A student pilot who made a dramatic emergency landing when his instructor passed out mid-flight says his studies saved his life in a situation you would "only see in the movies".

Key points: Max Sylvester was flying the two-seater Cessna aircraft for the first time

Max Sylvester was flying the two-seater Cessna aircraft for the first time His instructor passed out and he had to be guided to the ground by air traffic control

His instructor passed out and he had to be guided to the ground by air traffic control His wife and three young children were watching the situation unfold

Max Sylvester, 29, called air traffic control just over an hour into his lesson at Perth's Jandakot Airport on Saturday afternoon after his instructor collapsed mid-flight.

It was Mr Sylvester's first lesson in the two-seater Cessna and his third lesson overall, and his wife and three young children were watching from the ground.

He likened the situation to a "fight or flight" scenario, saying adrenaline took over.

But when asked if he was a hero, he played down his actions, saying he had simply done his homework.

"I am just a student pilot doing what we've been trained to do," he said.

The instructor of the Cessna aircraft lost consciousness. ( ABC News: Briana Shepherd )

"What kept me alive was my study. That definitely saved me.

"If I hadn't have studied, we wouldn't be here — it is at simple as that."

'This is my first lesson'

The air traffic operator kept the trainee calm as he talked him through the emergency landing.

"Do you know how to operate the aeroplane?" the operator asked him.

"This is my first lesson," Mr Sylvester responded.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 1 minute 5 seconds 1 m 5 s Student pilot lands plane after instructor blacks out

With his instructor still unconscious, Mr Sylvester told air traffic control he had tried to lift the man's head up, but there was no response.

The controller encouraged Mr Sylvester to focus on landing the plane and said that he was doing well.

"Well my flight instructor did say I was the best student he'd had," Mr Sylvester replied.

He landed the aircraft safely after nearly an hour in the air.

Mr Sylvester said the incident would not stop him from flying again.

Mr Sylvester had two previous lessons in a different plane. ( Instagram: Mohophotography )

"There is a bit of a fear of it happening again, but it is one of those things that you never hear about," he said.

"Only in movies you would hear of something like this happening."

Mr Sylvester said he had previously had two lessons in a different plane, but it was completely different and he had never landed an aircraft before yesterday.

He said he had since visited his New Zealand-born instructor, Robert Mollard, in hospital, but would not comment on his condition.