A passenger with no flying experience successfully landed a small private jet at a Florida airport on Tuesday after the pilot became unwell, according to US media.
“I have a serious problem,” the man in the Cessna 208 Caravan told air traffic control authorities, according to a radio recording carried by local broadcaster WPBF.
“My driver is inconsistent. I don’t know how to fly the plane at all.”
Le passager, qui avouait n’avoir “aucune idée” de la situation géographique de l’appareil en plein ciel, a ensuite été guidé par les contrôleurs, qui lui recommandaient de “maintenir les ailes à l’horizontale” the coast”.
The latter was finally able to locate the trainee pilot, and then their colleagues at Palm Beach Airport helped him land there.
An observer reported this very special landing to other aircraft in the area, on a radio call.
“Oh my God. One of the listening pilots answered.
“I tried to keep him calm. He was really quiet, he was just saying listen, I just don’t know how to fly, and I don’t know how to stop this thing if I can get it on the runway,” said Robert Morgan, one of the air traffic controllers.. who They supported the passenger, on CNN Wednesday.
Mr. Morgan credits his experience as a flight instructor with helping him deal with this situation. Throughout the landing procedures, he was in contact with the passenger, gave him a real quick test lesson, explained how to approach arrival on the runway, or even how to apply the brakes.
“I felt like I was going to cry, there was a lot of adrenaline,” Robert Morgan said as soon as the plane landed.
The observer said he was then able to meet the passenger who “carried him in his arms” and explained to him that he “just wanted to go home to find his pregnant wife.”
