apcooper
Dude, where's my country?
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2004
- Posts
- 201
irapilot said:My question whenever someone selling or talking up the PC-12 and they mention the glide ratio is "that's great in most conditions but let's say you are flying over rugged terrain with clouds right down on the deck and although you took off VFR and your destination is VFR, what happens when the engine quits now, or the prop fails (the awesome glide ratio is predicated on the prop being in feather), with VFR conditions out of glide range, what do you do then?" I never have gotten a good answer that makes me feel warm and fuzzy about that situation.
Been gone a few days and just now stumbled upon this. What I'd do in the above scenario is establish min sink speed which is I'm sure significantly slower than best glide and then after you've tried to relight I'd ask ATC to vector me to known suitable terrian (maybe a river, lake, stream or large road.) I believe ATC has an emergency video map which shows the terrain and other features in great detail overlaid from the radar screen. ATC also I believe has an emergency MVA and MSA or like that which of course is lower than the normal MSA/MVA. After praying to whatever higher power you believe in my #1 priority would be to maintain a minimum forward and vertical speed and try to get an idea from local atis or awos the winds keeping in mind it might vary tremendously over just a few mi in the mtns. I'd rather make a controlled crash into whatever at 5-10kts above stall that lose control from stalling and almost certainly be killed that way!