The Whole New World of Multi-Engine Flying
Add one extra engine to an airplane and what do you get? A piece of mind, better performance, greater safety ...
Maybe ...
Well, I just passed my Multi-Engine add-on rating to my Commercial, Instrument license yesterday (Sat, 27-Mar) and at the end of the checkride, my trusty examiner said: "Now remember, with two engines, you have twice the chance of engine trouble! Good luck and fly safe!"
Welcome to the new world of multi-engine flying. It was not at all what I thought. Instead, it was far far more than I expected. One of the most rewarding and technically challenging training and one which visibly made me a better pilot.
If your are intrigued, read on ...
Maybe ...
Well, I just passed my Multi-Engine add-on rating to my Commercial, Instrument license yesterday (Sat, 27-Mar) and at the end of the checkride, my trusty examiner said: "Now remember, with two engines, you have twice the chance of engine trouble! Good luck and fly safe!"
Welcome to the new world of multi-engine flying. It was not at all what I thought. Instead, it was far far more than I expected. One of the most rewarding and technically challenging training and one which visibly made me a better pilot.
If your are intrigued, read on ...
I Did It Again!
Well, on the sunny and brisk morning of Saturday, 27 March, I flew with one of the world's most amazing and legendary aviators -- Jerry Knouff -- and am now the proud owner of a Multi-Engine rating with Commercial and Instrument privileges!
The day started with my trusty instructor, Raymond de Haan, and I heading down from Lessburg (KJYO) to Stafford, VA (KRMN) where Jerry is based. The trip took just one hour. Just as we were approaching KRMN, Raymond couldn't help himself and pulled one of the engines back, covered the attitude indicator and asked me to shoot a non-precision approach, single-engine and partial panel!!! I executed as demanded and we landed nicely on the pavement. Raymond said he was pleased and that I was obviously ready for a great checkride!
Jerry, my examiner, is one legendary fellow. A Vietnam Vet who has flown everything imaginable, Jerry has flown for 45 years, and he obviously enjoys doing this -- giving checkrides to people from basic PPL's to most sophisticated G5 transitions!
Our discussions started by Jerry saying: "I know you can fly this plane Shane. They (Aviation Adventures) train pilots well. What I am interested in is to see whether you have got enough common sense and judgment to be a safe Multi-Engine pilot when conditions demand it. I want to ensure you will not harm yourself and your loved ones and others." What a great way to start a checkride.
We started by ensuring the plane and pilot are legal. Then Jerry started firing all sorts of questions about judgment, good airmanship, emergency procedures, real-world scenarios and more. We discussed Accelerate-Go, Accelerate-Stop, high-altitude flying, IFR conditions and more. We talked for well over one hour. Jerry asked what I would do if I was flying the Cougar (GA-7) on a hot summer day from Dulles airport in IFR conditions with ceilings at 500 feet and one engine quits 100 feet above ground with the gear up and 10,000 feet of runway remaining in front of me? The text book says I must continue flying (control, identify, verify, feather, declare emergency, go up and ask for vectors for an instrument approach. I responded that even though the text book answer is that, I would bring the gears down, lower the nose, cut the power and land in the remaining runway straight ahead. He smiled, agreed and said "now that you have obvious common sense, let's go flying."
We started the aircraft and from the very way Jerry was conducting himself, I knew that I am in company of a true aviation professional. We taxied out and while slowly taxiing, one engine went idle! I immediately pulled both engines to idle, controlled by rudder and stopped safely. Jerry was smiling. My first test had begun only seconds into taxiing! It was going to be a fun day. Up we went and we climbed to 5500 feet. Then Jerry said, well why don't you do all the maneuvers you were taught. I started with clearing turns and then came Steep Turns, Power-on and off stalls and the very exciting VMC and recovery. All went well. Then Jerry said, set the plane up for an approach to an airport at 4000 feet elevation straight in. I did ... power back to 18", gears down, flaps down, 90 knots approach ... all was going well. Then the plane started to veer to the right sharply. I corrected with rudder, added mixture, prop and throttle, kept the right speed and realized the engine was not responding. Jerry had cut the fuel right off. I started the "flow" -- Fuel pump, fuel selectors, carb heat, mixture, prop, throttles, mags. Everything ok, but no engine! then, went through the drill -- identify, verify and feather the bad engine. Then I "baby" the good engine. Jerry was quiet. We were still on approach and doing well with time. We were definitely in control under a really tough situation. Jerry asked me to abandon the approach and re-start the engine. I started a go around procedure -- power, flaps, gear, pitch for Vyse. done, I went through engine re-start procedures and we got the engine up. Jerry said, it was well done, but I should have cleaned the gears even before positive rate as I was on approach and presumably not close to ground and at high altitude. Small twin piston airplanes don't climb well on one engine, even in clean configuration. Nice tip!
