Passenger assists with landing of CO 753
 

Apparently, when the capt of the 753 became ill, the acting F/O who was apparently also a captain giving UOE (upgrade operating experience) to the deceased asked if any pilots were on board. A 150 hour private pilot answered the call.

http://www.airportbusiness.com/artic...tion=3&id=9926

My thing is this...how does this scenario reconcile with the rules about not letting non-crewmembers into the flight deck? How did he know this guy wasn't a terrorist, etc? On a lighter note, there probably isn't one of us on this forum who hasn't dreamed of this very scenario.

In an emergency, the PIC can disregard any rule necessary to handle the emergency.

[QUOTE=Tinpusher007;108594]Apparently, when the capt of the 753 became ill, the acting F/O who was apparently also a captain giving UOE (upgrade operating experience) to the deceased asked if any pilots were on board. A 150 hour private pilot answered the call.

:cool: That shouldn'r be surprising.....the PP was onl 100 hrs away from being hired at a RJ operator!

I understand that, but even so in today's world thats a pretty big gamble. Im not at all saying anything bad about the capt's decision. I just think its a pretty hard call to make allowing someone in to the flight deck after 9/11. But all the crewmembers as well as the passenger in this case deserve nothing short of praise for handling this situation safely. RIP to the deceased.

What did he have to worry about? TSA screened all the passengers, right?:eek: :D

LOL...Thats exactly what should have made him worried!

I could more safely fly the airplane solo than I could while babysitting a PP! I'd rather have an FA up front if I needed help, but why would I? Someone to do the radios might be nice, but a new PP would probably screw up more calls than not in an IFR evironment.

And I agree the security risk is relevant. How do I know the guy is a pilot and not some freakazoid? If I let him get close enough to show me his license, it's too late.

Here is the thing, what are the odds that the captain was going to die. What are the odds the terrorist would of known it and gotten on to this flight. Furthermore what were the odds a terrorist is going to Mexico. Isn't there enough terror in Mexico?

I think the guy made a good call, again anyone can deviate from the fars in the event the emergency calls for it. I don't know what the weather was like but I am certain an extra set of ears and eyes was helpful even to handle the radio calls.

The thing I want to know is this, was the captain an MEI. How'd that be in the log book for instruction received.

He was a Check Airman. He can log it as instruction given per his ATP.

;)

I think common sense prevails here. Same reason they have to pull your bags if you decide not to travel, but they don't if something unexpected causes you not to go. If you can't plan on something happening, you can't inculde it in some attack. Now I guess the conspericy theorists would say that maybe he poisoned the CA's drink when he wasn't looking and then sat back and waited hoping that
1. The CA died
2. The FO wanted help
3. There weren't any DH or other pilots on board with more than a PPL

Sounds a bit far fetched.

Agreed that a PPL would probably be more of a hassle than a help, but even if its just taking the radios...beets nothing.



Wonder if the guy logged it.

Essentially zero, I wouldn't be worried about that. I would be potentially worried about an opportunistic pyscho who hasn't been taking all his meds...from what I've seen, there's at least one of those on EVERY airline flight :rolleyes:

Really, is there anybody who couldn't fly their own airplane solo? I'd welcome help from an experienced pilot, but a PP would probably just screw up the radios.

Yeah, I gotta think he was hoping there was maybe a jumpseater or off duty pro on board. When the private pilot came forward, he probably figured "oh well, let's try to make this work." He could probably tell pretty quickly whether the guy was for real and useful or not.

The odds are pretty slim that somebody coming forward would be a homicidal freakizoid. At least I hope so.

It does make one wonder, though, whether the thought crossed the check airman's mind that the captain's keeling over wasn't part of a terrorist plan. Probably just too many things to think about at one time.:(

I think I would have rather had an FA up front. A least she could read checklist, etc andyou know that person as opposed to a total stranger. Hey, I guess be glad it wasn't IOE for a new hire. Can you imagine that, first day, first leg your IOE capt keels over:eek: It crossed my mine in IOE.

