(Chapter 2)
V1 is an accelerate/stop distance speed. If properly calculated and subsequently executed the aircraft should be able to stop on the remaining runway available provided the reject actions have already been initiated. Beyond this speed the aircraft should be able to continue with one engine failed and achieve a height of 15 feet or more at the end of the runway. ( In fact this is very simplistic the definition is much more involved). In your example it sounds as if
V1 sounds good, but is totally meaningless since it isn't seeming relevant to the situation.
Before V1 fire bell goes. and there is an indication of a fire in the right engine. Unless there was a power loss the bell and warning lights and eicas mesage would in fact
be the indications.
If V1 has been properly applied and calculated then getting airborne ought to be no problem at all. If there was a power loss well before V1 ( and again how long is a piece of string), then V1 is irrelevant as the heroes have chosen to ignore it, but to continue with the take off into unknown territory. Bear in mind that an engine fire in itself may well not result in power loss to begin with.
The 757 has 3 hydraulic systems pressured to 3000 psi. The flying controls are powered from these systems. There is no manual reversion. you ask what the chances of the aircraft getting airborne would be ? Hard to say without knowing all the parameters and how long the runway is, as are they taking off without any due regard to these factors. It is a bit like asking how long will you survive if you drive at 100 mph on country roads ? The "strength to pull back" would not be much of a factor since even the trim on a fully loaded 757 would not be likely to vary much within the normal take range.
Certainly if you were forced to rotate before
Vr due to the rapidly approaching end of the runway. This would likely require a pull back on the stick that resulted in overrotating the aircraft. What then happens if taken to the limit is the aircraft will reach its geometry limit and the tail will strike the runway. ( You see them doing this on certification tests ). Once airborne with a damaged aft fuselage, the tail end might well be the first thing to strike any obstructions.
"Approach beacons" are not what you think they are. They are normally situated well away from the runways. You mean the approach lighting stanchions. If a gear hit one of these ( and again, it is more likely to be the aft fuselage) then it would probably destroy it and may well damage the tyre and gear.
You ask what the First officer would do ? Having not calculated much so far one can only wonder, but for the purpose of the story... The first officer would apply full power to both engines. Once airborne he would retract the gear. If an emergency turn was required he might normally ensure it was complied with and reported to ATC ( not here I suspect !). He would then ( above about 500 agl ) cancel the warnings and then identify the failure. susequent to this the aircraft would be cleaned up ( flaps retracted ) and the relevant checklists carried out.
As you will appreciate it is very difficult to answer these points with any real credulity, without taking into account a host of actual factors. However as the objective is to attempt to be as factual as possible whilst remaining readably entertaining, then it requires a better undertanding of the assumed circumstances. If you want I will be happy to assist for nothing more than a credit in your book.
Good luck with it.
