B737 QRH Loss of Thrust on Both Engines - interpretation question.

[cosmo kramer]

I think this question has so many variables, that trying to make a "canned solution" doesn't make sense.

It is being assumed that the memory items are being done rapidly after the engines have failed, to take advantage of the engines still having a high rpm.

Simultaneously, an evaluation of the situation should take place.
1) First of all, where are we? (situational awareness/fly the airplane)
2) WHY did the engines quit? (analyse the problem/airmanship)

a) If the engines got filled with Canadian geese in 7000 feet, there is not much point in keeping the energy focused on a restart too long (Hudson).

b) If both fuel filter bypass lights are on and you are at cruising altitude, it might make sense to prioritise to stay aloft in what ever way will ensure you can glide to some tarmac.

c) If you just had a weird icing phenomena/heavy precipitation/turbulence and plenty of altitude, you might want to focus on restarting even on the trade of altitude to keep in a sensible start envelope.

d) insert one of 1000 other possibilities.


Anyway, the memory items assumes that at least one of the engines will relight more or less immediately, as can be seem from the rest of the checklist. With all engines failed you are in ****s creek in any case, and only thing that will save you is thinking out of the box.

Why are you practicing this in the simulator anyway? A waste of time in my humble opinion!! Except if the goal of the practice is clearly stated e.g.:

1) "today we will practice doing the checklists and how we do an inflight restart I.e. both engines fail, one immediate restart on doing the items and afterwards practicing starting the other one using the "Engine inflight start" checklist".

2) "today we will practice doing a glider approach from FL200, simulating contaminated fuel".

Making the session without any description or goal, is just a valuable as saying: "today we will practice doing an approach into Bagdad, someone shoots a missile at your right wing - see if you can survive that". Both engines quitting is not a scenario where it can be expected the trainee to survive consistently. Trying to force the trainee to use a "canned solution" makes even less sense.

Doing TRAINING exercises should have clear stated goals about what is expected to be achieved. Doing checking, should be for failures where it is expected to survive consistently.