Sender: <marv@lancaironline.net> (Marvin Kaye)
To: lml@lancaironline.net
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2004 14:00:18 -0400
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Subject: RE: Engine out
Thread-Topic: lml Digest #930
Thread-Index: AcR+wQmOOunCkndkRJi1W+s2AuLk6AAN2kTQ
From: "Halle, John" <JJHALLE@stoel.com>

I agree with all of the recent advice about knowing your airplane's =
engine out performance characteristics but have some reservations about =
the implied conclusion that this knowledge is always important in =
handling an actual engine-out situation.  In fact, there is a serious =
choice that needs to be made before relying on max glide range =
information, whether it comes from the pilot's knowledge and experience, =
from the Chelton or from some other source.  If you don't have to glide =
to max range, don't even think about trying.  I agree that there may be =
times when there is a great field just at the limit of glide range and =
nothing closer that offers a reasonable chance for survival.  In that =
case, being able to fly the optimum profile (starting with knowing what =
it is) may save your life.  On the other hand, if the option at the =
limit of your glide range is not orders of magnitude superior to any =
closer option (from a survival rather than an a/c damage perspective) =
choosing the closer option is clearly the better choice.  Not only are =
you assured of getting there but you have more chance to set up for the =
approach and landing/controlled crash and therefore a better chance of =
surviving it.  This is equally true whether the options are all good =
(wall to wall fields) mediocre (a few feasible spots here and there) or =
terrible (Western Montana).

I think the appropriate conclusion is that, if your survival depends on =
coming within 5% of optimum glide, you are in deep trouble and your =
chances of survival are not good no matter how much you know about the =
optimum profile.  If that's where you really are, the more you know, the =
better your chance will be.  But if you have other options, forget about =
optimum glide, get thee to the best one and good luck!

As someone has recently observed, the Lancair dead stick grand champion =
of all time is Don Goetz.  Don did my first flight and, before doing so, =
he made it absolutely clear that, in the event of a problem, he had no =
interest in what happened to the airplane.  Given his record, it is hard =
to imagine anyone better qualified to play superhero with a max range =
glide so it is interesting that he professed no interest in doing so.