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Question about engine
before take off, on a twin engined aircraft, it's been discovered that one engine has failed, do we still start the trip, or else?
thx |
If you are real keen you deplane and start hitch-hiking being careful to not be run over by the tug coming out to tow the aircraft back to its hangar!
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This is acceptable provided you contact the Darwin awards committee first. :E
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Originally Posted by 14182
.........one engine has failed, do we still start the trip, or else?
thx Regards, Old Smokey |
Quads often deliberately take off on 3 engines, though I gather that they do not do so with passengers.
It is also said to be frequent practice on trijets to take off on 2 engines - without payload, though. There have been several incidents of one remaining engine failing and the plane climbing out on a single engine out of 3. Is any twin-engined plane known to have taken off completely on one engine? |
Look up VMCG and then see if you can answer that question yourself!!
I SUPPOSE a cetreline twin like a C337 or a rutan Defiant might be able to fly at a sufficiently light weight. |
Is any twin-engined plane known to have taken off completely on one engine? |
14128, It depends on when you encounter the failure. Given the journalistic ignorance of regarding the takeoff roll as "taxiing" (I kid you not...), and ergo "takeoff" begins only when the nosewheel lifts off... I'll spell it out for you:
During revenue takeoffs, all engines must be operating normally when the aircraft takes the runway. If an engine failure occurs before some predetermined speed (called V1), then the crew slam on the brakes, switch on reverse thrust, handluggage flies about the cabin, passengers scream, and the 11pm news reports on how disaster was narrowly averted. But no harm done, usually. On the other hand, if V1 has been reached before the engine quits, then a) there is no longer enough runway remaining to stop, and b) the airplane will fly away quite nicely, because the crew have this contingency well covered in their flight planning. Whether the flight continues to destination with a failed engine is dependent on many many variables. If it's a twin, they'll probably land pretty soon unless so much fuel is on board that they're overweight for landing. |
That said, there are special procedures for engine-inoperative ferrying (no passengers or cargo) a 3- or 4-engine transport aircraft - carefully spelled out in the airplane flight manual. These generally include special flight planning, special inspection of the good engines, and special crew training. The airplane is made as light as possible. Properly done, there is no undue risk.
And then there is the case of the publicity flight made by Aero Commander about 60 years ago; One propeller was removed from its engine and stowed in the cabin, the airplane took off from the Oklahoma factory, and flew to an airshow in Pennsylvania (or maybe New Jersey?) on the other engine. Again, it was all carefully planned out, but not intended to represent a recommended procedure. |
Managed to get a Gooney Bird (DC3) airborne using one engine after five unsuccessful attempts during the days when TPs were encouraged to be adventurous. Rough calculations and some intuition indicated it may be possible at minimum weight and about 30 Kts of wind.
Started to roll slightly down wind to take advantage of the wind side force against the slowly increasing power and the odd touch of one wheel brake. The locked tail wheel helped a bit. Couldn't quite make it with 30 Kts of wind so waited for 35 Kts after turning through about 300 degrees on a large grass surface. Not recommended for the faint hearted or with someone in the right seat who suffers from nightmares! |
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