-boeing-747-must-be-landed-who-do-you-want-at-the-controls/694795/19 "2014-08-04T21:13:31Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Get me…Rex Kramer. Unfortunately, he’s on the ground keeping the mic open. You want Ted Stryker _sploosh_ ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-boeing-747-must-be-landed-who-do-you-want-at-the-controls/694795/20 "2014-08-04T21:57:39Z")
It’s an entirely different kind of flying – all together. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-boeing-747-must-be-landed-who-do-you-want-at-the-controls/694795.md?page=2)