Airplanes are designed with sensors in the cockpit that notify the pilot when an engine fails. Once the sensor goes off, the pilot will begin to perform the steps for an emergency landing. Among other things, this means descending to a lower altitude and, potentially, reducing the airplane's speed.

If a modern commercial aircraft experiences an engine failure, the first thing pilots do is fly the airplane (Aviate). All twin-engine commercial jets are designed to fly, climb, and land safely on just one engine. If both engines fail (an extremely rare event usually caused by fuel exhaustion or bird strikes), the aircraft becomes a very large glider. Pilots immediately pitch the nose for the "Best Glide Speed" to maximize the distance they can travel—typically, a jet can glide about 2 miles for every 1,000 feet of altitude. While gliding, they will attempt an Engine Restart using a "Windmill Start" or the APU (Auxiliary Power Unit). They also deploy the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), a small propeller that drops out of the fuselage to provide emergency electrical and hydraulic power. Simultaneously, they communicate with ATC (Mayday) and look for the nearest suitable landing site. As demonstrated by the "Miracle on the Hudson," pilots are rigorously trained in "all-engine-out" checklists to maintain control and manage the descent for a safe emergency landing or ditching.