Pilots may have only seconds to make an emergency landing

Yle reports that civilian pilots in Finland have no officially designated emergency landing sites on the country’s roads and must instead land in suitable terrain when forced to come down. Experienced pilot Heikki Ala-Mursula says a safe outcome can sometimes depend on decisions made within seconds.

Small aircraft make emergency landings from time to time in Finland, although such incidents are relatively rare. One case occurred in Seinäjoki during the summer, when a light aircraft had to land on a road used by trucks.

Reserve landing sites have been built on roads for the Finnish Air Force to use in exceptional circumstances. They can be identified by widened sections of road, including in Kauhava and Alavus in South Ostrobothnia.

“If the Finnish Air Force uses a reserve landing site, road traffic is directed along a detour,” said Antti Castrén, deputy director of the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency.

Ala-Mursula, chairman of the South Ostrobothnia Aviation Club, has experienced an emergency landing himself, although it happened some time ago. He said the situation can be tense because there may be only seconds to a minute to survive safely, particularly during the takeoff roll.

The most important thing is to continue flying and controlling the aircraft while looking for a suitable place to land. The best landing is made calmly and in a controlled manner, usually on flat, long and open terrain such as fields, meadows or wide sections of road. Taller vegetation makes a landing more difficult and dangerous.

An emergency landing is a measure taken when little else can be done. It may be necessary if the engine stops, the aircraft does not have enough power or there is a problem with the controls.

Ala-Mursula said specially planned reserve landing sites for civilian pilots would not be necessary. Pilots assess the situation when it arises, and a designated site would rarely be located along the aircraft’s route at exactly the right moment. They can instead plan flights so that suitable land for an emergency landing is available along the route.

In an emergency, a pilot makes a quick assessment of the situation, including the aircraft’s location, direction, altitude and the best possible landing site. “There is no use in panicking,” Ala-Mursula said.

Valtteri Saarijärvi, a member of the South Ostrobothnia Aviation Club and a flight instructor at V Fly, said much of pilot training involves preparing for dangerous situations. Students first learn to control the aircraft before practising emergency procedures.

Training also requires instructors to monitor students’ stress levels and assess which exercises they are ready to perform. “We practise thoroughly everything that can arise in the air,” Saarijärvi said.