He had ‘no idea’ of what to do before stepping up to the plate
The Florida man who successfully landed a plane without any prior flying experience or training whatsoever has been pictured for the first time along with the air traffic controller who helped him touch down safely.
Although his identity still remains unknown, the first images of the silent hero have been released thanks to reporting by ABC affiliate news station, WPBF – as covered in The Independent.
WPBF – Speaking to the local outlet, Robert Morgan – the controller who has worked at Palm Beach International Airport for over two decades and had to jump into action at a moment’s notice – said that despite being an experienced flight instructor, he’d never actually flown the particular Cessna single-engine aircraft that a unsuspecting passenger was forced to man.
In fact, Morgan had to rely on a photo of the plane’s control panel to help guide the passenger-turned-pilot to safety.
“I knew the plane was flying like any other plane”, he said, “I just knew I had to keep him calm, point him to the runway and tell him how to reduce the power so he could descend to land.”
The as-yet-unidentified man and his incredible story began circulating on Monday, as the passenger had to fill in for the pilot after he became incapacitated following a medical emergency.
Morgan went on to joke that after stating his location near the city of Boca, the passenger was soon preparing to land and before he knew it, the man quipped: “I’m on the ground, how do I turn this thing off?”
WPBFA truly incredible story of two heroes thinking on their feet – likely something out of a movie.
Well done, lads.
Related links:
- Bizarre scenes as Turkish flight did not take off after passengers received spooky plane crash pics
- Climate activists hoping to ‘strike fear’ into drivers won’t stop – even if they cause accidents
- Four million Brits advised to check passports today over summer holiday warning
