Deadstick: The Movie

Get ready to star in this adventure by positioning your aircraft on Runway 24 at Muskegon County (KMKG) in Michigan. Pick whatever aircraft best resembles an aircraft you fly. If you have the option for retractable gear, you might want to use it as that adds a variable to this exercise and makes it more, um, fun. But the choice of the airplane is really up to you. If you fly a twin, slum it for this sim challenge and go back to the high-performance single you probably traded in for your first twin.

jwanwest

Sunday, July 28, 2019 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The article outlines a flight simulator challenge designed to practice engine-out (deadstick) landings in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) at an unfamiliar airport.
It emphasizes the pilot's emergency authority under FAR 91.3(b) to deviate from standard procedures during an in-flight emergency, encouraging pilots to creatively adapt approaches like direct entries or improvised ILS guidance.
The challenge prompts critical reflection on decision-making, glide performance, wind effects, and various deadstick landing techniques to improve preparedness for real-world engine failures.
A unique takeaway highlights that sometimes a less-than-perfect, slightly damaging landing in a real engine-out scenario might be advantageous for insurance claims covering expensive repairs.

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The old HBO series Deadwood told the tale of a lawless town where the rules were what you made them. Our aviation version is the Wild West town of FAR 91.3 (b): “In an in-flight emergency requiring immediate action, the pilot in command may deviate from any rule of this part to the extent required to meet that emergency.”

Welcome to Deadstick, the place where losing an engine in IMC grants you the authority to ignore those pesky course reversals, crossing altitudes, and ATC instructions. This plane is coming down and the only one who can make that happen on a runway is you. Welcome to what’ll probably be the only sim challenge that doesn’t contain a single missed approach.