Gulfstream V -- question from a writer
 

Hi guys.
I'm the writers' assistant on CSI and one of the writers on the show is working on a script (for a new show) involving a scene that takes place on a Gulfstream V. He asked me to help get him some information, and I need technical help.

In the scene, the pilot puts the plane on autopilot and leaves the cockpit (with the door open) to go into the main cabin (I know the plane needs two pilots, but lets say the other has fallen ill or something). While there, SOMETHING happens causing a problem with the plane. He wants to know if the autopilot will beep or an alarm will go off notifying him of the problem that would be able to be heard from another part of the plane. And under what conditions would that happen? Turbulence? Something much worse?

Any help would be very very much appreciated. AND if you would be interested in helping with any follow up questions he might have, please let me know. We might be able to get you some CSI swag out of it if you're a fan.

Gulfstream V -- question from a writer
 

Lots of different avenues to take. PM me!

Contact flightsafety in savannah georgia.

Yes the auto pilot emits a specific tone when it disconnects either intentionally or inadvertently. Whether or not it can be heard from the cabin I'm not sure. I have never been in the back when the A/P gets disconnected. Severe turbulence could cause the A/P to disconnect but it would have to be very severe. So much so that it would be unlikely a pilot would have left the cockpit. A more likely scenario would be for some kind of mechanical failure such as a yaw damper failure which would disconnect the autopilot. PM any other questions, I will be more than happy to help out.

GVCPT

Under most conditions, the G-V is always flown with the autopilot on. It's not impossible/unheard of to hand-fly the jet in cruise, but really unnecessary, and certainly not normal.

It's not very realistic to expect a pilot to be hand-flying the jet, with the other pilot incapacitated, and decide to just turn on the autopilot and leave the cockpit. At the minimum, the pilot would have a flight attendant come up front to at least monitor the incapacitated pilot and the radios, while the autopilot was on. But even that is a bit of a stretch. It would have to be something REALLY drastic/hilariously implausible to get the pilot flying to just leave the cockpit unattended. Zombies onboard/snakes on a plane/aliens/etc.

In the real world, having an incapacitated pilot would lead the pilot flying to declare an emergency and initiate a descent to a suitable airfield with some sort of medical facility. The only scenario I can think of where they would just keep on cruising would be over the middle of an ocean, middle of nowhere Africa, etc.

The autopilot will turn off for a few reasons... mostly having to do with a yaw damper failure, some fault in one of the various computers, etc. There is an audible warning that the autopilot has been disconnected, but it wouldn't be audible to someone beyond about 3-5 feet from the cockpit.

Feel free to PM me or the others if you want more help. At least you're asking questions and doing your homework... most things aviation-related in the entertainment industry are hilariously inaccurate.

And please, if you show a runway on tv, make sure it is marked a number from 1-36. not 44 like in the movie "catch me if you can".

....and in one scene its a learjjet and the next a 737 while making turboprop noise haha