Originally Posted by
High Wing Drifter
Bravo,
For the scenario we are discussing here, I believe that a useless engine on a twin does required immediate assistance, it is a distinct threat to the safety of the aircraft and certain measures should be put in place to mitigate. I can understand why people believe that a Mayday is a sledgehammer to crack a nut, but I suspect there is a distinct possibility that the size of the nut is often times not fully appreciated.
HWD,
In this scenario, I don't think that losing an engine requires a automatic 'MAYDAY'. If all other things remain equal (and I had no reason to believe that the cause of failure might lead to a failure of the second power unit ie contaminated fuel or icing for example), then I am now effectively flying a 'single'. I might be performance limited for certain flight profiles, but it's still a 'single'.
Does flying a single engine aircraft necessitate a 'MAYDAY' call?
And just to refresh, the 'scenario' makes no mention of VMC or IMC. My presumption is that 'pootling' implies nice, VMC conditions.