Practicing the Impossible Turn

Microsoft Flight Simulator can be used to try a 700-foot turn back at engine failure as much as you want with risk only to your pride.

Peter James

Tuesday, May 02, 2023 at 01:35 PM ET

Verified

Executing the "impossible turn," or turn back to the runway if your engine quits, in a sim is an exercise in mental awareness and "big picture” thinking. [Image courtesy: Peter James]

Key Takeaways:

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 is presented as an effective and safe platform for pilots to practice critical emergency maneuvers, such as the "impossible turn" after engine failure.
The article details successful simulated practice of low-altitude engine-out scenarios, including a 700 ft AGL turn back to the runway, and off-field landings on highways and plowed fields.
These simulator exercises significantly enhance a pilot's mental awareness, quick decision-making, and problem-solving skills for real-world aviation emergencies.

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As an experienced CFII (certified flight instructor instrument) in the early days of my career, and as a reader of FLYING, we all know about the “impossible turn” or turn back to the runway if your engine quits at exactly the wrong time.

The safety altitude most instructors teach is to never turn around if less than 1,000 feet above the airport elevation. It is always better to land straight ahead, or at the most a few degrees either left or right to avoid the hardest objects in your path.