Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site rabbit.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!alice!rabbit!wolit From: wolit@rabbit.UUCP (Jan Wolitzky) Newsgroups: net.aviation Subject: Re: Never Turn Back Message-ID: <3152@rabbit.UUCP> Date: Sat, 15-Sep-84 16:27:50 EDT Article-I.D.: rabbit.3152 Posted: Sat Sep 15 16:27:50 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 25-Sep-84 02:08:06 EDT Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill Lines: 20 There's a world of difference between losing an engine at 500 - 800 feet on takeoff and having your instructor pull the throttle on downwind. In the latter situation you're probably 1000 feet up, going in the right direction for a normal approach, and are probably in stabilized, straight-and-level flight at or (more likely) well above the normal approach speed. In an engine failure on takeoff, you're in a nose-high attitude, your airspeed and altitude are dropping, in short, the situation is deteriorating rapidly and you've got to do something RIGHT NOW. The first, last, and always rule is FLY THE PLANE. By the time you've realized what's happening, gotten a normal glide established, gone through the restart drill, and looked around for a good place to land, there's no way you'll have enough altitude to turn and make the runway. There's nothing that says you can't move a little to avoid that building straight ahead (especially to land in the cleared field to the side of it), but you're always better off going in under control rather than spinning in on your nose. Remember too that the stall speed in a 60-degree bank is twice that of level flight, and that any low-altitude 180 that you want to finish before hitting the ground is going to be very steep. Jan Wolitzky, AT&T Bell Labs, Murray Hill, NJ