Departure Briefings

I was bad about departure briefings many years ago until I ran into an instructor who said “I’ll wait” until I did it every... single... time.

Fly professionally or not, he said...

Becomes even more important in a multi at this altitude.

That’s a great point: Fly professionally or not.

PIC comes with some awesome responsibilities, solo or not. We should remember to treat it that way.
 
Ok, as promised I tried some practice engine outs from 2000 feet. I flew 3 scenarios. All three were Vy, full throttle until 1000 AGL, then increased to about 20 over Vy and 2500 rpm until 2000 feet, then pulled throttle and full carb heat and counted 10 Mississippi before changing anything. Crosswind turns were done at 500 AGL

wind was roughly 10 at 45 to the runway.

1. Upwind
2. Crosswind into wind
3. Crosswind away from wind.

both upwind and into the wind tests I made it back with too much to spare. Had a very hard time losing the altitude safely, but made it to the ground without touching the throttle.

Crosswind away from the wind I came nowhere close to making it. But, I made it close enough I cloud have landed in that field in the OPs picture quite easily.

thanks for inspiring me to do this, great practice and education.

questions that remain are, had I done Vy all the way, could I have made it back in scenario 3? My guess is no, but it would be close.
 
Crosswind away from the wind I came nowhere close to making it. But, I made it close enough I cloud have landed in that field in the OPs picture quite easily.

That one can be difficult even from 1000 AGL when doing power off 180s for the commercial certificate. Definitely need to know where the wind is from and how strong.

I had a stupid just under 20 knot cross toward the pattern side on checkride day. Heh. Making your mark was an immediate turn to the numbers. That gave you a little margin to play with. If you rounded it at all it was sketchy to make your spot.
 
It's weird that the OP mentioned that he was never trained to talk about emergency procedures as part of the briefing. My CFI taught me to do the passenger briefing SAFETY (Seatbelts, Airvents, Fire extinguisher, Egress, Talk about our flight plan, and do You have any questions for the pilot) before the engine even gets started. Then after the runup, we talk about the 4 S**tty Things that could happen during takeoff and what would be done about them (on the runway, off the runway with runway ahead of us, below 1400, above 1400). I thought it would be standard procedure for absolutely any student to learn to do with a passenger, and at least to run through their own mind if they are solo.
 
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