How to set up to land with a dead engine.

[wilkersk]

Brian,

What type of airplane are you thinking of when you say the difference between a windmilling prop and idle engine is so small? In a high-performance airplane the difference in rate of descent can be several hundred feet per minute at the same airspeed.

I agree with your recommendation to practice power-off 180s regularly.

- Martin

I'm imagining a 74" Hartzell blended airfoil "dive brake" going to fine pitch when theres no more oil pressure to operate the prop governor, compared to a the little wooden 52" prop on my Sonerai.

 

[Lindberg]

How m much thrust is actually being generated at idle? Usually it's not even enough to overcome friction on the ground.

 

[bbchien]

I experienced this for real about 25 years ago in my TurboBullet mooney. This requires LOCAL knowledge. Skies were about 600 ovc and I was on top at FL 18. The airport was up a shallow pocket canyon, and this was in the days of "non IFR GPS". I circled down in an about 1 mile DME arc and broke out over the two insecting runways, not exactly where you wnat to be a 600 agl w/o power. but I did get it down on pavement w/o damage.

That alternative, particulary of you have a lot of altitude, is to learn to cross the IAF on an ILS at about 2.5-3 x the IAF alittude and fly it in. (The Malibu Pilots assn. studied this.... )