# Can a pilot land a plane which he is not licensed for? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 5, 2014, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pilot-land-a-plane-which-he-is-not-licensed-for/680539 "2014-02-05T00:57:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pilot-land-a-plane-which-he-is-not-licensed-for/680539/21 "2014-02-05T16:17:53Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Mythbusters did a segment on this. Jamie and Adam each had a turn in a large-aircraft simulator, and they both crashed trying to land unassisted. They both managed a survivable landing when coached (via radio) by an instructor pilot. Already mentioned in post number 2. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pilot-land-a-plane-which-he-is-not-licensed-for/680539/22 "2014-02-05T20:02:14Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > It just occurred to me that Boeing and Airbus would be using different FMC and autopilot systems. Yes, they’re similarly sized multi-engine jets, but would it be a fair analogy to say one’s a Mac and the other’s Windows? At the end of the day, they do the same thing, but the screen and button layouts are different. > > _“Land me, Land me… where’s the X key?”_ That’s a good way to look at it. It’s not just Boeing vs Airbus, it’s old Boeing vs new and old Airbus vs new. Some aircraft are still running DOS ;). Auto land isn’t a straight forward proposition either. There is no autoland button, instead it is a mode the autopilot automatically enters if it is left engaged during an ILS. On one hand that makes it easier as nothing specific needs to be done, on the other hand I see normally competent pilots screw up ILS approaches using the autopilot from time to time. Autopilots take some skill to use properly and there are traps that can kill you if you are not fully aware of what is happening (remember Asiana?) So if it is a passenger flying, best chance would be to talk them through a very conservative ILS approach on full automatics finishing with an autoland. If it is a pilot current on a different type of a similar size I think they would do better just hand flying the landing. Another thing to consider for an autoland is that the system is designed for landing in fog and they have crosswind limitations that are much lower than what the pilot could handle themselves. On my type the crosswind limit for autoland is 10 knots but the aircraft limit when hand flown is 35 knots. Even allowing for the autoland to actually handle a bit more than the published limit, there is a big gap between what the autoland can do and what the pilot can do. ---
**Author:** ![TaoPilot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TaoPilot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TaoPilot)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pilot-land-a-plane-which-he-is-not-licensed-for/680539/23 "2014-02-06T01:30:52Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Most conventional geared planes are similar in landing strategy. You slow it down enough to deploy the flaps and landing gear for a stabilized approach. It may require someone talking the pilot through the procedures. It would be harder for a single engine private pilot to do because there is no experience with turbine engines. Nitpick: The Airbus does not have conventional gear, it’s a tricycle gear aircraft. Conventional gear is also known as a tail-dragger. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pilot-land-a-plane-which-he-is-not-licensed-for/680539/24 "2014-02-06T02:25:36Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > Auto land isn’t a straight forward proposition either. …and not every aircraft has that capability, and not every airport has the equipment to offer Cat III ILS, and at airports so equipped, it’s not available for every approach. ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pilot-land-a-plane-which-he-is-not-licensed-for/680539/25 "2014-02-06T02:28:35Z")
> [@TaoPilot](#): > > Nitpick: The Airbus does not have conventional gear, it’s a tricycle gear aircraft. Conventional gear is also known as a tail-dragger. I would have thought someone would have revised that “convention” by now. It’s kind of like saying that \*conventional \*locomotives use coal + steam! ---
**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:** [February 6, 2014, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pilot-land-a-plane-which-he-is-not-licensed-for/680539/26 "2014-02-06T02:48:01Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Well, it’s an entirely different kind of flying, altogether. Well, it’s an entirely different kind of flying. 😕 Hey, where did everybody go? ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pilot-land-a-plane-which-he-is-not-licensed-for/680539/27 "2014-02-06T04:14:24Z")
Well, it’s an entirely different kind of flying. I think it’s easy for a novice to land an airplane successfully, landing so anyone survives is the tricky part. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pilot-land-a-plane-which-he-is-not-licensed-for/680539/28 "2014-02-06T04:23:24Z")
It’s an entirely different kind of flying. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pilot-land-a-plane-which-he-is-not-licensed-for/680539/29 "2014-02-06T04:36:33Z")
How does autoland know which way the conveyor is moving? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pilot-land-a-plane-which-he-is-not-licensed-for/680539/30 "2014-02-06T04:47:28Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > How does autoland know which way the conveyor is moving? It uses the same sensors that tell toasters when brown bread is done. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pilot-land-a-plane-which-he-is-not-licensed-for/680539/31 "2014-02-06T04:55:36Z")
It’s an entirely different kind of flying. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pilot-land-a-plane-which-he-is-not-licensed-for/680539/32 "2014-02-06T14:27:20Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Already mentioned in post number 2. :rolleyes: :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pilot-land-a-plane-which-he-is-not-licensed-for/680539/33 "2014-02-06T14:38:11Z")
Don’t you start up with your White Zone shit. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pilot-land-a-plane-which-he-is-not-licensed-for/680539/34 "2014-02-06T17:07:03Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > Well, it’s an entirely different kind of flying. > > I think it’s easy for a novice to land an airplane successfully, landing so anyone survives is the tricky part. If you have a long enough runway you can 3-spot about anything. There’s only one rule and that’s not to slow the vehicle below stall level. Then a 747 becomes just another 18 wheeler. ---
**Author:** ![Habeed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a587f6/32.png) [@Habeed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Habeed)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pilot-land-a-plane-which-he-is-not-licensed-for/680539/35 "2014-02-06T21:50:52Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > If you have a long enough runway you can 3-spot about anything. There’s only one rule and that’s not to slow the vehicle below stall level. Then a 747 becomes just another 18 wheeler. I dunno. It’s a lot harder to fly a plane than to drive a car in flight simulator. You have to line up everything in 3 dimensions, and it’s pretty easy to veer off the glide path and be forced to abort. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pilot-land-a-plane-which-he-is-not-licensed-for/680539.md?page=1)