Ask the Captain: What happens if a pilot becomes disabled during a flight?

Question: What happens if one of the pilots become disabled mid-flight?                  

Answer: Both pilots are fully qualified to take off and land. In the event a pilot becomes incapacitated, the other pilot would divert the airplane to the nearest suitable airport, declare an emergency and safely land the airplane.

In larger airplanes, if the captain became incapacitated, they would have to stop on the runway because only the left side of the airplane has the nose steering wheel used for taxiing. The first officer, who sits on the right, would not be able to taxi the airplane. 

Q: Do military aircraft have priority in shared airfields?                 

A: Whether the military plane receives priority fueling or takeoff depends on the types of aircraft involved and the fuel situation.

Certain types of military airplanes do have priority. Recovering fighters that are low on fuel will have priority. Military transport planes are treated like airliners.

John Cox is a retired airline captain with US Airways and runs his own aviation safety consulting company, Safety Operating Systems.