4 ms·

Yes, in most cases, but also modern aircraft over the last 50 years has become very safe. The plane practically flies itself.

zokier 4y ago
I don't know if I'd call Cessna 208 particularly modern, it is 40 year old model
jolux 4y ago
Yeah but I thought takeoff and landing were the two parts that still required mostly manual control?
- haunter 4y ago
  Autoland has been a (mostly emergency) feature for years https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autoland https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autoland It might have been installed on the plane https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-ruFmgTpqA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-ruFmgTpqA https://www.easa.europa.eu/community/topics/emergency-autoland-0 https://www.easa.europa.eu/community/topics/emergency-autola...
  - outworlder 4y ago
    Autoland in a Caravan?!
- sandworm101 4y ago
  If the weather conditions are favorable, there isn't much needed. This would have been a very stable aircraft on its own. If the controls are setup properly in advance of the runway, it will descend and "land" with little input. In all likelihood they used a long approach, strait-in, to an airfield totally cleared of all other traffic. He would have had a strait shot in from many miles away. The important decision was to keep him following the coastline. A random aircraft over florida land would be a nightmare to locate and deal with on radar, even if the transponder was functional. Keeping him following the coastline would have made the fix much simpler.
- Sharlin 4y ago
  Not necessarily, but pilots usually fly those manually because a) they’re the exciting parts b) a certain number of manual takeoffs/landings per year are required to stay certified. (EDIT: This was about airliners, a Cessna is definitely 100% manual!)
- HWR_14 4y ago
  As far as I understand, takeoff and landing requires manual control in the same way, or for the same reason, Tesla autopilot requires hands on the wheel. It's mostly liability and trust issues.
civil_engineer 4y ago
A Cessna Caravan airplane does not land itself. It's a thoroughly manual process. As a pilot, I'm in awe of the controller and passenger for being able to pull this off.
joadha 4y ago
> The plane practically flies itself. Personally, I would perhaps allow this turn of phrase in reference to take-off and cruising, depending on equipment and assuming VFR, but I'm not sure I would ever say this about LANDING any plane. Source: I'm an occasional student-pilot.
deleted 4y ago
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zokier 4y ago

I don't know if I'd call Cessna 208 particularly modern, it is 40 year old model

jolux 4y ago

Yeah but I thought takeoff and landing were the two parts that still required mostly manual control?

haunter 4y ago
Autoland has been a (mostly emergency) feature for years https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autoland https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autoland It might have been installed on the plane https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-ruFmgTpqA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-ruFmgTpqA https://www.easa.europa.eu/community/topics/emergency-autoland-0 https://www.easa.europa.eu/community/topics/emergency-autola...
- outworlder 4y ago
  Autoland in a Caravan?!
sandworm101 4y ago
If the weather conditions are favorable, there isn't much needed. This would have been a very stable aircraft on its own. If the controls are setup properly in advance of the runway, it will descend and "land" with little input. In all likelihood they used a long approach, strait-in, to an airfield totally cleared of all other traffic. He would have had a strait shot in from many miles away. The important decision was to keep him following the coastline. A random aircraft over florida land would be a nightmare to locate and deal with on radar, even if the transponder was functional. Keeping him following the coastline would have made the fix much simpler.
Sharlin 4y ago
Not necessarily, but pilots usually fly those manually because a) they’re the exciting parts b) a certain number of manual takeoffs/landings per year are required to stay certified. (EDIT: This was about airliners, a Cessna is definitely 100% manual!)
HWR_14 4y ago
As far as I understand, takeoff and landing requires manual control in the same way, or for the same reason, Tesla autopilot requires hands on the wheel. It's mostly liability and trust issues.

civil_engineer 4y ago

A Cessna Caravan airplane does not land itself. It's a thoroughly manual process. As a pilot, I'm in awe of the controller and passenger for being able to pull this off.

joadha 4y ago

> The plane practically flies itself. Personally, I would perhaps allow this turn of phrase in reference to take-off and cruising, depending on equipment and assuming VFR, but I'm not sure I would ever say this about LANDING any plane. Source: I'm an occasional student-pilot.

deleted 4y ago

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