Im pretty sure he was looking for a pilot with experience similar to his, like another 121 guy/gal jumpseating. I was just hypothetically thinking, what if things went south once he let this guy in. I can see it now...the media would have a field day and he would have ALOT to answer for.

While it's true that the PIC does indeed have the emergency authority, it does not mean that the company and the FAA will simply ignore any event where the pilot exercises such authority. It is not carte blanche. (Is that spelled correctly?)

Maybe the conditions were such that this was needed, it's just that I think the pilot will be asked why he felt the need to bring a complete stranger, who is not an airline pilot, into the cockpit.

JMHO.

I concur...and that is my whole point.

I agree with you. I'd put an F/A in the seat if I really felt like I needed the help.

And even a new hire IOE pilot has enough sim time that he could get a normally functioning airplane on a runway somewhere.

With respect to handling duties on the flight deck, how is a F/A much help? To the best of my knowledge they don't recieve any training on flight deck procedures or communicating with ATC.

17.23 years from now that guy is STILL going to be telling that story. I can see his grand kids rolling there eyes, muttering under their breath "here we go," and easing out of the room when he tells this story! :)

The private pilot got to put the gear down and will forever feel like a hero for doing so. Everything worked out just fine so let's stop the second guessing.

I'm not trying to put words in V's mouth, but I guess what he meant was he'd rather deal with a FA whom he knows and somewhat trusts is not a wacko (hopefully!) than a total stranger. It would probably be more comfortable trying to explain things and get assistance from someone you deal with regularly. Besides, maybe some FA's have a bit of knowledge on flight deck procedures (the smart ones, anyway!) ;)

I have to agree with some of the above posts. IOE Capt says to a FA over the interphone..."see if there are any pilot on board" (thinking Deadheading crew or some 121 guy on vacation). She asks around and calls back saying...yup there is a pilot back here. He says "send him up". Kind of busy to do an interview with the guy. Open the door, guy comes up and at that point the IOE Capt says to himself "well if I had known it was a PPL I would have just said to stay seated and I'll do it myself, but now that he's up here anyway, what can I have him do to reduce my workload?"

"Alright bud...here's whats up. Are callsign is this...do the radios...when I ask for it, the flap lever is here and the gear lever is here....any questions??"

I sure hope the private pilot is guaranteed a job interview with Continental in a few years when he gets the minimum qualifications. God bless the deceased Captain and an "atta boy" for the IOE Captain.

Kinda makes you wonder, though .... If it was me leaned over, I'd want someone to give me cpr as quick as possible! I wonder could he have been saved.

Exactly. The F/A wouldn't be there to talk on the radio or move any levers/switches. They would be there to read the checklist. I'd rather have a coworker on the flight deck (one who has some Company training) than a total stranger.

Exactly, and as someone pointed out on another thread. A PPL knows how to look out for traffic when a single pilot is now having to fly a B757 all by his lonesome. I commend the guy for not worrying about what the ******* the FAA might say and made a decision that obviously ended in a good way after the CA passed away. In an emergency the last thing on my mind is what the ******* the FAA might think.

Finally, someone that has some class and understanding of dealing with the unknown.

As far as having an FA on deck, I've found some of them are really quite aware of our SOPs. We had an F/A in the jumpseat once and as soon as we rotated we had a caution light come on. Before we had even engaged the auto-pilot she had already opened the QRH to the CORRECT page and handed it to the PNF.

They are an asset and are apart of the Crew Resource Management team. I see it too often where pilots totally disregard them because they are 'just' FAs.

The captain of that flight made a judgement call and everything worked out well. Let's leave it at that.

Here you go, buddy, you have the aircraft. I need to go to the back to take a leak...by the way, don't forget your O2. NOT

It probably would have been better to see if one of the airline executives were on board. They always like to give the public the impression that the airplanes fly themselves, while the pilot who only works "80" hours a month is just monitoring things.

