Originally Posted by
Lead Balloon
There are myriad circumstances in which there are no viable forced landing options after an engine failure in a single-engined aircraft. Just one recent example out of many I've observed, first-hand:
Not that long ago a VFR route was added to the Canberra VTC. The route goes from Cotter to Tharwa, not above 3,500' AMSL. Have a look at the VTC and note the spot heights of the granite adjacent to that route, which roughly follows the Murrumbidgee River.
I flew it. Once. I was jiggered if I could spot any viable forced landing area anywhere along that route. And at the height AGL, there wouldn't be much time to do a leisurely couple of orbits to look for one anyway.
By putting it on chart, 'the powers that be' could reasonably be assumed as having endorsed it as a safe option. For my part, I don't think it is, at least not for single-engined aircraft.
See, that's where you have it wrong, LB: The primary purpose of a VFR route is to
keep you outside of controlled airspace (ie. away from the big boys) - not to provide 'safe' options for engine out.
Case in point: The Melbourne Inland Route has been on the charts for decades. Not only is a goodly part of it (around the aptly-named Mt Disappointment) over country with zero safe gliding options, but if you stray too far to the east at the step-down your clearance from terrain could be highly questionable - and that's on a good day. There has been at least one fatal along this route in recent memory.
The only upside of VFR routes is that SAR will have a fair idea where to look for your crash site.