Gliding Large Aircraft
In the past 14 months, there have been three well-documented crash landings by large aircraft flying on reduced or nil power. One was amazingly successful and it is probably no coincidence that "Sully" is also a sailplane pilot.
Briefly the background to my own career. 40 years as a professional. Began flying in RAF becoming QFI including "instructing instructors" at Central Flying School, and later a C130 Hercules conversion instructor. Then in civil life, IRE/TRE/Line Training Captain at various stages. Moreover, 50 years as a glider pilot with 3 diamonds.
Now glider pilots know that it is essential to "fly the energy" and that "stretching the glide" is not usually a recipe for success. If a landing away from an airfield - and field landings are part and parcel of the sailplane pilot's flying - it has to be planned carefully and it is vital to land the glider under control rather than "flop" on to the ground in a semi-stalled position.
In the old days of Spitfires, Hurricanes, Hunters, pilots regularly practiced "dead-stick" landings and when it was needed for real, the success rate was often high. When instructing on the Varsity (a largish twin piston) I used to entertain my squadron commander during routine continuation training. The boss would throttle back both engines at say 8,000 feet and enjoy seeing me glide the beast back to the airfield. So it can be done. (Pete Sawyer -are reading this?) But this was not a routine training exercise.
In the airline world, there was NEVER any dead-stick landing training. Aircraft WILL glide well. For example, during standard power-off descent from altitude 2½ to 3 miles per thousand feet are achieved. But of course, we can't train for power-off descents right down to the ground except in the simulator.
Recent events have not always given pilots time to do things as "per sailplane" and the scenario has developed very quickly. However, I really think that there is a case for some investigation into simulator glide training. There are plenty of airline pilots who are also competent sailplane pilots. These would be the people to look into what is and what is not possible and perhaps devise some training regimes.
Jack Harrison