Weekly episodes of the Finer Points, audio and video are brought to you by our sponsors. During flight training, you should be taught to brief every takeoff before you go. Good flight planning suggests that you should have a plan of action for emergencies that might come up in flight. Particularly, during takeoff and at the departure phase. In this aviation video, we discuss the impossible turn, that is turning back to the runway, in the event of an engine failure on take off. When you should and when you should not consider executing this controversial maneuver.
What happens if you have an engine failure after departure? You have left the runway and gained enough altitudes, so that turning back to the runway might be an option. In video tip number 13, we discussed what would happen in an emergency situation during the takeoff phase. We divide this failure scenario into three phases, an engine failure on the runway, an engine failure after rotation with runway remaining and an engine failure after rotation with no runway remaining.
But what happens in the next sequence of flight when you have gained some altitude? What are your options and when can you consider turning around? The altitude that you would attempt to 180 degree turn back to the field, along with observed wind condition should be a part of every pre-takeoff briefing. Before you go, you should have a solid commitment that it is not until you have reached this predetermined altitude that to turn back to the field is even an option.
Although the FAA recommends to avoid tight turn back to the airport until you reach a cold maneuvering altitude, it still leaves the question of what altitude is maneuvering altitude. Your instructor may say 1000 feet, your pilot friend 800, but you won't know until you have done it yourself. So on your next flight, go to a safe altitude and after performing all of your pre-maneuver checks including scanning for traffic, try a few 180 degree turns at idle power.
Note your heading and your altitude and establish yourself into departure configuration and a view eye climb. When you are ready, pull the power to idle, wait the recommended four seconds and then commence a 180 degree turn. Remember a steeper bank angle translates into greater loss of altitude but an increased rate of turn, a shallow bank angle will result in a wider turn, but less altitude lost in the given amount of time.
Although this exercise will give you an idea of how much altitude you will lose in each option, there are a few things to consider to make this number as safe and accurate as possible. The first is that, there is an initial moment of disbelief or confusion that occurs and it often takes a pilot several seconds to actually react. Valuable seconds that often compromise altitude and our air speed.
The second major consideration is wind, because you can execute a 180 degree turn does not mean that you will reach the field, the wind conditions will greatly affect both, how far you have travelled from the field before the failure and how far you can glide back to the field. Turns back to the runway should always be made into the wind and you can see why it's important to observe that in your pre-takeoff briefing. With these considerations, it's further recommended by the FAA to add a 25% safety factor. These exercises will help you know approximately how much altitude you will lose in a turn back to the runway and commit to gaining that altitude before a turn back becomes an option.
If you have decided on a 1000 feet and you find yourself at 900 feet, with its sputtering engine, your decision is already made and you will be landing straight ahead. It's not until you reach your decision altitude that a turn around even becomes an option. You should remember that weight, and density altitude can dramatically affect the results. So this is merely an invitation to go up to a safe altitude and become more familiar with a handling characteristics of your aeroplane in this scenario and add that knowledge to your flying safety.
This podcast was brought to you in part by ForeFlight, bringing Preflight Intelligence in Flight Plan Filing software to the iPhone and iPod Touch and by ASA, your source for the books and supplies the pilot, students and instructors rely on. I am Jason Miller. Thanks for listening. Until next time, be safe, fly your best.
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