PN68
The Partenavia P68 B and C are great little twins which will legally carry six people for 180 NM, or three for 750 NM. They will go anywhere a C206 wil go. For a high wing aircraft it has good visibilkity, as the pilot is ahead of the wing.
When we got the first one in Alice Springs, I was unsure about their performance when assymetric, as we are usually "hot and high". So I did all the sums, and finally took one out and actually shut down an engine and feathered the prop. (overhead the aerodrome) I did a fair bit of this sort of experimentation, (zero thrust settings can give misleading performance.), and came to the conclusion that the aircraft WILL climb a little with an engine out, but only if you fly it right.(just as it says in the book) The same as most piston twins.
I found that it will climb if you fly it straight, at the right speed, but during a rate one turn you can expect to LOSE about one foot of altitude for every degree of turn.
Think about that. If you get an EFATO at low level and try to immediately fly a circuit, you will not make it. You have to fly straight ahead and coax it to climb to at least 360ft AGL, if possible, or fly a large circuit with a bit of climb on each leg. We introduced a "minimum assymetric circling height", below which we flew straight. Of course you would have considered terrain befor etakeoff.
Simple maths really, but it is amazing that hardly anyone seems to have figured this out.
And there is this belief that "If you get an engine failure in a twin you just land straight ahead". Then why have the second engine? You do not have to be a test pilot, but you do have to have done your homework, and kept your skills and knowledge at a high level. If you cannot handle it you should not be there. Even 30 year old aeroplanes or 90,000 hour Boeings CAN and do achieve book figures. (If they are flown right)
There are all sorts of copouts, but the determining factor is the PIC.
We flew a few thousand hours in PN68's,and had two engine failures (both exhaust valves) and both these aeroplanes made it to an aerodrome assymetric.
This is not meant as a criticism of the PIC at Rottnest, but is general comment, trigured by some the recent posts.
LJONES
Some posters are less than polite on here. I suggest you evaluate each one, and consider the facts and opinions. Do not let the impolite ones disturb you, or tempt you to behave in a similar fiashion.
Last edited by bushy; 16th Nov 2006 at 03:35.