Flying Lesson #12 Engine Failure - Simulated Emergency Landing

[Romeo Juliet Whiskey]

Hey guys, flew out with my instructor to the training area to practice simulated engine failures. Wow - there is so much going on during these exercises that its pretty easy to get overwhelmed. You have to run through numerous checklists, give a mayday call, come up with a landing plan, re-assure your passengers that they will be OK (hopefully), and at the same time keep flying the plane! All good fun though - but a pretty important part of training as it may save your life one day.

 

Please let me know if you have any good tips on forced landings!

 

 

 

 

 

[storchy neil]

Yep DONT PANIC stress or let your your brain get out of control Neil

 

 

[Romeo Juliet Whiskey]

Yep DONT PANIC stress or let your your brain get out of control Neil

Haha ... good tip!

 

 

[cooperplace]

what works for me is if as early as possible, and I mean with still say 2500 ft, I ID my landing spot and then the points where I'll turn base and final. I do this exercise quite often, like you in the hope that I'll never need it. When I started doing it, even on a clear farmer's strip, I was sweating every time, and often I'd come in too low or too high. At least with too high you can sideslip, so that's another handy skill to have in the toolbox. If I don't work out early on where I'll make those turns, then I usually don't get it right. I've now done this exercise many times and am feeling a bit more relaxed about it. It's a great thing to practice, practice, practice.

 

My concern is that if I need this skill in real life, I might identify a landing location and then when it's too late, spot hay bales or a SWER line in the way, both of which can be hard to see. So when I'm flying and looking out for potential landing spots, I try to find places that offer a plan B. Yes, I know it's a lot for the mind to cope with. Yes, above all stay calm, that's really the most important thing.

 

Don't forget, as soon as you know you are going to make it, get in full flaps: whatever you hit, you want to be going as slowly as possible.

 

 

[dutchroll]

Nothing wrong with selecting a different field if you see a much better option which you hadn't noticed before. Don't get tunnel vision. What I mean by that is that there's this fine line between being "decisive" and sticking with your plan, and realising "oh this choice isn't so good after all, but there's a much better one just over there". It might even be that a simple heading change of 10 or 15 degrees on final approach which costs you nothing in performance takes you to a better place.

 

The added bonus of keeping this sort of awareness of possible options is that if you do end up too low, there may be a suitable alternative a little closer.

 

 

[M61A1]

Fly the aircraft...everything else is optional.

 

 

[Romeo Juliet Whiskey]

Fly the aircraft...everything else is optional.

The further I get into my training the more I understand the wisdom of the 'aviate first' principle. Without any experience it seems like a silly old saying.

 

 

[dutchroll]

The further I get into my training the more I understand the wisdom of the 'aviate first' principle. Without any experience it seems like a silly old saying.

Ultimately it comes down to common sense.

Setting yourself for the world's most perfect forced landing pattern kinda becomes a waste of time if you stall it in the base turn and crash.

 

 

[facthunter]

Don't go for a perfect place that you are not sure you can make. Acceptable places with some other alternatives are better. A selected place may be unsafe (SWER ) wire, muddy, too rough, requiring a change of plan. Some track used by vehicles proves it's acceptable (sort of). Land into wind as slowly as possible. Better to hit the far fence slowly than the near one flying. Overshoot till you are sure of reaching the touch down point. TIGHTEN your seat belts. Brief your passenger about exiting.. If the only option is pretty rough cut electrical power and fuel. If you are low on fuel or have a partial power loss, use your power wisely but don't count on unreliable power to complete your approach. Stay high (er) till sure. This is just off the top of my head. Reference any reliable material for further advice/suggestions. Nev

 

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

It's real easy to get too low to make your chosen paddock if you do much of a circuit. I have made this mistake myself in practice, throwing away an attainable paddock for no useful purpose.

 

My current plan is to arrive at the base leg with excess height, and do "s" turns always towards the landing area until I am low enough to straighten up on finals.

 

Unfortunately this is a technique which wouldn't be suitable to try out at a busy airfield. Imagine somebody occupying the base leg doing this when other people are trying to do circuits.

 

 

[facthunter]

If it's for real, broadcast and I'm sure they will make allowances. Practicing might be something else. Nev

 

 

[Romeo Juliet Whiskey]

It's real easy to get too low to make your chosen paddock if you do much of a circuit. I have made this mistake myself in practice, throwing away an attainable paddock for no useful purpose.My current plan is to arrive at the base leg with excess height, and do "s" turns always towards the landing area until I am low enough to straighten up on finals.

Unfortunately this is a technique which wouldn't be suitable to try out at a busy airfield. Imagine somebody occupying the base leg doing this when other people are trying to do circuits.

That's pretty much my strategy... High on a close base so that I have flaps, s-turn, side slips up my sleeve. I also come in slightly higher speed on final so that if I'm coming in low (say unexpected headwind, windshear) I can pitch for best glide to make the field.

 

 

[facthunter]

That's OK with a Jabiru which is fairly slippery but a draggy plane just means you will be coming in with a higher ROD. If you land fast you may float forever in a jab and if you force it onto the ground end up tipped over or damaged nosewheel.. Nev

 

 

[Parkway]

As the late Bob Hoover once said, "...fly the thing as far into the crash as possible"

 

 

[stickshaker]

I've been taught "S" base maneuver. Still hard to judge but I'm a rookie. Makes sense though - approach the field with altitude to spare, then burn it. Don't come in for a straight-in approach because if you're short with no engine you're toast.

 

 

[SDQDI]

Just be a little careful with s's on late final, although all techniques need care when close to the ground of course.

 

I have heard of pilots who refuse to do sideslips (in suitable aircraft) because they think it is too dangerous but will happily throw in a couple of steep s's to lose height which IMHO is a lot more risky.

 

I know I sound like a broken record but I think if you plan on doing s's on final that it would be very wise to do some low level training.