Engines quit. Engines partially fail. A failed or partially running engine does nothing but add trouble to a flight and to an unprepared pilot. The multi engine check ride is designed as a very minimum to handle a twin on one engine. It has been the standard for years long before sophisticated engine monitoring equipment, navigation equipment and sensitive instruments. It is NOT a one size fits all.
I have been a flight instructor since 1975 and teaching single and multi engine training. I have been a check pilot under FAR 135 operations and have flown almost every model twin engine aircraft that are out there. One thing I have seen is that when pilots have a multi engine failure they are lost unless they have trained and know the short cuts. Yes, the short cuts. Don’t add more work to your load in flying on one engine. Learn what is critical and what is not. The idea is get the plane and your passenger back to a runway safely.
A prime example of this is the recent Cessna 310R right engine loss in California and the return to the airport. They ended up landing on a freeway in a lightly loaded plane with the best engine to lose not running. Why? Was it work overload? Was it lack of training? Probably both but it was so simple to save the aircraft. That is what our game plan teaches. The best and easiest way is to train and gain confidence in flying and controlling on one engine. That is what I teach. Below is our single engine loss scenario on twin engine training engine loss. We will be happy to furnish our completion document that we use for insurance approval for your review.
Rick McGuire
CFII-MEI
Attorney at Law
Aircraft Simulator Training
Aircraft Simulator Training Twin Engine Loss Program
The Single Engine Procedure Training focuses on maintaining control, maneuvering the aircraft and completing a landing on one engine.
First, be aware that the sim is harder to fly than the plane it is simulating. We have actually done follow up with some students in the plane after the sim training. Every single one has said that when they got the procedures down in the sim it was easier to fly the plane. Our training game plan is to bring about control and decision making, thereby making it hard in the sim makes it easier in the plane.
The sim is not exactly like your plane. Our sims have performance characteristics that relate to your aircraft, whether it is a Beechcraft, Twin Cessna, or Twin Piper aircraft. Our goal is to make sure you can handle the plane “on the edge,” that being in a low speed regime. The result is a safe landing on one engine.
We do not make people “do it our way.” What we do is to show you what we think is the “best” way to control the aircraft and get it home on one engine. When the pilot starts working on the training, they all bring to the table the “FAA Way.” That is not necessarily the best way. For example, pilots are consistently told that if you go to or get to “blue line” and the VSI is showing a downward trend while holding “blue line” the plane won’t stay airborne. This is not necessarily true. There are a lot of factors involved in maintaining what we call the “best performance single engine airspeed” and sometime it is not “blue line.”
Our focus will be on locking down procedures. The first thing that you will learn is locking down the heading. You will be drilled on locking the heading down during a VFR day and on the gauges in IMC. We are going to show you verification of engine loss and “shut down” procedures and how many ways to verify a dead engine or partially failed engine. “Dead foot, dead engine” is not the only way and it is not the best way to determine the status of a failed or failing engine.
We are going to show you how to set up for a landing with a bad or failed engine and it does not involve a pattern. When you are coming in on a failed engine it is “your show,” not ATC’s. We will show you how to handle a daytime loss landing, an IMC landing and a night landing.
You will be shown where to aim on the runway for landing, when to get the gear and when to throw the boat anchor out (flaps). There is no such thing as a single engine missed approach. Throw that out of your vocabulary unless you’re in a Citation or large turboprop. You will learn what a sailboat and a twin engine aircraft have in common.
On top of the training, we will throw in some discussions about your particular aircraft and maybe some quirks that could help you eliminate problems. One of our favorites is regarding the fuel system and what is not listed on a lot on the pre take off check list. Certain planes have pumps that need to be checked. Some of the checks are not listed on the pre take off checklist. Fuel valves are a problem on some aircraft. You will also be asked when most engine failures occur as per data submitted to the NTSB.
Rotation is covered and what we think is a good rotation speed. What about power reduction altitudes and is it altitude or air speed we are looking for on takeoff?
We will go over shut down procedures on the “roll” and where you should be looking for the quickest indication of a problem on a roll.
Additionally, we will go over what your navigation system needs to be set to for an engine loss on lift off. Is there a better way to turn an aircraft on one engine? We will discuss that and what the numbers show.
During the landing roll after coming in on one engine, what should you do? Is it all over except for the deep breath you just took and your wife saying “that is the last time I fly with you!”
We will issue to you a checklist of what was covered in training. We think you should share it with your insurance company. If you would like an evaluation and report, we will be happy to provide that as well. Remember, we teach for the innocent people in the back of the plane.
Thank you for selecting us for your training. We also have in-depth initial and recurrent training and detailed instrument training and refresher. We are FAA approved for 20 hours of the training for an instrument rating. Our sims do not require hoods. We can throw weather of all types at you. Enjoy the class and let us know any of your concerns.