quote:

Originally posted by a1abdj:
They have aircraft with emergency buttons inside that will land themselves. A passenger simply hits a button, auto pilot takes over, notifies air traffic control, selects the nearest suitable airport, lands there, and even gives passengers instructions the entire way (including when to exit the aircraft after landing). The computers inside these machines can do what humans used to do, making it much easier for somebody with zero experience to do it.

With all due respect, that is not how an jet airliner "lands itself".

Its not like you just push a button and the jet handles the rest. The auto land function of modern jet aircraft still require the pilots to set the instruments to receive the correct frequency, fly the jet to intercept the final approach course and glidepath, physically configure the flaps and gear and set the correct speeds in the automation as you go.

Auto land is a fairly routine event in 121 aircraft, but you still need the correct ground equipment (not every airport or runway has an autoland certified approach), properly equipped aircraft and trained pilots to do it.

An actual instrument approach to an autoland is actually more labor intensive than clicking the autopilot off at 1000' and just landing the aircraft. Actual autoland landings are normally only done when the visibility is so low that you may not even be able to see the runway to land, or to check the equipment periodically to maintain the aircraft certification.

So yeah, a modern airliner can land itself, but its not like you just push an emergency button and then sit back and watch the show. There is still a lot of programming and manipulation of the flight management system to get the jet to the place where it can land itself.

Sounds like the Cessna 208 "passenger" had a good bit of flying experience on that plane.
Not a licensed pilot but had flown on this one for many hours and years with his friend, the owner.
This guy (Dan Griner) does analysis of crashes on youtube and made this about the story. He says it's media BS and does a thorough analysis that seems to back up his version of what really happened.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4qfMAXGpT4

Actually, the new Daher TBM 940 has just such a system, called "HomeSafe". There is an "emergency" button on top of the panel that can be activated by a passenger if the crew is incapacitated. The system works with the Garmin G3000 flight deck. It will contact ATC, set a squawk code, select an available airport based on weather, runway length and fuel load, and will then fly there, descend and auto land the airplane, set the brakes and shut the engine off. It's supposed to also be certified in the Cirrus Vision Jet. I'm not sure about other current turbo props or business jets. As noted, I'm not aware of any such system in large transport catagory aircraft (yet).

quote:

Originally posted by a1abdj:

They have aircraft with emergency buttons inside that will land themselves. A passenger simply hits a button, auto pilot takes over, notifies air traffic control, selects the nearest suitable airport, lands there, and even gives passengers instructions the entire way (including when to exit the aircraft after landing).

It's all done by a computer. Absolutely nothing can go wrong go wrong go wrong go wrong . . .

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:
Sounds like the Cessna 208 "passenger" had a good bit of flying experience on that plane.
Not a licensed pilot but had flown on this one for many hours and years with his friend, the owner.
This guy (Dan Griner) does analysis of crashes on youtube and made this about the story. He says it's media BS and does a thorough analysis that seems to back up his version of what really happened.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4qfMAXGpT4

I’m skeptical. Passenger Darren Harrison might’ve had significant flying experience, but I doubt that he had significant piloting experience. And, especially, landing experience. Harrison told ATC:

“I’ve got a serious situation here,” the passenger can be heard telling Air Traffic Control. “My pilot has gone incoherent. I have no idea how to fly the airplane.”

And after Harrison successfully landed the Cessna he told ATC, “I’m down. How do I turn this thing off?”

Not what you’d expect to hear from a person with significant piloting experience.

quote:

It's all done by a computer. Absolutely nothing can go wrong go wrong go wrong go wrong . . .

I was going to add that the system I've seen was made by Garmin, and if it's anything like the Garmin GPS I use in my vehicle.....

quote:

With all due respect, that is not how an jet airliner "lands itself".

I get that, and I've only seen this system in smaller planes.

My point wasn't so much that it's a problem that's been completely solved, but as time goes on technology is able to take over in areas where a skilled human was once required. Given the choice of being a non-pilot in an old small aircraft without technology, and a newer model with it, I may wish I had the newer version should an emergency occur.

quote:

Originally posted by a1abdj:
They have aircraft with emergency buttons inside that will land themselves. A passenger simply hits a button, auto pilot takes over, notifies air traffic control, selects the nearest suitable airport, lands there, and even give passengers instructions the entire way (including when to exit the aircraft after landing).

The computers inside these machines can do what humans used to do, making it much easier for somebody with zero experience to do it.

What aircraft models do that?? I never found a button like that in any of the planes that I have flown in the last 20 years. Of course, I wasn't really looking for it, so maybe it was there, and I missed it??

quote:

Originally posted by mike28w:
What aircraft models do that?? I never found a button like that in any of the planes that I have flown in the last 20 years. Of course, I wasn't really looking for it, so maybe it was there, and I missed it??

So he's referring to the Garmin Halo system. In this example, it's installed in a Piper M600.

I am interested in general aviation, but jumping in the pool does not make sense financially. But if I had the ability (funds), I think my wife would certainly appreciate this feature. Of course, there would be a lot of training involved getting to the point where I could fly an M600.

Well, I had no idea!

Has it saved any lives yet?

I do wish that the computer's voice sounded a little less like a female version of "Hal" ...

quote:

Originally posted by mike28w:
Well, I had no idea!

Has it saved any lives yet?

I do wish that the computer's voice sounded a little less like a female version of "Hal" ...

I assume there have not been any emergency activations yet. If there was, I would think it would make the news, but I'm not sure.