Chapter 402: Manifest Destiny! Xu Zhao!
"Is there really someone in this world who can record 250 corresponding relationships by memory? No, not to mention that there is no data to support it, just like the change in engine speed can only be judged by sound, there is no auxiliary support in distinguishing the angle of the side stick. Is this really possible?" In the cockpit of Southwest Flight 3102, the captain still expressed great doubts about Xu Cang's proposal.
Let’s not talk about the throttle issues for now, and just take the sidestick pitch operation as an example.
The actual pitch of the aircraft can be obtained by using the standby attitude indicator, but the amount of sidestick operation is difficult to quantify.
The so-called scale itself does not exist. It's like the throttle has a total of sixty scales except for the reverse thrust, but there is no scale like a ruler on the throttle control panel itself, and there is no such thing as one degree, two degrees, or ten degrees of throttle. It is only to simplify and define the correspondence between the throttle lever position and the thrust value. However, how to divide the throttle lever position specifically depends entirely on the pilot's self-perception.
That’s right, if one wants to succeed as Xu Cang said, then first of all, the pilot must use his own perception to divide the throttle lever position.
The same thing happens with the division of sidestick positions.
There is no indication of how many degrees the side stick is pushed forward or how many degrees it is pushed back. Everything depends entirely on the pilot's own feeling.
In fact, in the captain's opinion, this method has completely exceeded the physiological limits of the human body.
Not only does one need to have an extremely amazing memory, but one also needs to have extremely delicate physical perception and a strong ability to allocate attention. Otherwise, one will not be able to use it flexibly in flying. Finally, one also needs to have certain flying knowledge and skills.
These requirements are indispensable.
If there is anyone in this world who can really do it, it can only be Xu Cang. However, Xu Cang is already in trouble, and it is hard to say whether he can hold on until landing in Japan.
In other words, Xu Cang wanted to complete this impossible task with his body that was already at the breaking point?
Richard Bayer also didn't quite believe it. He gently advised Xu Cang: "I also think this is... difficult. If you are healthy, I may not have any objection, but you are now... Xu Cang, the method you mentioned... no one can do it. Perhaps, we should think of other ways."
Xu Cang shook his head: "There is no other way, at least I can't think of it, and this method is not impossible. Richard, please give up your seat first, someone wants to take it."
"Someone wants to take the seat. Who?" Richard Bayer was stunned: "The person you are talking about? But..."
Xu Cang did not respond to Richard Bayer's words, but raised his voice slightly: "Shu Yue, come in!"
About ten seconds later, Xia Shuyue came to the cockpit nervously and looked at Xu Cang first. Seeing that Xu Cang's lips were slightly purple, she said anxiously: "Xu Cang, you..."
Xu Cang waved his hand: "Shuyue, I can still hold on for a while, don't worry. We are now returning to Japan, and we may need you to complete the landing."
"I?"
"she!"
The two screams came almost at the same time, coming from Xia Shuyue and the captain respectively.
After the initial shock, Xia Shuyue did not say anything more. The captain, on the contrary, kept objecting: "She is a pilot. Is the model a 320? What level? Which company? Is she from CAAC? Does CAAC have female pilots? I don't remember any. Even our FAA has very few female pilots."
The captain's series of questions was like a string of cannonballs. After all, this concerned his own life, so he had to be careful.
Xia Shuyue was a little embarrassed. Each of the three people in the cockpit was much more capable than her. Therefore, facing the captain's questioning, she did not have too much of a strong reaction. She was just a little puzzled as to why Xu Cang asked her to complete the landing.
Xu Cang was exhausted at this time, so he didn't have the energy to persuade the captain. He just waved his hand and said, "You go out first. Richard, you sit in the observer seat. Shu Yue, you take the left seat."
The captain was so anxious that he was sweating. Could it be that Xu Cang's brain was not working properly due to excessive blood loss? Looking at Xia Shuyue's expression, it was obvious that she was shocked and panicked, which in itself explained a lot of things.
Let alone the captain, Xia Shuyue herself was not confident: "Xu Cang, I have never flown a 320. "
Upon hearing this, Richard Bayer and the captain were stunned at first, as if time had stopped. Then, even Richard Bayer spoke up: "Xu Cang, this matter..."
