Lots of interesting stuff here, but there is a bottom line. That is :

Unless you have 1500ft in anything swept wing forget it.

The wash off is just too great to get a stable configuration before 300-500 ft and you have got to get very lucky indeed to make a "non-fatal" touchdown after that.

Better to go with the "Old Rules". Land ahead in the best available area. Gear up/down is a matter of choice. Gear down would be better as it takes some of the crash load (surface permitting).

A controlled arrival onto bad ground is better than an uncontrolled one anywhere.

That said; we can screw around with the Sims all day long - and I have for years. However the numbers programmed therein are not reliable outside the normal operating params and it can be misleading to rely on them.

MG

What would be a typical climb gradient and what would be a typical glide gradient of our average 737?

I was out of Alicante yesterday doing 3,500 feet per minute to 10,000ft and to be honest a glide back to the runway looked feasible from 2500ft looking back over my shoulder.

MG no-ones going to seriousley consider turning back unless its certain youll die if you proceed straight ahead. The original threads question was rather academic dont you think? Sims are academic so the answer was also.

WWW Im a bit confused here. Are you a 737 pilot under training?

Nah just being lazy and not looking it up.

WWW

Slash ...

Yer never gunna believe this mate, but MY watch battery died on me yesterday. Took me all of 30 minutes and a couple of bucks to get a replacement battery, but its all too late now of course, ain't it... ;)