Lots of good stuff in this thread. A couple of points. I guess my original post was not very clear. When the pilots hand is taken off the throttles it selects gear up and then goes to the props. Engine failure means pull back what ever handle you are touching, throttles = abort, props equals fly. The placement of your hand in effect performs the same function as the V1 call in a multicrew transport aircraft. I think it is important to emphasize that in transport catagory aircraft no thinking is required, if below V1 you stop if above V1 you go. If the regulatory agencies and industry has decided that it is unrealistic for a 30000 hr 747 Capt to think through what are the approrpriate actions at such a stress filled and critical time , I don't think a light twin driver is any more equiped to adjust his actions in real time.
Also you are right I did situate the actions to the airplane I usually fly in the winters, A VG equiped C340 ( VMC=100 kts ) . A 100 kt rotation works very well in this aircraft, however it would be more accurate to say rotation speed is not that important , what matters is that a engine failure below blueline means the throttles are automatically retarded. I still think delaying the rotation to the highest possible speed is desirable because you are more likely to still be on the runway when the failure occures and therefore will have an easier time controlling and stopping the plane. Certainly airplanes which have signinicant nose up attitude on the ground like Twin Comanches or Seneca's this speed will be lower. Also this is not practicle for aircraft with a high blueline speed like Aerostars ( 115 -118 ks ). SIMCOM's 1.5 million $ US simulator has what is in my experience very good performance fidelity to the actual aircraft. I am convinced it is a practicle impossibilty to reliably be able to get the aircraft to accellerate from a speed below blueline , to blue line and then climb away for an engine failure during the takeoff run even at loadings significantly below gross weight. And this was with me primed to expect a engine failure. Therefore in my opinion
you must treat this scenario the same as an engine failure in a single engine aircraft. Obviously good airmanhip also applies. If there is a mountain in front of you don't climb straight ahead and short fields will require flap and lower rotaion speeds. But I stand by my original assertion. If you don't have blueline, positive rate, gear selected up, and hand's on the prop levers ready to feather then continuing with the flight in the event of an engine failure is unlikely to be sucessfull. It is far better to crash wings level in control with the no thrust than to lose control stall and spin as seems to happen all too frequently. If your hand is on the prop lever than by my definition you are past decision speed and will keep going, now the MOST important thing to do is feather the failed engine, Nothing else matters as a light twin WILL NOT climb away from the runway with a windmilling prop. I would also suggest that all your attention should be focused on controlling the aircraft, that is the rational to so far as possible climb straight ahead and not worry about any other engine failure drills untill the aircraft is at 500 feet AGL. Even if you do everything perfectly the aircraft may still not climb thereby forcing you to close the throttles and do your best in the ensuing forced landing. I believe however that this method wil give you the best chance of sucess.
[ 30 December 2001: Message edited by: big pistons forever ]</p>