"Richard, I don't have the energy to argue with you, please believe me."
Richard Bayer was silent for a full ten seconds before he unbuckled his seat belt and unfastened the seat without saying a word, making room for Xia Shuyue.
Seeing this, the captain was at a loss and left the cockpit cursing. Richard Baier sat in the observer's seat. He wanted to see what Xu Cang was doing.
Although Xia Shuyue had little confidence, she still followed Xu Cang's advice and sat on the left seat.
As soon as he sat down, Xu Cang apologized in a low voice: "I'm afraid you can't use the parachute."
Before, Xu Cang had thought about letting Xia Shuyue parachute to survive if nothing else worked. At that time, he had not thought about the impact of the solar storm on the electronic controller that automatically opened the parachute.
Skydiving is an extremely professional activity. For ordinary people, if they do not have the assistance of any equipment, it is basically the same as committing suicide.
Xia Shuyue was not disappointed at all. To be honest, it was extremely difficult for her to accept leaving Xu Cang behind and escaping alone. Now that this possibility was eliminated, it was a good thing.
This sentence alone contained a lot of information. Richard Bayer's eyelids twitched a few times. It seemed that Xu Cang had other plans for Xia Shuyue, and this plan was based on his extreme pessimism about the plane landing.
Xia Shuyue fastened her seat belt. She didn't need Xu Cang's help. "What do you want me to do?"
"Shuyue, I took you to Yanshan Aviation School to experience flying before, do you remember?"
Xia Shuyue nodded: "Yeah, I remember."
"At that time, you memorized all my thrust settings and attitude values at all stages and replicated a complete takeoff and landing." Xu Cang said softly, "What you are going to do this time is essentially very similar to that time, but it is much more difficult."
While speaking, Xu Cang organized his words a little and explained to Xia Shuyue in detail the plane's malfunction, the current situation and his disposal plan. Especially when it came to what Xia Shuyue needed to do, he spoke in extra detail.
In any case, Xia Shuyue is still a novice in flying, and she must know clearly what she is going to do.
"You must rely on your own feelings to divide the interval scales of the throttle and side sticks, at least 250 scales. In addition, you must find and remember the attitude and thrust values corresponding to each scale." Xu Cang said faintly: "I still have some strength now. Later, I will take you to experience the corresponding conditions of all positions of the throttle and side sticks many times. You must complete the tasks I assign to you during this period. This is the only thing I can do now. I can't hold on for too long. The approach and landing can only be completed by you. I will remind you of the required thrust and attitude values. You just need to set them according to my requirements."
In short, Xu Cang wanted Xia Shuyue to memorize all the correspondence between postures and thrust, and then complete the landing with his own hands under his guidance.
It doesn't matter if the landing is perfect, as long as it can land.
The difficulty of this matter lies in finding and remembering the corresponding relationship between the data, which is actually less difficult in practice.
Xu Cang waited for a while, until Xia Shuyue seemed to have digested everything, and then he asked in a low voice: "Understand?"
A soft light flashed in Xia Shuyue's bright eyes: "I understand."
“Can you do that?”
Xia Shuyue lowered his head and thought for a moment: "I will try my best ."
"Okay, that's enough." Xu Cang pointed to the oxygen mask that Xia Shuyue had put away: "Put on the oxygen mask."
From the very beginning of the large-scale power outage, the aircraft has been in a state of slow decompression. However, before the problem occurred, the aircraft was basically in a climbing altitude state, and most of the outflow valves were in a closed state, which ensured that the cabin was well sealed and the rate of slow decompression was not fast.
Previously, the aircraft's cabin altitude was rising at an extremely slow speed, which gave the people in the cabin time to adapt their bodies, so the physical sensation was not strong.
The oxygen system in the cockpit can last much longer than the oxygen generator in the cabin, but it is limited after all. Moreover, once Xu Cang puts on the oxygen mask, he will not take it off. He will use 100% pure oxygen to keep himself in the best condition possible.
Therefore, Xu Cang never used an oxygen mask.
However, things are different now. In the coming period of time, Xu Cang must be strong and alert. Not only Xia Shuyue, but also Xu Cang will face a huge workload.
In order to allow Xia Shuyue to experience the attitude and thrust changes of the entire journey, the aircraft will continue to experience unpredictable state changes in the following period of time.
