Power-Off Approaches

Takeoffs, as a friend and CFI likes to inform her students, are optional. Landings, however, are mandatory. Within the soaring community, the line was "Get one free landing with every takeoff!" And therein is the most sobering aspect of facing a power-off landing: the reality the old stand-by go-around option we enjoy for other situations is eliminated. So while making all the usual efforts to restart an engine after it stops, the savvy pilot must simultaneously make a quick assessment of available options-and adjust to flying the aircraft as a glider. That means trimming for best glide while working the restart prospects and looking for the best suitable landing area available. And you must take these steps quickly: Altitude equals time to touchdown; the lower the failure altitude the less the time available, and the smaller is the radius of territory you have to consider. Gravity will prevail; your job is to make the arrival survivable, maybe even a great landing that leaves the airplane ready to fly again-once the engine problem is fixed, of course. Ultimately, an engine failure in a single-or, say, flameout of both engines after flying through a flock of birds-presents a situation demanding the best of your stick-and-rudder skills along with all your top judgment and experience.

Key Takeaways:

• An engine failure requires immediate adaptation to glider flight, simultaneous troubleshooting, and rapid assessment of suitable landing areas, as the go-around option is eliminated.
• Pilots must know their aircraft's best glide speed and descent rate to quickly calculate available glide time and distance, informing decisions on reaching the nearest airport or suitable off-airport field.
• Successfully executing a power-off landing involves precise altitude management through S-turns or slips, maintaining best-glide speed, and utilizing techniques like the "carrier approach" to align with the chosen landing spot.
• Standard engine-out training often doesn't fully simulate a dead engine's performance (e.g., prop drag), underscoring the need for more realistic practice to build comprehensive power-off landing skills.

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