AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019 - 14

LETTERS

FROM OUR OCTOBER 2019 ISSUE

Multiengine vigilance
AOPA Air Safety Institute Executive Director Richard McSpadden's reflection on a
Beechcraft King Air accident got readers thinking about split-second reactions.

Tim Cote
AOPA 9258169
Washington, D.C.

In The Complete Multiengine
Pilot I call it "constructive
paranoia." Select decision
points such as "on the roll,"
"rotation," "liftoff," "100 feet,"
and "500 feet," and have in
mind definite actions you
would take if an engine failed
at one of those decision points.
I have lost an engine on the
takeoff roll and when climbing through 400 feet (different
trips, obviously) and they were
nonevents because I expected
that an engine would fail-and
I was right.
Bob Gardner
AOPA 229495
Renton, Washington

In case of emergency

I read Catherine Cavagnaro's
recent article in AOPA Pilot
( " Te c h n i q u e : C h e c k r i d e
14 | AOPA PILOT December 2019

Versus Reality"). I have been

P&E TECHNIQUE

Checkride versus
reality
How should you make an emergency descent in your airplane?
B Y C AT H E R I N E C AVAG N A R O

a flight instructor for over
FINALLY!
A CARD
20
years
FOR
PILOTS.

and I agree the
emergency descent is rarely
considered, or practiced.
I reviewed the table of
various configurations and I
think she left out the one that
I think makes the most sense.
Cash Back Every
I would
Other
Purchase avoid high speed such
as
V to theor V LE because most
Switch todayNO
new AOPA credit card,
and
stop payingare
too very uncomfortable
pilots
much on your
aviation purchases.
that fast and landing is going
to be a problem.
AOPA.org/creditcard
High bank angles are hard
to maintain in a descent even
for commercial pilots and not
helpful if you have a landing
spot picked out in front of you.
How about V FE with full
flaps and a full slip and no
bank angle other than maneuver for landing? High speed is
avoided. Exiting the slip can
be done in the flare. Try it, I
think you will like it.
I know, a slip should be
avoided with full flaps. Most
pilot's operating handbooks do
not prohibit but merely say to
avoid because it might unport
the fuel pickup and cause
engine stoppage. At V FE the

1%
1

CASH BACK APPLIED AS STATEMENT CREDIT.
1

"THIS SURE IS A NICE POWER-OFF GLIDE

SHAW NIELSEN

Richard McSpadden's "Safety
Spotlight: Critical Moments"
was a huge affirmation of my
choice to fly the Cessna 337.
He never mentioned it, but
for me the article was pure
Skymaster advertising. The
commitment to hone springl o a d e d re a c t i o n s f o r a n
engine-out is just too much
for me, as it is for many who
fly conventional twins unprepared. I believe one engine is
one too few, and McSpadden's
article affirmed my conviction
that they ought be put in front
and in back. With 200 knots
and pressurization, what's not
to like? It's my forever bird. 

you've set up, but we're on fire," I said to
Michael, my private pilot candidate. After
a momentary blank stare, he said, "Oh! You
meant an emergency descent," and he set up
a glide to get us to the ground more quickly.
I had earlier instructed him to imagine that
we had an emergency, such as an engine fire
or smoke in the cabin. Instead of setting up
an emergency descent, Michael followed
the procedure for gliding after engine failure. I don't know if it is a case of checkride
jitters or lack of practice of a maneuver
tucked near the back of the airman certification standards, but Michael is not alone.
The emergency descent task seems not to
get much attention in training, and the variety of creative techniques I've seen testify
to that. Some candidates relate that they've
done it just once or twice.

The emergency descent, as defined in
the Airplane Flying Handbook, is a maneuver for descending as rapidly as possible
to a lower altitude or to the ground for an
emergency landing, within the structural
limitations of the airplane. Multiple emergencies could require such an immediate
and quick descent. For example, in the case
of a cabin depressurization at high altitude,
the goal is to drop to a lower altitude where
cabin pressurization is no longer necessary.
After that, a normal landing at an airport can
be performed.
The descent technique is trickier if the
emergency requires an immediate landing
after the descent. An engine fire or smoke in
the cabin typically requires a high descent
rate as well as an expedited landing, possibly not at an airport. Additionally, a fire
might compromise the aircraft structure,
aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 87

I have really
enjoyed Catherine
Cavagnaro's articles
in AOPA Pilot. I've
been a member since
1985 and her articles
have certainly added
an intellectual look
at aerodynamics and
aerobatics.

Steve Young
AOPA 6198172
Taneyville, Missouri

Visit

to learn more

*Certain points and purchases restrictions apply, see full Rewards
Terms and Conditions for full details at AOPA.org/creditcard.
1 Rewards points can be redeemed for Cash Back or other items provided through AOPA Pilot Rewards. A Cash Back redemption is applied
as a statement credit. The statement credit will reduce your balance
but you are still required to make at least your minimum payment. A
minimum of 2,500 points is needed to redeem for Cash Back. Values
for non-cash back redemption items such as merchandise, gift cards,
and travel may vary.

engine will still be windmilling and if you are on fire and
the engine quits, who cares.

Alan Krause
AOPA 509581
Prescott Valley, Arizona

Everyday heroes

I just read Natalie Bingham
Hoover's "Flying Life: Silver
Lining" article, and I wanted
to thank her for a great
article!
While I have been fortunate enough to never need an
"everyday hero," I know that
they are out there. I also agree
that there are a lot of them
out there, and those are truly
the stories we need to hear
each and every day.
Thank you for the wonderful article.
Gary Smith
AOPA 4154525
Hampton, Tennessee

Accreting knowledge

Thank for the super article on
inflight icing ("Wx Watch: Ice
Advice").
We fly Twin Commanders
with TKS ice protection system throughout the Midwest,
North, and Southeast. 

What future trends in aviation interest you the most?
Avionics and technology
New aircraft
Flight simulation devices
Other
Unmanned aircraft
Aviation eBrief poll

56%
26%
9%
6%
3%

3%

9%
26%

6%

56%


http://www.aopa.org/pilot

AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019

Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019 - Intro
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019 - Cover1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019 - Cover2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019 - Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019 - 2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019 - 3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019 - 4
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019 - 5
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019 - 6
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019 - 7
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019 - 8
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019 - 9
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019 - 10
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019 - 11
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019 - 12
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019 - 13
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019 - 14
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019 - 15
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019 - 16
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019 - 17
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019 - 18
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019 - 19
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019 - 20
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019 - Cover3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2019 - Cover4
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