Although the altitude is sufficient now and there is ample room for recovery, Xu Cang still needs to devote a lot of energy to using the remaining relatively normal rudder to prevent the aircraft from entering some complex state that cannot be recovered.
The static stability of a large passenger aircraft can automatically correct most deviations when the altitude is high enough, but some deviations are difficult to correct, such as the Dutch roll. Therefore, Xu Cang still needs to be extremely alert.
In addition, according to the cockpit altimeter, the aircraft cabin altitude is approaching 10,000 feet, which is high enough and it is time to put on the oxygen mask.
Xu Cang's right hand could still move, and he demonstrated to Xia Shuyue how to put on an oxygen mask. This was not difficult, and Xia Shuyue learned it quickly.
As soon as Xu Cang put on the oxygen mask, he felt streams of cool air rushing into his mouth and nose, refreshing his heart.
Xu Cang did not choose the emergency position with the highest flow rate, but the slightly lower 100% pure oxygen. This gear was enough for Xu Cang.
The Airbus oxygen mask is not a full-face mask, it just covers the mouth and nose. However, this is also good, because the full-face mask will easily feel oppressive and uncomfortable after wearing it for a long time.
Perhaps due to the effect of breathing pure oxygen, Xu Cang felt a little better. He glanced at Xia Shuyue, and after confirming that Xia Shuyue had put on the oxygen mask correctly, he supported himself slightly with his right hand and sat up straight: "I can't move my left hand, so you move the throttle lever."
Airbus aircraft are later than Boeing and have a much higher degree of automation. After putting on the oxygen mask, it may automatically switch to the microphone on the mask.
Amplified by the microphone of the oxygen mask, Xu Cang's voice sounded muffled.
Xia Shuyue put his right hand on the throttle: "What should I do?"
"If you need to rely on the sound to judge the thrust value, then you need to first determine the slow and maximum thrust values. Only by determining the beginning and the end first can you have an idea of the relative size of the engine sound." Xu Cang said: "One at a time, add it directly to the front, and then slowly retract it until it reaches the slow position, and the other throttle lever does not move."
If you want to distinguish the size of the engine, you need to have a comparative concept, so you should determine a maximum and minimum value. Because you don't know where these two values are, you must let the throttle lever go through a full range, so that Xia Shuyue can have a relative concept.
In fact, there is another value that Xu Cang did not mention, and that is the middle value.
For cruise descent, the middle value of thrust is relatively suitable. Determine the beginning and end, and then determine the middle value. This middle value of thrust will be used in descent in the future.
Richard Bayer was stunned as he listened in the back. He roughly understood what Xu Cang meant, but he didn't expect that there were so many specific details, including determining the maximum and minimum values.
"If I move, the plane's attitude will deviate, right?" Xia Shuyue asked worriedly.
Xu Cang moved the rudder pedal slightly: "It's okay, you will only move the throttle lever, which will only cause a drift with inconsistent thrust. I can use the rudder to correct it."
"However, the thrust value changes nonlinearly, so the resulting nose yaw deviation will be unpredictable and potentially extremely violent. If the correction does not keep up..." Richard Bayer said with some concern.
"With me here, nothing will happen." Xu Cang confirmed, then looked at Xia Shuyue: "Let's get started."
…
Over Canada, the cabin of All Nippon Airways flight NH106 was filled with an extremely anxious atmosphere. According to the schedule, the plane should have landed at Los Angeles International Airport by now, but they had been circling after entering Canadian airspace and had not even approached the US border.
After a long time, if you pay a little attention, you will be able to feel that there is a problem with the plane.
That's right, ANA Flight 106 was the plane that was stranded with no airport to land at. At this time, the remaining fuel of the plane was lower than the emergency fuel level. Just ten minutes ago, the crew had declared MAYDAY, but neither Vancouver Airport nor Halifax Airport could make space for landing.
At this time, the crew members in the cockpit were already discussing the feasibility of a possible emergency landing.
Perhaps it was the solemn atmosphere in the cockpit that was transmitted, causing the group of young and beautiful flight attendants to look worried.
There were only a handful of people in the first-class cabin of the 747. On the single sofa in the front row lay a young man in his early twenties, with an unfolded magazine spread out over his body. He was breathing evenly and appeared to be asleep.
