flying...worst case scenario

[john_and_marlene 162]

I would think losing a wing or 2 would be worse than running out of gas

or an engine or two

wouldn't running out of gas be like losing all engines?

[Sinergy 3]

Charles i got your point

[payxibka 10,047]

One engine inoperative on a multi engine aircraft is truly NBD as all multi-engine commercial aircraft are designed to fly relatively normally with one engine out and all pilots are trained with that scenario.

[Ban Hammer 13,485]

I would think losing a wing or 2 would be worse than running out of gas

or an engine or two

wouldn't running out of gas be like losing all engines?

somewhere i read about one falling off the plane - while it was flying

[john_and_marlene 162]

I would think losing a wing or 2 would be worse than running out of gas

or an engine or two

wouldn't running out of gas be like losing all engines?

somewhere i read about one falling off the plane - while it was flying

Wasn't there a problem with DC-10 in the 1970s? I think it happened more than once.

[payxibka 10,047]

I would think losing a wing or 2 would be worse than running out of gas

or an engine or two

wouldn't running out of gas be like losing all engines?

somewhere i read about one falling off the plane - while it was flying

Wasn't there a problem with DC-10 in the 1970s? I think it happened more than once.

American Airlines lost one in Chicago in 1978 I believe and I think that was the determined cause....

[russ 1]

One engine inoperative on a multi engine aircraft is truly NBD as all multi-engine commercial aircraft are designed to fly relatively normally with one engine out and all pilots are trained with that scenario.

It is a big deal during takeoff. Since thrust is coming from one side of the plane, it causes yaw and roll. You are actually safer having an engine failure in a single engine plane than a multi in many circumstances. The plane can easily flip upside down and crash. Bigger issue with smaller jets and contributing factors such as wake turbulence and weather.

Often these outcomes are compounded with pilot error. In the normal course of flying, having an engine out is rare. Pilots can become so preoccupied with trying to fix the problem that they end up flying into a mountain. Most instructors therefore stress that step one on any emergency checklists is "Fly the airplane."

Running out of gas and failure of all engines are equally bad situations. Losing all engines is probably worse, since you are carrying the extra weight of the fuel, which will reduce the distance you can glide and increases speed. Either way, at 30,000 ft you would no longer have cabin presurization (the engines are necessary for that). You gliding distance is somewhat limited by the more important need to lose altitude quickly. Within 20 miles of an airport and above 10,000 ft, the plane would probably land. Good chance of running past the end of the runway, since there would be no thrust reversers, a faster than normal approach, and a tendency on the part of the pilot to come in high. (Judgement call here, but I would prefer running out of runway at 20mph to coming up short at 220mph)

I have no idea what the airline training scenarios are for this, but I doubt most pilots could execute the procedure perfectly every time (since it is just so uncommon).

The worst case for this multi-engine total failure is probably just after takeoff, once the plane is both off the ground, and at less than 2,500 ft. This is a window of a few seconds where all engines would need to fail at once. The odds of this happening are incredibly slim. Contaminated fuel is the only scenario I could imagine, but turbines will basically burn anything flamable. The odds of even that happening are incredibly slim too, since the pilot would notice and abort the takeoff.

[payxibka 10,047]

When I said NBD, I meant it in reference to the situation does not automatically mean catastrophe. I have listened to more than one cokpit voice recording of a one engine shut down (tail pipe hot indication of fire) on climb out with a full load of passengers, and the pilots were business as usual and were simply "flying the airplane" and returned to the field without incident.

[TracyTN 237]

I still think farting is the big concern.

[Ban Hammer 13,485]

I still think farting is the big concern.

oops

[DeadPoolX 9]

I still think farting is the big concern.

At least the extra "wind" would make up the lack of an engine or two.

Edited September 11, 2007 by DeadPoolX