"Ibby" wrote in message
...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Really, and how was your landing?

I wasn't allowed to land on my first lesson and I would doubt anyone
is but I'm sure your hoping to compare my first lesson to how I, or a
complete novice with zero aircraft experience, would land a commercial
airliner. Landing a small Cessna 152 (with NO AUTOPILOT) requires
manual control of pitch and throttle to retain the required descent
rate and localiser following. Landing an airliner can all be done via
the Autoland system with the press of a few buttons. It doesn't have
to be done manually, you do NOT have to control the yoke or touch the
thrust levers until on the ground. MOST real life landings are done
with this method with the pilot perhaps only disconnecting the
autopilot and autothrottle systems a few hundred feet above ground
level when the aircraft is already established and configured for the
descent path i.e. descent rate, airspeed and lateral position. His
hands will of course remain on the control column and thrust levels in
case he needs to press the TOGA button on the thrust lever in case of
a Go-Around etc.

If a novice or even a PPL pilot had to hand fly an airliner and land
it yes it would more than likely result in disaster but less likely
with the highly technical automation systems available today in the
Next Generation Boeings.

Ibby

Oh brother, Mx Jr.