Passenger lands plane...bad reporting though

I was just about to post the same link. As soon as I saw the picture of the airplane, my first thought was "some idiot is gonna call that a Cessna", and then the very first words of the story (and the caption of the plane) do exactly that.
 
airguy said:
I was just about to post the same link. As soon as I saw the picture of the airplane, my first thought was "some idiot is gonna call that a Cessna", and then the very first words of the story (and the caption of the plane) do exactly that.
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Yep, that's what I was thinking...
 
Also not a "2-seater plane" . . .

As a former journalist, I am appalled. As always. Nothing new.
 
"I flew I Cessna 172 four seater before...."

Sounds like our "passenger" was a pilot, or at least had enough flight training to know how to fly and land a plane.
 
""The small Cessna plane glided over eastern England on Tuesday evening with exactly two people on board.""

Normally there are 2.4 passengers!
 
With it being dark, I didn't want the lad to start looking around the cockpit and lose control of the aeroplane. So unfortunately, he (did) a blind landing, without any lights in the cockpit. All he had was the glare of the lights of the runway."

Instructors, would you do this? I would think that the last thing I want to do is tell the pilot to ignore the airspeed indicator??
 
"The problem was that I've never flown that aeroplane. I have flown a Cessna 172 four-seater before, but like all aeroplanes and cars, switches are in a different position," he said.

:mad2:
 
polaris said:
With it being dark, I didn't want the lad to start looking around the cockpit and lose control of the aeroplane. So unfortunately, he (did) a blind landing, without any lights in the cockpit. All he had was the glare of the lights of the runway."

Instructors, would you do this? I would think that the last thing I want to do is tell the pilot to ignore the airspeed indicator??
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Not necessarily. On the other hand, they could just be pulling the reporter's leg a bit.
 
kgruber said:
""The small Cessna plane glided over eastern England on Tuesday evening with exactly two people on board.""
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It appears they had an engine-out as well. :nonod:
 
Stupid reporting.

I've never flown an Archer but I think i'd be able to land just fine in it.
 
PBristolJr said:
"The problem was that I've never flown that aeroplane. I have flown a Cessna 172 four-seater before, but like all aeroplanes and cars, switches are in a different position," he said.

:mad2:
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Yeah, this. I don't think he was an actual pilot, though. I think a pilot, even unfamiliar with Pipers, would be able to get the plane on the ground quick to try and save the pilot's life. If he needed four passes over the runway to get ready it sounds like he just had a little experience at the yoke, perhaps in a friend's plane or something.

But, just having 3-4 hours of time in a 172 is probably all you need to land a Piper well enough to not kill yourself. Might not be able the use the plane again, but it's no comparison to a "normal" passenger who doesn't know what the yoke does or what a throttle looks like.
 
Sac Arrow said:
"I flew I Cessna 172 four seater before...."

Sounds like our "passenger" was a pilot, or at least had enough flight training to know how to fly and land a plane.
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No, it's the instructor on the ground who made that remark, not the passenger who was flying the plane.
 
mcoflyer said:
Stupid reporting.

I've never flown an Archer but I think i'd be able to land just fine in it.
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It's an entirely different kind of flying altogether.
 
Better reporting from BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-24465646

Describes the passenger as "a flying enthusiast but has never had a lesson" and a friend described him as "not a pilot but has been around airfields and been a passenger on several occasions."

So, has probably had the controls on several occasions, but this was likely his first landing of any kind.
 
polaris said:
With it being dark, I didn't want the lad to start looking around the cockpit and lose control of the aeroplane. So unfortunately, he (did) a blind landing, without any lights in the cockpit. All he had was the glare of the lights of the runway."

Instructors, would you do this? I would think that the last thing I want to do is tell the pilot to ignore the airspeed indicator??
Click to expand...

Part of my training was to do some night flying with the panel covered. One never knew when lights would burn out or some other sort of electrical problem would pop up. Came in handy when I had alternator failure on a night flight. No lights, no radio, no flaps, no runway lights. My passengers never had a clue that something was amiss.

yes, I had a flash light, but one of the passengers was a first time, scared to death flier. Didn't want to get him all upset that something was wrong.
 
Can you fly this plane, and land it?


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mcoflyer said:
Stupid reporting.

I've never flown an Archer but I think i'd be able to land just fine in it.
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Even worse reporting was heard by myself this morning on BBC breakfast show. The presenter was talking about the death of Scott Carpenter and somehow started talking about Apollo 11 and Buzz Aldrin's reaction to the death of Carpenter. She apparently read on her cue card as Apollo II and said 'Apollo 2 moon landing.'[/FACEPALM]
 
airguy said:
I was just about to post the same link. As soon as I saw the picture of the airplane, my first thought was "some idiot is gonna call that a Cessna", and then the very first words of the story (and the caption of the plane) do exactly that.
Click to expand...
Photo is now of a Cessna 172.
 
That was probably the worst landing in the history
of this airport, but some of us here, particularly me
would like to buy you a drink and shake your hand . .
 
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