Mailing List lml@lancaironline.net Message #38607
From: J H Webb <airmale@windstream.net>
Sender: <marv@lancaironline.net>
Subject: Down in Ga
Date: Sun, 19 Nov 2006 20:11:20 -0500
To: <lml>
VTAILJEFF@aol.com wrote:
In a message dated 11/13/2006 3:15:09 PM Central Standard Time, Sky2high@aol.com writes:

    Regardless of how the engine stopped, the way the emergency was
    handled seems to be important.
Scott,
 
You are a genius. It seems that powered pilots when faced with an engine out situation tend to fly until:
 
a) they hit something or
b) they run out of airspeed and stall the airplane.
 
Most aircraft accidents I investigate and pilots I see in flight training or in FAA checkrides are not capable of determining how far they can glide and whether or not they can make it to their chosen landing site. Most pilots do not know how to spiral over their landing site, arrive at a suitable high key and low key postion and land within 200 feet of their chosen point. This is important stuff-- but many pilots do not know how to do it and many do not practice it regularly. It is not hard stuff. If a 14 year old soloing in a glider can do it why can't an adult pilot do it in a Lancair? This guy wasn't even close. Flying is like golf...if you don't practice regularly, how can you expect to shoot par?
 
Jeff Edwards
LIVP N619SJ
Jeff,
Absolutely correct. or put another way practice makes perfect!! I have test flown both the Walters and PT 6 engines and they have a common problem.
Plus an abrupt large power change in a LIVPT can cause directional distress (large yaw angles) at both low and high speeds without quick rudder input you could loose control. This is because of insufficient vertical surface aft of the center of gravity/center of pressure. If  you have not experienced it, it can be very frightening. I have done quite a bit of turbine flight test in a former life and one of the issues was the abrupt change in drag.  Upfront in a single engine airplane this can be very hard to control.

Jack Webb
L360, LIV
BSAE major interest low speed (below Mach 1.0) aerodynamics and stalls
Lots of Engineering flight test and instruction experience in high performance a/c

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