When the first officer of Lufthansa flight 403 became ill yesterday, an off-duty airline pilot flying as a passenger took the controls and helped land the plane in Dublin.
We were all counting on him.
The flight was diverted from Frankfurt to Dublin when the first officer got sick, and the off-duty pilot offered his assistance when the cabin crew announced the destination change.
A Lufthansa spokesperson told The Guardian, "in such circumstances it's absolutely normal procedure for the pilot, the flight captain, to continue to operate the aircraft. Also, where necessary, the cabin crew are fully trained and can be called upon to read checklists back to the pilot. The procedures are in place for such an eventuality."
No one was injured, but the landing is currently under examination by Ireland's Air Accident Investigations Unit.
(Hat tip to ttyymmnn!)
Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures