|
Engine Failure Glide
Subscriber Question:
"Engine failure at altitude? Every pilot
knows if your engine fails at altitude you
should trim for best glide speed. But how many
know how far you can travel at a given altitude
at best glide. What is a practical method you
can use in an emergency for determining the
ground distance you can safely travel to make an
off airport landing? " - Dan S.
Press
play for
expert response
(Note: certain
settings in your browser may prevent the audio
button from displaying on your screen)
Bob:
"It depends! Best glide speed in most
general aviation aircraft will yield a 500-700
feet per minute sink rate. So depending on your
height above the ground, you have a given amount
of time before you land.
 Obviously your distance traveled will depend on
your ground speed. Are you going upwind,
downwind or somewhere in between? With a given
height above the ground and a given airspeed,
you can now calculate how far you can travel.
For example, if you are at 2,500 agl, you might
have four minutes to reach the ground and cover
4-5 miles.
Having said this, engine failure procedures
should not be complicated by trying to include a
cross country into them. The best landing area
is right below you because it gives you the
maximum time to set up for restart and prepare
for an eventual landing.
I strongly recommend
finding the best landing area close by rather
than trying to find the perfect landing area
somewhere in the distance. Trying to stretch the
glide has gotten many pilots into serious
trouble (ie STALL/SPIN). Trying to reach a
runway has proved costly to several pilots in
accidents I am aware of. "
Next week's tip: going
"missed" on a circling approach
Attention
Facebook Pilots:
Got something to add to this tip? Please leave your comments below where hundreds of pilots will see them every day.
Use
this button to share this tip on Twitter.
|
Feel free to
share this page with your pilot friends, students,
instructor or club.
If you like this tip, please click the +1 to give us a vote. Thanks!
|
