PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - COULD you land a passenger jet (if you ONLY hold a PPL)???
Old 20th Oct 2011, 12:34
  #57 (permalink)  
Gentle Climb
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
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I have watched many PPL's try to 'land' the sims on open days at a well known training establishment. They are set up on automatics, established at 3000ft at 10d. Speed 180 flap 5. They all look really good, some remember to slow down and extend flaps, sometimes they do it in stages and even remember to put the gear down (a novelty for most ppl's) don't worry about bug speeds, forget qnh, setting the SB without deployment, and thats with Ap & AT engaged. Disconnect both and it falls apart rapidly. Most common error- high flap setting...speed bleeds wrong side of the drag curve, massive corrections...pitch power couple...nose up, nose down...and it's all over. Some go around...pitch too high...stall etc.
There are so many differences between the feel of a warrior and the feel of the jet. To overcome all of these and land successfully first time...it's a big ask, even being talked down by someone who knows how to do it. Cat 3c? At some point...you still have to take manual control. I can imagine the heavy foot that gets planted on the rudders with a cross wind.
You might do it, if you are in that situation you have to do something but frankly you are guessing. Professional pilots are trained to get it right every time. Amateurs might know what they are trying to do but the execution is unreliable. As a comparison, look at what happens when regular drivers get the chance to drive a formula one car...carnage ensues. They know what they are trying to do...they just don't have experience to do it first time.
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