Five Twin Training Tips

Would you like to declare an emergency?” the controller asked with practiced coolness. Looking at the stopped and feathered left engine on the Cessna 310R I’d had for just 10 days, there was only one possible answer: “Yes.” Moments before, the engine had started vibrating so violently I was afraid it would shake the plane apart. I quickly feathered and shut it down, and called ATC. “Buffalo Approach, Twin Cessna 692, my left engine has failed.” So there I was, about 20 miles from my destination with only one fan turning, taken somewhat by surprise by the failure of a freshly overhauled engine. I stabilized and trimmed the plane, and with airspeed well over the blue line, I keyed in “direct to” on the GPS. Approach indicated they would inform my non-towered destination of my situation and impending arrival.

Key Takeaways:

• The author's real-world engine failure and other incidents revealed that standard multi-engine training, though foundational, often falls short in preparing pilots for unexpected and complex emergencies across various flight phases.
• Key recommendations for multi-engine training include frequent, unannounced engine failures in diverse conditions (e.g., climbout, approaches, unexpected scenarios) and rigorous memorization of emergency procedures.
• To achieve true proficiency and confidence, pilots should aim to practice an actual single-engine landing during training, acknowledging that twin-engine operation demands continuous vigilance and skill development.

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