I’m a pilot – here’s what really happens in the cockpit when an engine fails…it’s a ‘workout’ to land the plane safely
FLYING can terrify some passengers, no matter how much other people assure them that it’s perfectly safe.
The prospect of something going wrong while in the air is simply too much for them to contemplate.
However, an airline pilot has had a go at trying to allay those fears by explaining what happens in the cockpit when there’s a problem.
Morgan, known as @almostcaptainmorgan on Tiktok told her followers exactly what pilots will do if their plane has engine failure.
In a video, she described the incidents as “pretty benign” and showed viewers what she had to keep the plane flying safely.
She said: “A couple of you guys have asked, what do airline pilots do whenever there’s an engine failure? So let’s talk about it.
“The first thing we’re always going to do, no matter when the engine failure happens, is fly the aeroplane. That usually means a lot of rudder work.”
The rudder is steered by two pedals in the cockpit, which are linked mechanically to the rudder.
While these aren’t used that often during a normal flight, the engine failure means that pilots will have to put them to good use.
Morgan said it was a real work out for one of her legs under these circumstances.
She continued: “Basically, the engine that fails, that’s the leg that’s not going to be doing anything.
“And your other leg is going to get a pretty good thigh workout.”
However, despite an increase in work for the pilot, it doesn’t actually affect the route that much.
In fact, Morgan said the plane is “just fine” with only one engine remaining.
She added: “Once we have controlled the aircraft and identified the problem, we’re going to start running a checklist from our quick reference card and our quick reference handbook.
“Normally during all of this, we’re still flying our assigned flight path.
“While engine failures may sound scary, we do practise them quite often in recurrent training, and they’re actually pretty benign.
“The plane can fly just fine on the engine that we have left.”
Morgan’s words put some people’s minds at ease, with people pleased to see such a calm head talking through the problems.
One said: “I’m glad you practice a lot. I would only pray and I’m glad we’ve got a cooler heads up front.”
Another wrote: “So helpful! Nervous flyer here. Very helpful.”
A third added: “Even though scenarios like this scare me, watching your videos helps my nervousness so much. Thank you!”
Meanwhile, this is how far your plane can fly after suffering engine failure.
And this is how far a plane’s wings can bend during a flight – and why it’s always completely safe.