After comforting the economy class passengers, the flight attendant returned to the front cabin workroom. When passing the front row, someone suddenly grabbed his wrist.
Surprised, he looked down and saw that it was the young man who was resting with his eyes closed.
The flight attendant was about to speak: "Sir..."
"How much oil is left?" The young man slowly opened his eyes, and his sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes were like a sword drawn from its sheath, full of an indomitable sharp spirit.
The flight attendant was stunned: "Sir, what did you say?"
The young man let go of the flight attendant's wrist and said, "This flight is expected to take eleven hours. For routes like this, we usually only carry enough fuel for fourteen hours at most. Right now, it's exactly fourteen hours. Logically, the fuel should be almost gone."
The young man frowned, his eyes stern, "But we are still circling, approaching from a high altitude, and we also need to consider the possible fuel for a go-around. It would be best if we have at least 40 minutes of fuel left, but I don't think you have 40 minutes of fuel left."
"So, what are you doing?" The young man's voice gradually turned cold: "Is the plane in emergency fuel?"
The flight attendant's eyelids jumped. He didn't expect the young man to be so good at flying, but he still wanted to prevaricate: "Sir, everything is normal on our plane."
"Everything is normal?" The young man smiled softly. "If everything is normal, then why did I just see No. 3 in the front cabin workshop testing a promotional video on anti-impact posture?"
"What?" The flight attendant was shocked. He looked back and noticed that the curtain of the front cabin workroom had not been drawn. The young man's seat allowed him to directly see most of the situation in the front cabin workroom.
In fact, it was not No. 3's fault for being careless. She was just testing the video clip of the anti-impact posture on the multimedia operation interface in the front cabin. The interface was not large, and she chose to mute it, so there would be no external sound. Even if the passengers saw it, they would not know what it was, so she did not pull the curtain.
However, unexpectedly, the young man not only noticed it, but even understood its content.
However, the flight attendant still wanted to cover it up at this time: "Sir, our crew has undergone rigorous training and will definitely ensure the safety of the passengers. Please do not have any unnecessary fantasies and just follow our instructions."
"Guarantee my safety?" The young man put aside the magazine on his body. "Anti-impact posture. You are going to make an emergency landing, right? The route from Tokyo Haneda to Los Angeles... If the dispatcher wants to plan an alternate airport, there are not many options. This is a 747. There are only Vancouver, Halifax and Gander airports in Canada for landing. According to the usual route, Gander Airport is the farthest away. Based on my estimation of the amount of fuel you have left, Gander Airport cannot be reached. Then there are only Halifax and Vancouver. Although both are possible, Halifax as an alternate airport is more inclined to routes from Europe, and the alternate airports for Asian routes are mostly Vancouver. So Vancouver is right below the plane now?"
The flight attendant was horrified and asked tremblingly, "Who are you?"
The young man stood up slowly. "I will not entrust my safety to a crew that runs out of fuel and needs an emergency landing. If I were the president of ANA, I would ground those people in the cockpit permanently. This decision is simply a disaster."
"Sir, what are you doing?" The flight attendant's heart tightened.
The young man tightened his sweater and smiled: "My life is in my own hands. Tell the cockpit to let me complete the emergency landing."
The chief steward was stunned: "Sir, we will not allow..."
"If the cockpit doesn't allow it, then tell them that there is no great plain around Vancouver Airport. If they plan to make an emergency landing on the great plain, then they will be dead. There is also no large body of water around, so an emergency landing on water is impossible." The young man said calmly, "But I know where to make an emergency landing!"
"Where?" the flight attendant asked almost reflexively.
The young man pointed to the cockpit door and said, "Let me in first, okay? Or, you can tell the cockpit what I said, and they will let me in."
"Ah? Oh!" The flight attendant sensed something unusual about the young man. If he was just relaying the message, it wouldn't be an excessive request. The final decision would be made in the cockpit anyway: "Sir, wait a moment!"
The flight attendant gathered his thoughts and walked forward. However, before he had taken two steps, he suddenly thought of something and turned back to look at the young man : "Sir, what is your name?"
"Me?" The young man smiled brightly: "Me, my name is Xu Zhao!"
