# Passenger lands plane with help from air traffic control **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 11, 2022, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passenger-lands-plane-with-help-from-air-traffic-control/964301 "2022-05-11T22:44:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2022, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passenger-lands-plane-with-help-from-air-traffic-control/964301/21 "2022-05-14T21:02:48Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > In no way, could I have imagined actually landing. Just remember, the ground is more afraid of you than you are of it. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2022, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passenger-lands-plane-with-help-from-air-traffic-control/964301/22 "2022-05-15T06:29:15Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Just remember, the ground is more afraid of you than you are of it.   This reminds me of the nuclear-tipped missile that got turned into a falling sperm whale, who hoped that the ground would be friendly. It wasn’t. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2022, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passenger-lands-plane-with-help-from-air-traffic-control/964301/23 "2022-05-15T06:49:18Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > Yeah, I had that experience once. The PIC (my brother) took off, then showed me how to make minor course and altitude corrections and handed it off to me. “Follow Hway 90 and keep the same altitude.” Easy. In no way, could I have imagined actually landing. When I started taking my first flying lessons, I was landing a Piper Cherokee myself within the first few lessons. It’s not that hard, and Cessnas are even easier. Pretty soon I was trusted to do crosswind landings in gusty winds, which was tougher but the same basic principles applied. The only thing you really have to get used to is that a normal glide path looks abnormally steep to someone conditioned to driving a car, but you very quickly get used to it, and the touchdown flare becomes as instinctive as pressing on the brake pedal at a stoplight. ---
**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:** [May 15, 2022, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passenger-lands-plane-with-help-from-air-traffic-control/964301/24 "2022-05-15T06:56:49Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > When I started taking my first flying lessons, I was landing a Piper Cherokee myself within the first few lessons. It’s not that hard, and Cessnas are even easier. Pretty soon I was trusted to do crosswind landings in gusty winds, which was tougher but the same basic principles applied. The real challenge in this real life example is that the instructor isn’t there with the student. I think many people can be talked through a landing by someone sitting next to them. In this case it really relied on the passenger having some idea of what it should all look and feel like. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2022, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passenger-lands-plane-with-help-from-air-traffic-control/964301/25 "2022-05-15T07:01:14Z")
Absolutely. I am in no way dismissing the accomplishment. It’s just that it’s surprising how quickly one can get proficient in the basics with a small single-engine airplane. And of course there is an absolutely vast gulf between “the basics” and being a competent experienced pilot! ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2022, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passenger-lands-plane-with-help-from-air-traffic-control/964301/26 "2022-05-16T02:36:57Z")
There are lots of videos online with the audio of the calls between the guy and ATC, but none of the ones I’ve heard include the final approach and landing; they cut from “Follow the beach northbound and we’ll get back to you” to him being on the ground and ATC telling a commercial pilot that “passengers” [sic] just landed that Cessna. Has anyone found audio of the final and the landing? ---
**Author:** ![JustinC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justinc/32/8083_2.png) [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2022, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passenger-lands-plane-with-help-from-air-traffic-control/964301/27 "2022-05-16T10:20:07Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > Has anyone found audio of the final and the landing? There’s a brief clip of the landing in several news clips on YT. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passenger-lands-plane-with-help-from-air-traffic-control/964301.md?page=1)