Originally Posted by tornadoflyer
I would very much appreciate it, if any forum member could provide some inputs to the following question:
What would be more dangerous? Engine failure at V1-10 knots and continue or engine failure at V1+10 knots and abort.
Thank you in advance.
This is sorta like the question "What do you do before you land?" Well, there isn't just one answer, and it greatly depends on what assumptions you make as you decide what answer to give.
When I was doing some interesting work with a -10 series DC-9 about a hundred years ago, we made several takeoffs "on one engine." It takes a good deal of nosewheel steering input along with judicial application of the single engine's thrust until the rudder gets aerodynamically effective, but the takeoffs were no problem. Of course we were at the old Clinton-Sherman Air Force Base in Oklahoma, with almost 13,000 feet of concrete and the airplane was at relatively light weight. So, under those circumstances, experiencing an engine failure at V1-10 knots and continuing the takeoff would be no sweat. And, I would suspect that an abort at V1+10 knots wouldn't have been a real sweat either. Now start taking large chunks of runway away from you, jack up the gross weight, and the sweat begins to become more prevalent - all the way down to a balanced field for the conditions. In that scenerio (i.e., balanced field) I'd go with the old addage that its better to stop when you can't stop than to go when you can't go. Of course, I'm sure you could come up with conditions that would turn that upside down as well!
Sorry, I know that doesn't answer your question very well, but that's the nature of such questions. Oh, and by the way, the answer to "What do you do before you land?" -- The answer I gave was "takeoff."