Quantcast
Here's how Southwest Airlines' new seating and boarding process will work
Delta Adds New Route to Asia
Southwest Airlines will begin selling assigned seats in 2025
United Airlines Pilot Buys Passengers Pizza In Albuquerque After Flight Was Delayed 7 Hours
Czech Airlines to Cease Operations, Ending 23-Year SkyTeam Partnership
Airlines begin canceling flights, offering rebooking ahead of Hurricane Helene
Southwest Airlines to cut service and staffing in Atlanta to slash costs
New heights, new features: Discover Alaska’s enhanced Flight Pass subscription service
Alaska Airlines completes acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, expanding benefits and choice for travelers
American Airlines welcomes JetSMART to the award-winning AAdvantage program
Explore Japan for free? Japan Airlines offers free domestic flights to foreign travelers
Delta named Official Airline Partner of Birmingham City Football Club
American Airlines to Cut These Routes to Las Vegas, Orlando, and More — Here's Why
Alaska Airlines completes acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, expanding benefits and choice for travelers
Southwest wouldn't really start charging for bags — right?
JD Power ranked this Midwest airport as the best among largest airports in North America
Alaska Airlines Chief Plans More Routes After a Deal With Hawaiian
Air Canada could begin suspending flights soon as strike deadline nears
JetBlue's new ticket policy entitles every passenger to a carry-on bag
Why United Airlines’ CEO makes as few decisions as possible
American invests in the future of aviation maintenance with new jobs, additional work
DOT probe seeks to determine if frequent flyer programs are fair to travelers
American Airlines flight diverted after passenger starts vaping
Russian Airline Wants $100 Million From Canada for Seizing Its Giant Cargo Plane
Here's where American Airlines is adding flights to Europe in summer 2025
Major airline grounds Airbus A350 fleet, citing faulty engine component
Airline CEO wants airports to cap passengers at 2 alcoholic drinks to limit on-board disruptions
Regulator cuts Malaysia Airlines' air operator certificate duration after probe
United Airlines flight attendants are prepared to strike. Here's why it's still unlikely.
2 workers killed, 1 injured in tire explosion at a Delta Air Lines shop in Atlanta

Can a trained flight attendant land an airplane in an emergency

People
Webp ymhfjf407emv9o42iza31o4oyd1u
Justin Foster Private Aviation Journalist | Simple Flying

Flight attendants with flight training and a private pilot's license can potentially assist pilots in landing an aircraft during an emergency. They learn basic aircraft terminology and undergo pilot incapacitation training to safely remove ill or incapacitated pilots from their seats. If both pilots are incapacitated, flight attendants may need to communicate with air traffic control and receive guidance from a professional pilot on landing the aircraft.

Flight emergencies are rare but can occur. When one or more pilots are unable to fly the plane, cabin crew must seek assistance from fellow crew members or even passengers. A common question is whether flight attendants can land an airplane in an emergency. The answer varies depending on the individual's training.

Many flight attendants do not have interest or training in piloting, but some pursue flight training or achieve a private pilot's license, which could enable them to assist in landing the aircraft during an emergency.

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

The responsibilities of a flight attendant include ensuring passenger safety and comfort, conducting pre-flight safety checks, greeting passengers, serving meals and beverages, presenting emergency equipment instructions, assisting passengers during emergencies, managing the cabin during flights, adhering to aviation regulations, and preparing incident reports.

During their training, flight attendants learn basic aircraft terminology to effectively communicate with the flight crew in emergencies. They also undertake 'pilot incapacitation training' to safely remove incapacitated pilots from their seats and assist the remaining pilot by reading checklists and using hand signals for communication.

It is not uncommon for some flight attendants to pursue pilot training while working as cabin crew. Having a private pilot's license provides basic flying knowledge that may be useful in extraordinary situations.

In cases where both pilots are lost for some reason—a highly unlikely scenario—flight attendants would need to communicate with air traffic control for guidance. There is also some capacity for using the aircraft's automatic landing capability under certain conditions.

In most real-life commercial or business aviation incidents, the remaining pilot will land the aircraft without issue but may receive help from a flight attendant if necessary. If a professional off-duty pilot is onboard, their skills will likely be utilized.

If both pilots are lost and no other option is available, a trained flight attendant could potentially take over with guidance from air traffic control or rely on auto-landing technology if available. In general aviation and smaller aircraft types, there have been incidents where passengers with little or no piloting knowledge have landed safely with outside guidance.

The approach phase involves descending towards the airport at correct rates and angles using instruments and visual cues. During touchdown, speed and altitude adjustments ensure that main wheels touch down correctly on the runway. Deceleration involves applying brakes and thrust reversers to bring the aircraft to a complete stop before reaching the end of the runway.

___

Organizations Included in this History
More News

Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines, announced that Uber and Delta are collaborating to offer SkyMiles rewards and enhance the travel experience through a new partnership set to launch this spring.

Jan 23, 2025

Lufthansa has announced a new collaboration with Japanese artist Sho Shibuya, who will design exclusive loungewear for the airline's Allegris First Class.

Jan 23, 2025

Lufthansa is set to introduce free messaging on all its long-haul flights starting this summer.

Jan 23, 2025

UNI World Players, a division of UNI Global Union, has released the results of a public poll conducted to gauge awareness and attitudes toward athletes' rights and representation at the Olympic Games.

Jan 23, 2025

Alaska Air Group Inc., the parent company of Alaska Airlines Inc. and Horizon Air Industries Inc., is set to host its quarterly conference call to discuss the financial results for the fourth quarter of 2024.

Jan 23, 2025

Next summer, Lufthansa will commence flights to Denver with the Airbus A380, marking a significant milestone for both the airline and the airport.

Jan 23, 2025