You could let the exec hand fly while you work the radio and discuss what he thinks a pilot is really worth.

Yea, except the plane they were flying had three auto pilots, autoland, auto spoilers, and auto brakes. No need to hand fly at all. :D

Most FA's are know some of what's going on in the cockpit. They spend some time up there and they notice things. Many ask questions.

how do we know if the FO isnt a terrorist? :eek:

One word.......beautiful

Good point...not!

I'm sure there are terrorist everyday out there flying around just waiting for a CA to pass away and for the remaining pilot to or a cabin crew member to pick them by chance if there isn't anyone else on board more qualified. You watch to much TV. Spend more time getting time and maybe one day...

[QUOTE=reddog25;108608]Your an idiot

It's every PP dream to be able to do what happened up there that day. Hey it worked for Kurt Russell,,,,,not so good for Steven Segal as I recall in that movie.............:p

[QUOTE=SAABaroowski;109361]:cool: Maybe...but doesn't change the hiring numbers now at Regionals....

Side note; Kurt Russel is actually a pilot. My dad gave him his multi-engine instruction.

[QUOTE=SAABaroowski;109361]
You're or your are, not your. Sorry, couldn't pass that up. :D

150-Hour Cessna Pilot Helps Out In Continental Emergency
Stephen Brown says he has no intention of abandoning his successful air conditioning business in Albuquerque, but he’s done something most private pilots haven’t. The 47-year-old 182 pilot was asked to take the right seat of a Continental Airlines Boeing 757 after the captain collapsed at the controls (he later died) shortly after takeoff from Houston bound for Puerto Vallarta 10 days ago. Brown, along with his wife and some friends, was among 210 passengers heading on vacation when, less than an hour into the flight, Brown said he knew something was terribly wrong not long after a flight attendant asked if there was a doctor on board. “Anyone who could see up front could see them pulling one of the pilots out of the cockpit,” Brown told AVweb in an exclusive interview. While a doctor, a nurse and a couple of sports medicine specialists performed CPR on the stricken pilot (the cause of his death has not been released yet) another announcement was made asking if there were any licensed pilots on board. It turns out Brown and one of his friends were. “We quickly went up front to see if there was anything we could do to help out,” Brown said.

Click here to hear AVweb's exclusive podcast interview with Stephen Brown about his experience on the Continental flight.


A Strange But Familiar View
After presenting himself to the cabin crew, Stephen Brown was asked to sit in one of the front passenger seats while the right-seat pilot switched sides. He then transitioned from a 182 cockpit to the glass screen spectacle that is a modern airliner’s command post. “Gosh, there’s a lot going on in there compared to a 182,” he said. Brown said the pilot introduced himself as a 28-year veteran of this world. “At that moment I was probably the least nervous person on the plane,” he said. Brown said it was obvious the pilot was more than capable of safely landing the plane himself but the concept of cockpit resource management dictates that two sets of eyes, hands and feet are better than one and, despite his relative lack of experience, he was able to make a contribution. The pilot had Brown handle much of the radio work and other routine chores as he set up for the emergency landing at McAllen, Texas. He set the flaps at the pilot’s direction and also lowered the landing gear. Brown said he believes his help allowed the pilot to “focus a little bit more on flying the plane first” given the emotional impact of having his colleague “collapse on the yoke” beside him. He said he was struck by the professionalism and the obvious effect of rigorous and repetitive training that allowed the pilot to shake off the shock of the incident and concentrate on handling the aircraft. Brown said they broke out of the clouds at 800 feet and he was surprised at how familiar the view on final was to him. The aircraft landed without incident and Brown said he marveled at the professionalism of the whole crew in handling the emergency. Brown and the other passengers continued to Puerto Vallarta with a fresh crew.


-Everyone involved did a good job. Too bad Z couldn't be saved.