Summary

  • Flight attendants with flight training and a private pilot's license can potentially assist pilots in landing an aircraft in an emergency.
  • Flight attendants learn basic aircraft terminology and pilot incapacitation training to safely remove ill or incapacitated pilots from their seats.
  • If both pilots are incapacitated, flight attendants may need to communicate with air traffic control and receive guidance from a professional pilot on how to safely land the aircraft.

Flight emergencies are rare but can happen from time to time. In the event when one or more pilots are unable to fly the plane, cabin crew must seek assistance from the fellow crew or even passengers. One of the questions that is frequently asked is: can flight attendants land an airplane in an emergency situation? The short answer is - it depends.

Many flight attendants do not have any interest in taking the front seat of an airplane, nor do they have training. However, others pursue some flight training or may even achieve a private pilot's license. In this case, they could potentially provide assistance to pilots in landing the aircraft in an emergency.

This article explores the type of training required to attain basic flying skills and the circumstances under which flight attendants can aid in landing the airplane.

FA training

During training to become a flight attendant, you learn basic terminology for the aircraft, so that in an emergency, you'd be able to tell the flight crew the basics. You would need to know your rudder from your yoke or your slats from your ailerons and tell which is the left and right engine. Flight attendants also learn about various types of weather and some basic airport terminology.

A320- Airbus cockpit by night
Photo: Jean Baptiste Accariez | Airbus

They also undertake 'pilot incapacitation training', so if one of the pilots becomes ill or worse, we can remove them from their seat safely. In this case, the flight attendant would take the empty pilot's seat and help the remaining pilot by reading the appropriate checklists. There are also certain hand signals taught for communication purposes, as the remaining pilot may be talking to air traffic control whilst also landing the aircraft.

A real problem

Of course, a real problem would be if you lost both pilots for some reason - that would be extremely unlucky! In that case, you would have to talk to air traffic control, who would guide you, and bring in a professional pilot on the radio to instruct you on what to do.

There is also some capacity to use the aircraft's automatic landing capability, which uses the onboard technology and signals from the airport runway lights and transmitters to guide the aircraft down safely.

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This is only normally used in low visibility and under certain conditions. The chances are high that the aircraft could land itself, in this case, with minimal input from a flight attendant and little guidance from air traffic control.

aircraft emergency exit
Photo: kryzhov | Shutterstock

Real-life incidents

In most real-life incidents in commercial or business aviation, the remaining pilot will land the aircraft with no issue, apart from some possible help from a flight attendant. If there is a professional off-duty pilot onboard, it is likely their skills will be called upon.

If you lost both pilots, then potentially, the flight attendant would take over if no other option is available, and hopefully, the aircraft has the ability to auto-land. In general aviation and the smaller aircraft types, it's good to know that there have been quite a few incidents where passengers with little or no piloting knowledge have landed safely with outside guidance.

What are your thoughts on the training and practice required by flight attendants to land an airplane in an emergency? Share your opinion in the comments section.