Hi again chaps and ladies ...
Haven't started my PPL yet due to work commitments
but keep myself entertained by reading this forum and aviation books in the meantime.
I love the idea of flying (As my tial lesson was great), but safety is also important to me and I can't help but to notice the number of people on this forum who experienced engine failures.
Going through some of these threads one guy called Chuck .. had about 6 or 7 instances where the engine had to be switched off and forced landings were made.
I realise that forced landings is something that should be practiced lots so that you know what to do when it happens for real and not freak out. But from reading some of these posts ..... if you fly a lot and you fly for many years it seems like there is a pretty good chance that you will experience this at some stage ...
or is this not quite the case? I have to admit the thought of it is slightly off putting.
Secondly ... some of you that do these north trans atlantic flights ... is
it pretty much a case of just biting the bullet and hope for the best when you're over water? Again knowing that engine failures are "fairly common" would probably make me think twice?
Then, I know that you pretty much have one chance to make a good landing in case you experience an engine failure, which brings me on to my last question:
Which single engine aeroplane would be rated as having the best "gliding" potential ... would it be a little cessna 152 or rather something like a pa28? Do high wings glide better?.. or do they all pretty much come down like rocks.
Sorry if some of these questions seem daft but your comments would be great thanks!
PS - I know that there are other threads about engine failures, spinning props and how to make the best landing, hence some slightly different questions above. Thx