Sport Pilot Talk

The author of this well-written discussion of his catastrophic engine failure in a Jabiru 250 offers observations on what it feels like to have the engine stop in flight. He comments on his sensations and reaction, choosing a field, talking with ATC, dealing with the landing and actions afterward. He concludes with some lessons learned that all of us might ponder. He and his passenger and indeed the airplane escaped without injury (except a nav light).
http://www.mywphost.net/craigr/2011/11/09/forced-landing-in-the-jabiru/

great read, thanks.

This is an interesting read altho' it's mostly focused on the 'after we completed the forced landing' side of the episode. It also reports on a very straightforward flight. The engine failure didn't occur in or near controlled airspace and there really was only one option the pilot needed to consider: where to land.

For an exceptionally well written recent account of an engine failure - with more complicated circumstances that probably reflect the airspace in which many of us fly at least some of the time - I encourage you to read this thread on the AOPA Forum:
http://forums.aopa.org/showthread.php?t=82447

The most useful parts of the thread are the initial postings that layout the event, then a few follow-up posts by the pilot in response to Q's and second-guessers, and then near the end a follow-up report on what happened *after* the plane was on the ground. The pilot needed to change his emergency landing plans, bust a TFR, and coordinate all of this with ATC...and IMO this is a text book example of how such a circumstance should be handled.

Couple of quick hits re: both incidents:
-- both this stories illustrate why you would want to be using flight following with ATC whenever possible if not flying IFR; one pilot was better off because he was using FF, the other would have been better off if he was
-- we all should have two facts about our flight readily at hand: How many minutes of flight do I have if I lose the engine, which means I start by acknowledging my AGL, not MSL, and I know my fpm descent rate at best glide speed. (For our Grumman, a conservative number we used @ 72 kts is 500 fpm). And how many miles can I realistically glide, meaning I need to have a simple ratio at hand which applies to best glide speed. (For us - and a number of other single fixed wing a/c - it's 2 NM/1K' AGL)

(Yet another story about Jabiru engines, I notice...)

_________________
Jack
RAF Florida State Liaison
Please visit www.theraf.org

Uh, Jack, that is the very thread I cited a few days ago in the Safety forum and which you responded to there.

No harm in citing it twice - as you point out it's a valuable thread.

Jim, my thinking as well.

_________________
Jack
RAF Florida State Liaison
Please visit www.theraf.org