Originally Posted by
pulse1
One of the biggest factors in deciding to turn back in a single is the length of the runway. With 2000m and a modest breeze you might make it. With 800m you certainly would not.
Personally, having experienced an EFATO, I wouldn't be too worried about the length of the runway. Why would you want to think only about the runway if you got a nice big flat area to land in - the airfield?
IF you can make it back to the field, you can land anywhere you like and in any direction - it's probably a better place to land than in the housing/industrial estate next door. But if there's level ground nearby you may be better off landing there, into wind (say, 50kts groundspeed) than on the field downwind (say 80 knots groundspeed). And think about stuffing it straight down - even if you run off the end of the runway and through the fence you'll be doig so into wind and the chainlink should slow you a little...
The big
IF is the question of making it back to the field. This depends on your height and/or speed. It's a useful exercise to go to altitude and set yourself up in the take-off configuration, at your usual climb speed, then work out how long it takes for a 180 (at 40 - 45 degrees of bank) and how much height you lose in the turn. That determines your minimum height to attempt the turn. Try it for 90 degrees too - so you can work out where you have to be to try anything more than straight ahead.
And before you line up each flight, brief yourself on what you'd do in the event of an EFATO. What height to turn (and which way - preferably into wind)? Where are there places to land off the airfield? Get a briefing from someone who knows the area and have a look at an aerial photo if it's not your local field. And work out what vital actions to do in the few seconds between the failure happening and it becoming an unrecoverable disaster.
The most important in a single are:
1 Fly the plane - don't let it stall - keep the nose down and the speed up
2 Fly the plane - keep it balanced with rudder
3 Throttle to idle
4 Think about gear and flaps - up or down - and how long to make the change?
5 Fuel & Switches off (after Mayday call, if you have time)
6 Fly the plane
7 Good luck!
And remember, if you can walk away, it's a good landing. If they can use the plane again afterwards, it's an excellent landing! (and, for the record, I didn't walk away from mine...if fact walking unaided took 6 months. But I survived, thank God).