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Airplane Hour
Episode #94
OAD: December 12, 2007
Airplane Hour
Myth: Talked Into Landing
If the pilot and copilot are incapacitated, could an air traffic controller talk a passenger through the process of flying and landing a commercial airplane?
The Expert:
Terry Rager, facilities manager at the Ames Research Center.
Memorable/Quotable Moments:
Jamie: I'm gonna buzz the tower. (chuckles) Whee!
Adam (immediately after crashing): Oh, I don't think I did so well.
The Action/Results:
Given that neither the insurance agent nor the FAA will agree to testing this in a real plane, Jamie and Adam will need to borrow a simulator. NASA has one at the Ames Research Center that's used to train pilots – perfect!
Of course, if a passenger can land a plane without help, there's no need for air traffic control to help out. So the guys start with a solo landing attempt. Terry Rager programs a scenario for them – they're approaching Denver International Airport from the east, flying at night. Jamie tries this first, and it isn't long before the cockpit alarms are sounding. After some rollercoaster-style flight corrections, he finds the airport, but he's coming in at over twice the approach speed he should have, and never manages to find the landing gear control. He crashes and skids onto the runway, for a result of “everyone dead”. Adam is up next, and doesn't even get to the airport. When he realizes that his altitude is dropping, he pulls up so sharply that the airliner stalls and crashes 10 miles (16 kilometers) short, likewise “killing” everyone on board. The guys agree that you're not landing an airliner without help ... but what about with help?
Before the next set of tests, there's a quick Science Content section. “Passenger lands the plane” shows up in the movies, but the MB researchers couldn't find a single case of it happening in real life. At least with commercial airliners, it simply doesn't happen.
For the second set of tests, they're using basically the same flight plan. This time, Terry Rager will turn off the outside monitors and play the part of the air traffic controller. He will be working solely off what Jamie and Adam report over the radio. Terry starts each test with a quick review of what the instruments are, and this keeps the guys from being overloaded with information as they fly. This time, each of them lands the airliner safely.
Finally, Terry shows why this doesn't occur in real life. Modern autopilots are advanced enough to land the plane on their own. If pilot and copilot were both incapacitated, the procedure would be:
1)Turn on autopilot.
2)Set speed, altitude, and heading.
3)When near the airport, push the “approach” button.
4)Sit back and watch.
This myth is ruled Plausible – while it hasn't happened, and wouldn't happen, it would be possible.
Myth: Parachute Pandemonium
A trio of myths, all from one scene of the movie “Point Break”. Patrick Swayze's character jumps out of a plane with the only parachute, Keanu Reeves' character jumps after him 15 seconds later. Reeves catches Swayze by taking a more streamlined jump position, the two have a midair conversation before the chute is pulled, and they land safely.
The Experts:
Skydance Skydiving helps with all three myths.
Sub-Myth 1: The 4000 Foot Drop
In the movie, the entire scene takes over 90 seconds. But they supposedly jumped from only 4000 feet (1219 meters) up. Would it take that long to fall 4000 feet?
Memorable/Quotable Moments:
Grant: So that's what they look like inside.
The Action/Results:
Kari, Grant, and Tory pack up one of the simulaids and head to Skydance Skydiving. A smoke canister is attached to the simulaid to make tracking it easier, then Kari takes it up with a Skydance team. Once they reach 4000 feet, the smoke canister is triggered and the simulaid is tossed out of the plane. Grant and Tory track it from the ground, which it reaches in only 31 seconds. The myth and the simulaid are both Busted, and the rest of the Point Break myths will be tested from a more reasonable altitude.
Sub-Myth 2: The Mid-Air Conversation
Can you really hold a conversation with someone else when you're both falling at terminal velocity?
Memorable/Quotable Moments:
Assorted reactions to the test message.
The Action/Results:
Grant will be the test subject for this myth. He will take a tandem jump with one of the Skydance instructors. Dan Blakely, another Skydance professional, will jump at the same time, and try to tell Grant something before the ripcords are pulled.
Tory and Kari come up with the “message” Dan needs to deliver: “Grant, if you pull my finger, you will hear a tuba”. They then send everyone up. Grant and Dan jump, and Dan yells the message over and over while they're in free fall. After the chutes are pulled and they land, Grant reports that he couldn't hear a thing over the wind noise. This myth is Busted.
Sub-Myth 3: Freefall Catchup
Can one skydiver catch another one by choosing a more streamlined jump posture?
Memorable/Quotable Moments:
Tory: I just gotta remember to breathe, not [bleep] my pants, not throw up, not pass out, not scream like a little girl. (Pause) Oh, yeah, and open the parachute – number 6. That's important.
The Action/Results:
This myth is a little more involved, so the team starts with a small-scale test. Grant puts together a tabletop wind tunnel, and drops two human-shaped cutouts into it. Both cutouts are the same weight, but one is in a spreadeagle pose and the other one has its arms tightly against its body. Terminal velocity for the streamlined pose is roughly 25% higher than for the spreadeagle pose.
Next, they head to I-Fly Indoor Skydiving for a larger-scale test in their wind tunnel. The fans are set to 120 MPH (193 KPH), the “normal” terminal velocity for a human, and Tory goes inside. He takes the spreadeagle pose that Swayze used (and most skydivers use), and floats in the air. While he's floating, Kari enters the chamber. She holds her arms tight to her body, and stands straight, similar to the pose Reeves used. While she's being pushed around by the wind, her feet stay on the ground. So far, this myth is looking good.
For the final test, it's back to Skydance Skydiving. Tory goes up with another skydiver for a tandem jump, and the two of them take the standard spreadeagle pose. Fifteen seconds after they jump, they're roughly 3000 feet (914 meters) away from the plane and Kari signals chase diver Nick to jump. Nick takes a streamlined pose, and shoots after Tory. Nick reaches a speed of 250 MPH (402 KPH), over twice Tory's speed, and catches up with Tory in 20 seconds. This myth is Confirmed.
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Episode Descriptions 
