Theo is thrust into the cockpit when the plane suffers a right-engine failure—N1 drops to 35% and an EJ over-temperature triggers an engine-fire alert. With "There are no available pilots," his father orders him to shut the right engine fuel valve, execute the fire procedure, switch to manual control, and prepare landing gear. Crew members panic at putting a little boy in the cockpit, but Theo steels himself: "I must save Dad." He takes the controls, hears "Press the rudder!" and readies a risky emergency maneuver—the plane's survival and his father's fate hinge on his next action.