Student Pilot Resources

LISTEN: MAYDAY call from crew of United flight 328

United B777 has ENGINE FAILURE+FIRE on departure | Cowling Separates 20FEB2021United B772 performing flight UAL328 from Denver to Honolulu was climbing through 13000 feet when the pilots declared MAYDAY reporting a right engin...

Chances are you take a certain amount of pride from flying traffic patterns with near military precision, nailing your target altitude and airspeed and squaring off your turns while taking into account the effects of the wind. Not only does this practice demonstrate what a great pilot you are, but it also makes you predictable — and in the pattern that's always a good thing.

But what if I told you that you've been doing it all wrong — that instead of flying a razor-straight downwind, for example, you should be making quick S-turns and raising and lowering the nose as you go?

If you think about the reasons why, it suddenly makes perfect sense. When climbing on the crosswind leg, for instance, it can be difficult to spot traffic ahead of you. Same goes for the downwind leg, when your view of other airplanes entering the pattern or already in the pattern might be blocked by your own wing.

That's why it's a good idea to rock your wings and lower and raise your nose in the traffic pattern every so often. You don't need to allow your heading and altitude to wander all over the place, but some gentle maneuvering on your part can help ensure that the path ahead is indeed clear of other aircraft.

Credits:
Stephen Pope -FMG
Student Pilot Resources

卍 You’ve lost your engine, now what? What to do in the case of an engine failure?

As aviators we know our airplanes are very capable of flying with an engine failure. You will obviously be descending, some airplanes faster than others, but it still flies just fine.

What will you do if this fateful day comes? Have you thought about it? If not this article will encourage you to do just that.

Engine failures are one of the most fiercely trained events in aviation.
This is for good reason. Although our modern aero engines are very reliable, it wasn’t always that way. And even now the engine represents one of the weaker mechanical links in the system.
So you have trained, been quizzed, mentally rehearsed, and simulated engine failures, but are you really prepared? When was the last time you practiced a simulated engine failure?

✹Disclaimer: this article is to stimulate thought, it is not a replacement for flight instruction. You should consult your instructor, the aircraft pilot operating handbook or airplane flight manual for specific engine failure procedures.

In my mind there are two types of engine failures, low and high altitude, both require their own response.

If you are cruising along at 7500′ and suddenly the fan quits turning you have time and options.
Down low your primary concern is controlling the aircraft all the way to touch down. You chances of surviving go up exponentially if you do. If you have time you might be able to run checklists and troubleshoot, but down really low, like immediately after takeoff, ‼ you MUST fly the airplane ‼, which generally means throwing the nose down to maintain best glide.

✹Down low
I cannot express enough how quickly you will need to react to an engine out within the first 1000′ of climb. Consider this:

⋆You are nose up already at an airspeed near best glide (or below)
⋆Not taking swift action to get the nose down will result in an airspeed less than best glide or best L/D (best lift to drag ratio)

⋆Getting slow can obviously produce a stall, but lets say you get the nose down, but your are 10 knots slower than best glide, depending on your aircraft and the conditions, you will likely be experiencing sink rates that cause you to reflexively want to pull back more. This could lead to a stall/spin

⋆Close to the ground (within a few hundred feet – not in the flare) it is going to be hard to overcome your senses to push the nose down further to recover lost airspeed and maintain positive control

⋆You will be tempted to turn back to the runway; depending on the aircraft and the specific situation, this has statistically proven to be a bad idea. Folks lose control and spin in; it’s far better to land ahead under control off airport

✹Partial power?
What about a rough running engine that’s still making some power. Will you use it to get to a runway or a suitable off-airport location or will you squander it and end up worse off than if it would have quit entirely?

In all cases, fly the aircraft. The reason engine failures hurt people is that they generally don’t fly the airplane to the landing site. USAir Flight 1549 (Miracle on the Hudson) was a success because they flew the airplane all the way to the touch down. If you quit flying or ignore the laws of physics and don’t manage your energy, survival is unlikely.

If you have it pictured in your mind and at least mentally rehearse it, you are less likely to falter in the heat of battle. My best advise is to grab an instructor and do some engine failure practice. This will boost your confidence, teach you something you probably didn’t know, and make you better, safer pilot.

Remember – Pitch for best glide and fly it to the ground (don’t forget to flare). Hitting houses or trees upright and in control is far better than stalling and spinning in vertically from any altitude.

Did I mention, “fly the airplane”?

Credits:
Brent Owens IFB
Student Pilot Resources