'Remain calm, I'll tell you what to do ... in a minute'

Maybe you saw the report today - how an air traffic controller helped a passenger land an airplane safely in Fort Myers after the pilot died.

Even more stunning was how the controller did it - "... by calling a friend in Connecticut who knows the King Air plane and relaying instructions."

Now, I'm no pilot, but even I've heard of the King Air. Do you think the FAA could give its ATC staff online access to a database with emergency instructions for the more common models? Maybe include pictures, even ... "Okay, grab hold of that stick on the right and pull up. No, not the black one, the red one. Then ...."

Instead, one can only imagine the exchange between the controller and his friend in Connecticut:

"Now, hang on, Sir. Stay calm. ('Ring, ring, ri-') Hello, Buddy. Yeah, it's me all right. Listen - yeah, I know it's been a long time. Listen, I - she-she's fine. Yeah, my son's still looking for a job - Buddy! I have to ask you about your King Air. Yeah - No, I don't want to buy it. Buddy! Listen to me? How would you tell somebody who never flew a King Air how to land it before the freeckin' plane slams into the most populated area in Florida! No, I'm not kidding. Yeah, he's - Sir, you still there? - he's on the other line. What's the first thing I should tell him? Okay: Sir, 'The King Air is one of the most dependable airplanes in-' Buddy! Who cares? How do we land the freeckin' plane? Okay, okay, first - Buddy, you're dropping out! That, that's better. Okay, Sir, okay. First, grab hold of that stick on the right and pull up. No, not the black one, the red one ...."