What an Autopilot could never do.

[LiberalArkie]

These take-offs and landings, and numerous "go-arounds," were filmed this winter at Birmingham airport in England, under what were evidently extremely gusty conditions. The wind's strength is one challenge. The continual changes in strength -- the gusts -- are the real problem.



http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/04/what-an-autopilot-could-never-do/360360/

[geardaddy]

1. I could watch this all day.

Thanks for posting!

[Jerry442]

2. Lord have mercy.

Just watching those widebodies getting booted around like a Cessna two-seater made my stomach churn.

[joeglow3]

3. Never say "never"

300 years ago, I bet someone pointed to a bird and said, that is something man could never replicate.

[pffshht]

33. Most people still don't think reliably self-driving cars are really going to happen

But human driving skill is a known and finite quantity, and technology a still rapidly evolving thing. Once it gets to "drives almost as well as the average human in most circumstances" it will go from there to "drives far better than any human ever could in all circumstances" in a couple of years at the most.
After that, the idea you probably hold now that you would be able to steer clear of a dangerous evasive lane-changing situation on a 5-lane interstate in bad weather better than your self-driving car could, will seem as silly as the idea that you could brake more quickly than the ABS. And so it will go with landing airplanes.

[Victor_c3]

4. I was in a landing like that when I flew into Athens, Greece a few years back

Everyone spontaneously clapped and cheered when the place stopped.

In general, I have a lot of faith in the competence and ability of airline pilots or at least those of the major airlines working out of the first world countries. Footage like this and events like that of the pilot that landed his airplane in the Hudson River a few years back after an engine failure totally demonstrate this.

[Ash_F]

10. That pilot: "My Pay Has Been Cut 40 Percent In Recent Years"

My Pay Has Been Cut 40 Percent In Recent Years, Pension Terminated
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/24/chesley-sully-sullenberge_0_n_169512.html

"future pilots are less experienced and less skilled, it logically follows that we will see negative consequences to the flying public and to our country"

[Historic NY]

5. I suppose that the runway design..

was suppose to minimize the problem but it sure looks like it makes it worse.

[pangaia]

9. How is that?

[Historic NY]

11. Its got more waves than the ocean...

[pangaia]

15. The waves have nothing to do with safety..

Just too lazy to level the land, I suspect. It's not nearly as bad as it looks in the telephoto shots.

Few runways are perfectly level.
But that one does look a little.. extreme...

[trof]

24. Airline pilot 30+ years here. I STRONGLY disagree.

I've landed a 747 on thousands of runways.
Most are close to pool table flat.
Some have a very slight dip or crown around the midpoint.
I have never seen a roller coaster runway like this one.
I'm surprised it complies with whatever runway criteria the UK has.

It's hard enough to grease one onto a flat surface.

[pangaia]

29. I defer to your experience.

The largest aircraft I have ever landed is a Tri-Pacer.

[trof]

30. Well...um...thank you.

[AtheistCrusader]

6. 'could' sure. Not been done yet. Hopefully you don't think it 'will' never do.

Because someday, it will. Better than a human.

[ColesCountyDem]

12. This pilot agrees with you. n/t

[CFLDem]

7. I would trust a cutting edge autopilot over a human

every time.

Humans aren't made to fly. Autopilots are.

I say this as a pilot and avionics A&P mechanic, for what it's worth.

[trof]

25. FWIW...30+ year airline pilot here. BULL.

I really can't believe you posted that.

[eggplant]

8. What's the deal with the not even kind of flat runway?

[Jerry442]

17. The waviness of the runway is way exaggerated by a tele lens.

Kind of like that view of a baseball pitcher on TV where it looks like he could almost reach out and touch the batter.

[trof]

26. When the main landing gear DISAPPEARS in a dip in the runway...

That ain't 'perspective'.

[Dawson Leery]

13. k/r

[dembotoz]

14. my god

[zebonaut]

16. Enjoy your flight

[yuiyoshida]

18. I have been on a flight that landed like that

at Chicago O'hara airport. My stomach was in my throat for a moment.. I am glad I had seat belts on.. probably would have slip slided away!

[petronius]

19. Note to self: never - EVER - fly to Birmingham!

Although in a way I find videos like that somewhat reassuring: I hate to fly, and every little bump creeps me out, so seeing airplanes (and pilots) take that apparently in stride makes me feel a bit better about the process...

[greiner3]

20. The cockpit of the plane at the 4:00 minute mark;

Shows what I think is the person in the right seat, copilot/pilot, with their hands covering their face but as the plane touches down they uncover it.

Also, some of the landing planes seem to float.

[X_Digger]

21. That sickening *lurch* when the plane snaps around to straight after landing..

.. is the closest I've ever came to being air sick.

[Fla Dem]

22. Got a little queasy watching that. nt

[marble falls]

23. Note to self: To and from Birminghm - take the bus.

[Android3.14]

27. What an Autopilot could never do.

Yet

[passiveporcupine]

28. And some people wonder why some of us are afraid to fly

You cannot control the conditions.

[Submariner]

31. Almost looks like controlled crashes like on aircraft carrier deck

Those big birds crabbing just before touchdown give the illusion the plane could veer off the side of the runway. I assume it is such a large mass moving essentially in one direction very fast that it forces itself to straighten out and stay on the runway.

I gouge the armrests with my fingernails during those kind of landings and get into crash position.

[longship]

32. A few aborted landings there, too.

And there were more than a few pilots who absolutely nailed the landing.

I've experienced one landing pretty much like these. I worked at Boeing at the time so I knew the drill. The pilot was go-o-o-od! He set it down squirrelly and straightened it up for the nose gear. No worries. But people were sure a-squirming before the wheels were on the ground. It was one of those puckered sphincter moments, if you get my meaning.

I told the pilot as I deplaned that I was a Boeing employee and that he did a great job. Indeed he had.

[HeiressofBickworth]

34. I read this and am comforted

by my 1979 vow to never fly again. I truly respect the skills and bravery of pilots, but I'll never again take a flight. There are enough alternate means of transportation that I'll never be required to fly. I get sick and shaky just going to the airport to pick someone up!!!