Twin Question
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Twin Question
Calling all you twin drivers. Can I get feedback and answers to this question, please.
Would you rather force-land a single or keep an asymmetric twin in the air and why?
Walrus
Would you rather force-land a single or keep an asymmetric twin in the air and why?
Walrus
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keep it in the air for aslong as possible, that way you've increased your chances of making to an aerodrome
that said, most piston twins when fully loaded up may struggle a bit and when you put IMC into the mix you then have to consider maintaining LSALT, MSAs etc and then shooting n approach on one puppy.
i really never want to face a situation where im in IMC, lose an engine, then slowly descend as i can't keep altitude, pop out below the clouds to see hostile terrain
that said, most piston twins when fully loaded up may struggle a bit and when you put IMC into the mix you then have to consider maintaining LSALT, MSAs etc and then shooting n approach on one puppy.
i really never want to face a situation where im in IMC, lose an engine, then slowly descend as i can't keep altitude, pop out below the clouds to see hostile terrain
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It's happened to me once, above a solid layer. 40 nm's north of destination at 7000, LSALT 5800. Mountainous terrain below. Had to shoot a VOR App to get down safely.
Bit of a pain, but if i'd been in a single...possibly game over with the cloud base below the higher mountain tops.
Dunno about anyone else, but if I was ever out and about in a piston single either at night or over water, I could always 'hear' things...bad things...and strange little vibrations...coming from the engine!!! Whoever said 'the aircraft doesn't know it's dark!'?
Bit of a pain, but if i'd been in a single...possibly game over with the cloud base below the higher mountain tops.
Dunno about anyone else, but if I was ever out and about in a piston single either at night or over water, I could always 'hear' things...bad things...and strange little vibrations...coming from the engine!!! Whoever said 'the aircraft doesn't know it's dark!'?
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definitely the twin... with the proviso that you need to remember that for many GA twins, the 2nd engine is best considered a means of travel to the scene of the impending crash. Use the time it grants you to sort out a suitable landing site, then do so (land that is) as soon as possible. And if you absolutely gotta crash, keep flying it, as far into the crash as possible.
Yes ya do, otherwise the Doc would be in on the answering too, and we all know what he'd say, 
.
Twin for sure. If you fly a twin engine aircraft properly assymetrically, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to make it to your destination, even with a full load of pax.
EFATO, maybe not quite the same in the case of things like Chieftain's/Navajo's in hot climates, but it'll at least give you a fighting chance.
I always used to quite seriously believe that if I ever had an EFATO in a Chieftain, full of pax, it'd be safer to just pull the other engine and land it on a road or do a controlled crash, rather than having one engine at full power and descending into the tree's when you're trying to fight it.
morno
.Twin for sure. If you fly a twin engine aircraft properly assymetrically, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to make it to your destination, even with a full load of pax.
EFATO, maybe not quite the same in the case of things like Chieftain's/Navajo's in hot climates, but it'll at least give you a fighting chance.
I always used to quite seriously believe that if I ever had an EFATO in a Chieftain, full of pax, it'd be safer to just pull the other engine and land it on a road or do a controlled crash, rather than having one engine at full power and descending into the tree's when you're trying to fight it.
morno
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Id be in in the twin.
Unless a doctor was flying it.
Unless a doctor was flying it.
Last edited by Howard Hughes; 8th Aug 2008 at 08:35.
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poor old sheeftan's
I've got just on 400 hours in Chieftan's and from what I've seen of their performance, I can tell you there's no way the old girl would even maintain height with a fair payload on board. It would make for an interesting situation if you threw in IMC below LSALT.. I guess the answer to the original question is that it depends on flight conditions and payload.
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Flying is always preferable, even if only on 1 engine as you are in control and it bys you time to come up with a plan.
The old forced landing is as the name suggests forced, you have no other options.
The old forced landing is as the name suggests forced, you have no other options.
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One feels safe in C208 Caravan when IMC at night, Safer than an OLD twin with a **** auto pilot and No or worthless DeIce gear and Wx radar, Old Instruments and buttons and knobs all over the place after 30 years of mods, Then you never know how the last guy treated the Old piston Engines, at least most single turbines have a computer that records the engine life..
Caravan
Twin turbine
Caravan
Twin turbine
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Yes Jabba, where is Wally? Are they working him too hard down there...
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Seen the latest flight safety mag Bay? lots of 208's with engine failures! (not many piston twins in there)
Yeah the van might be a nice bit of kit, BUT you might aswell wipe your rear end with the pages from the logbook as the entrys are right below your 152!
The ole GA piston twins have always got me home and they will do so for the next fellas flying them after me for many years (and i stress years again) to come!
EDIT:
Ah yeah back on topic, piston twin pre take off brief, below blue line i will close the thottles and land ahead, above blue line (drills) asses performance and etc
The moral of the story of these aeroplanes is to know the limitations, the second engine is there to give you more options than you would have in a single, once you have learnt the realistic expectations of your aeroplane you can make a plan and act on it! that is what we are paid to do
Yeah the van might be a nice bit of kit, BUT you might aswell wipe your rear end with the pages from the logbook as the entrys are right below your 152!
The ole GA piston twins have always got me home and they will do so for the next fellas flying them after me for many years (and i stress years again) to come!
EDIT:
Ah yeah back on topic, piston twin pre take off brief, below blue line i will close the thottles and land ahead, above blue line (drills) asses performance and etc
The moral of the story of these aeroplanes is to know the limitations, the second engine is there to give you more options than you would have in a single, once you have learnt the realistic expectations of your aeroplane you can make a plan and act on it! that is what we are paid to do
Last edited by MACH082; 8th Aug 2008 at 11:48.
It depends on whether you are a poor enough pilot/decision maker to "will" the old thing to stay airborne so long that you do the Vmca flip or not, sometimes chioce can make you do stooopid things.
Better to go in upright and on your own terms than purely on Issac Newtons.
Better to go in upright and on your own terms than purely on Issac Newtons.
Couln't agree with bazza stub more. Have watched two people die in a Comanche doing the Vmca flip instead of closing the throttles and turning it into a glider. Very sobering!
Bottom line in a twin; thorough pre-take off brief every time with an appropriate escape plan (including the thought process of turning it into a glider if necessary and doing a forced landing)and the discipline to execute it.
Bottom line in a twin; thorough pre-take off brief every time with an appropriate escape plan (including the thought process of turning it into a glider if necessary and doing a forced landing)and the discipline to execute it.
Yes ya do, otherwise the Doc would be in on the answering too, and we all know what he'd say,
Its a stupid question!
Of course your gonna say your better off with two engines, if you loose one - cause we are all ****-hot pilots that can handle it!
Then again, you have twice the chance of finding out just how ****-hot you are by flying a twin.
Now if the question was "Would you rather ride a Baron or a Bo to the ground - gimme the Bonza any day!
Dr
PS: Did I tell you? Its BACK IN THE F*CKING AIR! I have racked up 20+hrs in the last week.