Pilot explains how to safely land a Boeing 737

Pilot Tim Morgan gives detailed instructions on how to handle a Boeing 737. Photo / YouTube

If you're ever caught up in a nightmare situation where both pilots are unconscious, you'll be glad you've watched this video.

Delta Air Lines pilot Tim Morgan posted the ten minute long video in response to a question on the website Quora that asked, "What should I do if the pilot passes out and I (with no flight training) have to land the plane?"

Mr Morgan uses the game Microsoft Flight Simulator to explain in concise step-by-step instructions how to get a Boeing 737 passenger jet back to the ground.

Since it was uploaded last week, the video has been viewed by over 400,000 "nervous passengers".

He goes into great detail to describe exactly what to do with the overwhelming amount of knobs, dials, gauges and buttons found in the cockpit.

"The good news is the plane will probably have a sophisticated autopilot that can take care of most of the flying for you," Mr Morgan said.

"The bad news is you will still probably have to land it, and every aircraft cockpit is going to be different, so it's not like you'd know exactly where to look to find the things you need."

The first thing a passenger would need to do would be to contact air traffic control and let them know what the situation is.

"Chances are whatever frequency is dialed in will work, so just hold down the push-to-talk button on the yoke, and tell ATC your situation," he said.

He then explains how to keep the aircraft at an appropriate speed in order to land successfully.

While there has never been a case of a passenger with no flying experience landing a large commercial aircraft, a 2007 Mythbusters episode looked at whether it was possible and found it was "plausible".

Using a simulator, the hosts crashed a plane while trying to land by guessing but landed successfully when instructed by a pilot over the radio.

And Mr Morgan had one further piece of advice for anyone who could land a plane safely under those circumstances: "Grab a beer from the galley and enjoy the ride down the emergency evacuation slide."

- nzherald.co.nz