Those that "practice" Vmca flight just to see how far the aircraft will go before it flips inverted at full power on one engine (and instructors who enjoy the challenge - if you can call foolishness a "challenge") are around - could also consider another risky manoeuvre - and that is failing one engine in a light twin during the take off run. We all know it requires instant corrective rudder while simultaneously rapidly closing the live engine throttle.
The danger in this particular manoeuvre lies in the possibility mishandling - or if you like, slow reaction - on the part of the student. In fact the student's corrective action must be perfect and instantaneous at first go in every respect. In that case what is the point of practicing the manoeuvre?
A colleague who remarked somewhat ruefully that his students had run off the side of the runway countless times in his instructional career because of their slow reaction in countering the sudden full power yaw when he cut the mixture to one engine during the take off run. Who knows what side loads the poor nosewheel had applied to it? And was this reported in the maintenance document? I very much doubt it since to inspect for nose gear side strain is an expensive business involving in some cases jacking the aircraft up for retraction tests.
Surely the risks involved and clearly demonstrated warrant calling a halt to this high risk manoevre. If high fidelity simulators were available for these aircraft the high risk manoeuvres in the actual aircraft would be banned from the syllabus.
Deliberately failing one engine on the take off run in a light twin is unwise and some might say poor airmanship. A thorough briefing only is needed - not a real life test of how close the pilot can get to a ground loop without a landing gear strain or collapse?
Last edited by Centaurus; 20th May 2006 at 03:57.