Pitchlock
An interesting discussion, but it never goes as per the text book. I presume the pitchlock (any time after V1) is based on a total prop oil loss - PP1 and PP2 on steady? It doesn't happen. My experience was that PP2 will always find some oil and send it to the prop so that the pitchlock will ratchet to a finer blade angle with all the attendant results, higher rpm, less throttle to play with, etc. My course of action would be to stay as low and slow as AUW will allow and recover to departure airfield - hopefully visually. If it is unstable you can always pull the handle when landing is assured - it might feather, it might decouple but it is not going to put you in too adverse a situation. I doubt the gearbox will disintegrate on you in that short time-frame.
I presume that a crew in a sim are not trying to manually pitchlock the prop during takeoff? That strikes me as flightdeck overload and we all know what happens next.
Another option is the fuel chop and decouple. Sure the prop may go off guage but in the circuit/visual I believe even the average pilot should land safely.
The bigger issues are going IMC and LSALT for recovery, a high DA or having the event happen at ETP/PSR. All need to be thought through, the ADAK P-3 accident makes interesting reading. (ETA - Another thought is that you may not even know you have a problem until you turn the sync servo off!)
We pulled the handle when landing was assured and got a feather, but it did seem to take a bloody long time for the prop brake to take effect!
Last edited by RequestPidgeons; 21st Jul 2015 at 10:19.