» Cover story POW ERPLANT ERPLANT he engine is an enigma. Shrouded under layer upon layer of metal, yards of wiring, and a cowling, an aircraft engine can be mysterious. As pilots, we rarely see our engines, and touching anything other than the oil dipstick is next to impossible with some aircraft—which is funny, because the engine is our lifeline. It defines our machines. People had been airborne for decades before the Wright brothers, but no one had ever flown an airplane in the truest sense. The engine by definition, makes the airplane. T UNWRAPPING THE MYSTERY BEHIND YOUR AIRPLANE’S ENERGY SOURCE » By Ian J. Twombly PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKE FIZER PLUS Watch a video of engine tips. JANUARY 2012 FLIGHT TRAINING / 25