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From: normb@tekred.UUCP (Norm Babcock )
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Never Turn Back
Message-ID: <130@tekred.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 14-Sep-84 20:16:36 EDT
Article-I.D.: tekred.130
Posted: Fri Sep 14 20:16:36 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 25-Sep-84 01:47:10 EDT
Organization: Tektronix, Redmond OR
Lines: 27

When I first started to fly, and reading all the aircraft
oriented mags, one reoccuring theme kept popping up: If,
during takeoff, you experienced engine failure, the absolutely
worst thing you could attempt to do was turn back to the
runway. The reason usually given is that the stall-spin monster
would get you every time.

My question for the net is, is this always true, or does it
depend on the type a/c?

I fly C-150/152s most of the time. Depending on the airport, I
usually am at 500-800 feet AGL by the time I hit the end of the
runway. Is there a good reason why I can't establish glide (which
I'd do regardless of where I was going to land), turn 180, glide
alongside the runway, and turn a real short final when I'm 50-100
AGL? If I'm beyond the end of the runway at 1000 AGL, but have
not turned-out, can't I essentially do the same thing? Wouldn't
a downwind landing be preferable to hitting a solid unyielding
object off-field?

Has anyone tried this? Or known anyone who made it or failed?
My instructor has pulled power on downwind, and that was no
sweat.

One last observation: if you do try it, and it doesn't work out,
you're a lot closer to the "equipment" than you would be in
a farmers barn.