Descending for the Emergency Landing

Chapter 16.3

Descent: Gliding or EMERGENCY DESCENT

In an emergency situation you have to decide, depending on the conditions, what kind of descent is best suited:

After the failure, the engine can not be restarted, but there is no other damage.

Decision: Gliding

The remaining altitude is used either to go as far as possible in gliding flight or to stay as long as possible in the air. A clever management of the gliding flight must bring the aircraft into a good position to start the final approach.

Descent: Gliding or EMERGENCY DESCENT

A severe emergency, such as an engine fire, that can not be or can only be partially controlled.

Decision: EMERGENCY DESCENT

The airplane must be brought to the ground as soon as possible, in a prescribed configuration. In the event of a malfunction of the cabin pressurization system at high altitude, EMERGENCY DESCENT may also be necessary.

During a low-altitude engine failure - less than 3000 ft AGL (above the ground) - depending on the conditions, you must decide what procedure to follow.

The Forced Landing Procedure

From high altitudes topography is difficult to judge, the best estimate can be at heights between 4000 and 2000 ft AGL. When you are far above ground, you begin by choosing a general direction to follow in which you will have a good chance of finding an appropriate landing surface.

The Forced Landing Procedure

During the glide, the following actions must be performed according to the situation:

• best use of the remaining height while maintaining V BEST GLIDE

• Determine the wind and take it into account
  

• Distribute the trajectory to the KEY POSITION
  

• Distribute the approach
  

• Perform the EMERGENCY CHECKLIST

• Inform ATC and TRANSPONDER setting to 7700

Initiate Gliding after Engine Failure

Direct Passage from Climbing to Gliding

After a climbing engine failure you must immediately put the aircraft into the reference attitude for gliding, by pushing the pitch control appropriately, so you avoid getting too dangerously close to the minimum speed /V STALL.

Initiate Gliding after Engine Failure

Transition from Straight and Level Flight or Descent to Gliding

When changing between a straight and level or descending flight, do not lose too much altitude by reducing airspeed.

• If the current airspeed is much higher than the glide speed, it is worth converting its kinetic energy into potential energy while climbing to gain altitude/ ZOOM UP (JET).

At the same time you need to decide upon a general flight direction, depending on the geographical position (you will choose to fly in the direction of the best landing possibilities.)

Procedure after Stabilizing the Glide

After stabilizing the glide and providing enough height above the ground, look for the cause of the failure. Frequent engine problems arise from the missuse of the fuel system.

Procedures after an engine failure are described in detail in Chapter 11:

• ENGINE FAILURE IN FLIGHT
  

• ENGINE RESTART