Photo: 9news.com.au
If you ever thought studying is a bore, remember this: one trainee pilot was able to make a perfect landing when his instructor passed out next to him, despite the fact that he was on his first lesson in that plane.
It happened at Perth’s Jandakot Airport in Australia, and Max Sylvester, the trainee pilot, credits his hard studying for being able to bring the small Cessna plane down safely. This was his third flying lesson overall but his first on that particular bird, so his entire flight experience amounted to no more than a couple of hours.
Granted, Maxwell didn’t do it all by himself, as traffic control guided him through every step of the way, 9 News notes. Instructor Robert Mollard passed out in the cabin about 1 hour into the flying lesson, and Sylvester radioed for help. He had tried to revive the instructor but to no success. He was in the air for 50 minutes before he was able to touch down, making what has been described as a “perfect” landing.
You can hear a snippet of the conversation between Sylvester and the air traffic control agent in the video available at the bottom of the page. At one point, Sylvester was even cracking jokes, telling the man on the other end of the line that he hoped they wouldn’t charge him for the lesson, what with the passed out instructor by his side. The agent replied that he would pay for the lesson himself if they did.
By the time Sylvester landed the plane, emergency crews had already arrived on the tarmac. His family was also there, watching him from below as he tried to land.
The pilot was taken to Fiona Stanley Hospital, where he remains in serious but stable condition; he is believed to have suffered a seizure. Sylvester was checked by medics on the spot and released. He was also handed a certificate for his first solo flight after the incredible experience.
Granted, Maxwell didn’t do it all by himself, as traffic control guided him through every step of the way, 9 News notes. Instructor Robert Mollard passed out in the cabin about 1 hour into the flying lesson, and Sylvester radioed for help. He had tried to revive the instructor but to no success. He was in the air for 50 minutes before he was able to touch down, making what has been described as a “perfect” landing.
You can hear a snippet of the conversation between Sylvester and the air traffic control agent in the video available at the bottom of the page. At one point, Sylvester was even cracking jokes, telling the man on the other end of the line that he hoped they wouldn’t charge him for the lesson, what with the passed out instructor by his side. The agent replied that he would pay for the lesson himself if they did.
By the time Sylvester landed the plane, emergency crews had already arrived on the tarmac. His family was also there, watching him from below as he tried to land.
The pilot was taken to Fiona Stanley Hospital, where he remains in serious but stable condition; he is believed to have suffered a seizure. Sylvester was checked by medics on the spot and released. He was also handed a certificate for his first solo flight after the incredible experience.
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