8/16/2019 How to Survive Engine Failures

1/1

  ow to survive

engine failure

An ultraliqht enqine failure need not lead to an accident

- provided some basic rules are followed.

......

r

N

OT SO LONG AGO MY DRIFTER

training aircraft was badly dam aged

due to an engine failure when flown

by a solo, inexperienced pilot. The engine was

a Rotax 582 w ith only 190 hours. The reason

it stopped is not as important as what the pilot

did or failed to do abou t it.

Engines can and do stop for any number of

reasons. It is what the pilot does that m akes

all the difference between a successful land-

ing and a disaster.

So w hat are these rules?

Always fly as if the engine is going to stop in

the next second so that you keep within glid-

ing distance of clear ter-

rain and a safe landing

area. Observe the terrain

below you and form a

mental picture of what

you see and the danger

areas: fence lines, power

lines, sheds and so on

landing area at all times in order to land suc-

cessfully. If you turn away from the landing

area and have your back to it, you m ay drift

too far away causing you to fall short.

N ever forget to fly the aircraft. If there is

plenty of time and altitude, carry out any

checks required. If there is not, don't waste

time and concen tration on useless checks or

restarting the engine. Concentrate only on fly-

ing the aircraft and landing safely.

Approach

If doing three legs of the circuit, always turn

base leg and final approach with more alti-

tude than normal.

Turning onto final into a head wind will

reduce your gliding distance. An unexpected

sink could cause you to fall short. Excess alti-

tude should be lost only when there is no

doubt of making the landing area. Flaps or

sideslipping are the best methods of losing

height.

Do not try to stretch the glide. If you are

holding the best glide speed for the aircraft

weight and the wind component, the gliding

distance can't be increased.

By holding up the nose further, you will only

go down steeper. You may reduce the rate of

descent, but the angle of

descent will be worse. It

is better to fly it onto the

ground, short of the

landing area than to stall

onto the ground, further

short of the landing area

trying to stretch the glide.

Plan of action

Have a plan of what you

would do if your engine

stopped right now. Try

to have more than one

option available for

landing, and try to use

the largest area available.

Always know where

the wind is coming from

and at what speed. Wind

direction and speed are

very important for your

judging your gliding dis-

tance. You w ill glide fur-

ther with a tail wind

than with a head wind.

Know the best glide

speed and stall speed for

the aircraft that you are

flying.

If your engine has

stopped, don t just

punch the stick forward

- the altitude lost at this i

difference between making it and not making

it. Establish best glide speed as soon as possi-

ble. This will give you the longest gliding dis-

tance and therefore the best chance to ge t it

right.

The best glide speed v aries relative to the

manoeuvre being flown. For example, a 60

degree bank requires a speed higher than best

glide speed. Remember that any m anoeuvre

creates drag which causes you to go down

faster. Altitude can always be lost, but very

rarely regained.

Keep sight of your chosen landing area. You

must know where you are relative to your

If your engine has

stopped, don t just

punch the stick for-

ward - the altitude

lost at this point could

be the difference

between making it

and not making it.

Landing

You have done everything

right so far, but there is

still room for disaster.

On flying over the

threshold of the landing

area, lower the nose and

increase the speed a little

over what you would nor-

mally use in the same con-

ditions with the engine

working. A heavy sink or a

stall at this point breaks

aircraft, and sometimes

bones.

A bit of speed in your

favour can help to prevent

this happening.

The landing is not over

until the aircraft comes to

a full stop. What you do on

the ground is as impo rtant

as what you d id in the air.

I took someone for an

it a while back and I asked

mm:

-

wnat is tue most important thing you

should be doing up here right now? He

thought a while, then replied, Hav ing fun'

M y reply was: M ate, it's only fun if we stay,

alive. There is no fun picking up the p ieces'

The reason many of us are attracted to

ultralight flying is the excitement it offers. But

this must be tempered in recognition of the

need to maintain safety margins.

Follow the rules, and you will live, like

myself, to take your grandchildren for a fly.

Franco Arri is an Australian Ultralight Federation

chief flying instructor

28 FLIGHT SAFETY AUSTRALIA AUTUMN 1997