Flight Savers: Hand-flying the 747-8 after an autoland failure!

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Hello fellow pilots, I just had to share this incredible moment from my recent flight with Lufthansa B747-8.

I found myself on final approach to the runway, expecting to use the autoland feature, only to realize the button wasn’t available at all! Panicked at the thought of a

12-hour flight going to waste, I quickly switched the navigation source to NAV 1 to capture the ILS signal. I kept the aircraft on the localizer and managed the descent and vertical speed completely manually.

Miraculously, I touched down flawlessly. Have any of you experienced something similar?

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Happens all the time! I just have to remember to flip the source to NAV 1

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I just realized that B747 all models does not have APPR :skull: if your have APPR button once you press the button the source automatically changes to NAV1 but if don’t have it’s happens a lot you’re right to switch the source to NAV1

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Thats weird. Yes most of the time it automatically flips to NAV 1 but sometimes its manual.. strange

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Yes that weird

but hey at that time you realize you’re a real captain at that moment landing manually IFR

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Absolutely. And you do ILS landings every time?
I recommend yes, using the ILS up until about 5-600 feet, then disconnect. Its important to work your landings.

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Absolutely every time I use ILS landing but I think I’m gonna do that as a practicing manual landing to improve my skills.

Great advice thanks captain

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Yeah, this is the sad truth of the queen. I always hand fly my ILSs or just shoot visual approaches. Like delta said, It’s good practice to disconnect AP at 1000 or 500 ft AGL when you hear those callouts in the cockpit, because it’s pretty cool to say you can butter a 777… if you know what I mean lol.

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Oh, I totally know what you mean by ‘buttering’ that 777! There’s nothing like the satisfaction of a smooth touchdown in a heavy jet. :joy:

Disconnecting at 500 or 1000 ft AGL sounds like the perfect challenge to step up my game. Guess the Queen taught me a lesson the hard way, but I’m definitely going to try that next time. Thanks for the tip, captain!"

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