one at the controls

The American higher education system is a gigantic debt-producing machine with no one at the controls.

But to have one at the controls in Saudi Arabia is intolerable.

"The earth zips round the solar system, and there is no one at the controls," said Pratchett, who has a knack for delivering the darkly inarguable in a way that still makes you smile.

With no one at the controls, and the ship set at maximum deflection from her course.

"Surely you are not suggesting that we run all night with no one at the controls?"