I'm also SLF with aviator friends. Way back in college I flunked a student medical because as a so called Flight Surgeon found an anomaly in how my eyes tracked with each other. Perhaps he misunderstood that I did NOT want to be a commercial or military pilot. I never had the money to hire s specialist to dispute his findings and I have a "I'm sure you'll understand" letter from an FAA medical type in Oklahoma City. I'm actually in the computer as an "Airman" with no licenses.
I have friends that have PPLs. I love the 172, I have mixed feelings about the Cherokee, and have a lot of time in the right seat of a Tomahawk that probably should be adjusted by some sort of giant airframe warping tool.
I had a first ride at 15 with a CFI as a birthday present. I had read every book in the local library system on flight. My CFI for the day also arranged a tour of the local Tracon and I ended up with an hour and a half of mentoring on primary and secondary radar by an FAA senior engineer.
I had the sectional two weeks before the flight. Scouting had taught me maps are very useful and I had the local area pretty much memorized by the time of the first ride.
I was very short at the time and had a choice of setting on phone books and seeing out or reaching the pedals. On a windless sunny I had no problems staying on glideslope because it was easier to see the steam gages then to see out. CfI took the controls back at around 250 feet and finished landing. I remember the PAPI being damn cool and useful.
Next flight was many years later on the day I sat the national teachers exam. The University flight school was selling rides that day and I booked a slot. I told them I may be late because the exam was three ten hour days; The student pilots held a sunset slot for me,. They bumped a VIP to the rear bench.. Their excuse was something about teacher appreciation day, and that anybody who would volunteer for a year in a school to get his license was nuts to begin with.
Left hand visual approach to 100 feet or so. With barely a word from the CFI. From ten miles out.
Having an Amatuer Radio License means Aviation Comms protocols are easy. RC planes lead to a pretty good understanding of flight dynamics.
Since then I've made friends with an engineer with a Tomahawk. Every time we go cross country his SLF get a drill starting with: "I just had a heart attack, what are you going to do"?"
Every PPl I've ever had a ride with has given a little brief and demo to whomever was in the other seat.. it is just common sense.
. I now work in a stressful, high tech environment. On a yearly 100$ hamburg run with my friend, I set there with a sectional on my lap, a stopwatch, a notebook with pre-planned alternates and frequencies, He's flying on a GPS with a two line display, and I'm following on the VORs.
I spent sseveral years as a field service engineer riding in the back, and you can see by my username that once helped design a very nice AATD level sim in a trailer with really good visuals.
I have no delusions of some fantasy landing in an airliner, Hollywood style. The idea of having to program an FMS and Autoland with zero training seems like a great way to die. I have the utmost respect for ATPs who can hand fly "Big Iron"
Having built a sim, do I even remotely belive X-Plane or MSFs is going to teach you everything you need to know to land VFR on clear day.. Um, no
Could some one with serious land or marine navigation skills get to the airport with radar help.. Probably if not certainly. A surveyor, or civil engineer, could easily get to a field.
If the unthinkable happens, and assuming I could get my friends body off the yoke, could I get the bird lined up yes.
Can I get it down and walk away? One in one hundred.. if its IFR, well...at least I have.a will made out. Provided I'm riding in a docile Cessna. It will be a good try at best in anything else.
For the obvious legal reasons no one has ever let me try to land.
Do I believe a mature technology oriented person with experience in other vehicles could do this, yeah, maybe, but the crash would be interesting if you did not have some outside help.
Just the perspective of an SLF with skills in other related areas.
Steve