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Landing an airplane in an emergency can be stressful, but if you follow some basic procedures, you can land it safely. First, turn on the autopilot control, which should be near the center of the control panel. If there’s no autopilot, adjust the joystick to keep the plane flying straight, using the horizon as your reference. Then, look for a hand-held microphone or the pilot’s headset. Press and hold the button and say “mayday” for help. An operator should give you detailed instructions to land the plane safely. When you approach a safe place to land, you’ll need to pull back on the throttle and open a variety of slats and flaps next to the throttles to slow the plane. If the plane has retractable landing gear, don’t forget to lower it to make the landing smooth. For more tips, including how to maintain a safe speed in an airplane, read on.