Method for piloting an aircraft

A method for piloting a pre-existing aircraft, the pre-existing aircraft comprising original systems comprising an automatic control system (6) and a flight control system, the piloting method including the steps of:

• integrating an alternative piloting system into the pre-existing aircraft;
• connecting, through a command and control system (system C2), the aircraft and a ground station in which a ground pilot is positioned;
• when the aircraft is in a normal state, having the aircraft piloted by a nominal crew comprising a single pilot on board the aircraft, the alternative piloting system and the automatic control system, which are integrated into the aircraft;
• using detection means to detect the occurrence of a particular emergency situation that may affect the operation of the aircraft and, when the occurrence of the particular emergency situation is detected:
• making the ground pilot operational, so that the ground pilot can produce a ground piloting setpoint of the aircraft;
• transmitting the ground piloting setpoint to the aircraft using a data link of system C2;
• using the alternative piloting system to acquire and transmit the ground piloting setpoint to the aircraft flight control system, so that the aircraft is piloted by an alternative crew comprising the alternative piloting system, the automatic control system and the ground pilot.