He then said, please proceed direct to BRV VOR. I put on my foggles and proceeded down to the VOR. He said I was cleared for the VOR-33 approach into KRMN. As I was approaching the BRV VOR and setup nicely for my tear-drop entry, Jerry pulled one of the throttles. He said, I had no way to re-start. What was my intentions? I controlled, identified and verified and feathered (simulated) and said I will continue with the approach. Full reversal on tear-drop, set up nicely on the approach and we started the descend. As we were going down the path with minimums approaching, he said you have now popped out of clouds (at 800'), go ahead and land. We did a single engine landing smoothly and then secured the plane next to the small terminal. We were both smiles! A new Multi-Engine Pilot is born!
Thank you Jerry and a BIG thank you to Raymond, my amazing CFI. You are the reason I persevere!
The day started with my trusty instructor, Raymond de Haan, and I heading down from Lessburg (KJYO) to Stafford, VA (KRMN) where Jerry is based. The trip took just one hour. Just as we were approaching KRMN, Raymond couldn't help himself and pulled one of the engines back, covered the attitude indicator and asked me to shoot a non-precision approach, single-engine and partial panel!!! I executed as demanded and we landed nicely on the pavement. Raymond said he was pleased and that I was obviously ready for a great checkride!
Jerry, my examiner, is one legendary fellow. A Vietnam Vet who has flown everything imaginable, Jerry has flown for 45 years, and he obviously enjoys doing this -- giving checkrides to people from basic PPL's to most sophisticated G5 transitions!
Our discussions started by Jerry saying: "I know you can fly this plane Shane. They (Aviation Adventures) train pilots well. What I am interested in is to see whether you have got enough common sense and judgment to be a safe Multi-Engine pilot when conditions demand it. I want to ensure you will not harm yourself and your loved ones and others." What a great way to start a checkride.
We started by ensuring the plane and pilot are legal. Then Jerry started firing all sorts of questions about judgment, good airmanship, emergency procedures, real-world scenarios and more. We discussed Accelerate-Go, Accelerate-Stop, high-altitude flying, IFR conditions and more. We talked for well over one hour. Jerry asked what I would do if I was flying the Cougar (GA-7) on a hot summer day from Dulles airport in IFR conditions with ceilings at 500 feet and one engine quits 100 feet above ground with the gear up and 10,000 feet of runway remaining in front of me? The text book says I must continue flying (control, identify, verify, feather, declare emergency, go up and ask for vectors for an instrument approach. I responded that even though the text book answer is that, I would bring the gears down, lower the nose, cut the power and land in the remaining runway straight ahead. He smiled, agreed and said "now that you have obvious common sense, let's go flying."
We started the aircraft and from the very way Jerry was conducting himself, I knew that I am in company of a true aviation professional. We taxied out and while slowly taxiing, one engine went idle! I immediately pulled both engines to idle, controlled by rudder and stopped safely. Jerry was smiling. My first test had begun only seconds into taxiing! It was going to be a fun day. Up we went and we climbed to 5500 feet. Then Jerry said, well why don't you do all the maneuvers you were taught. I started with clearing turns and then came Steep Turns, Power-on and off stalls and the very exciting VMC and recovery. All went well. Then Jerry said, set the plane up for an approach to an airport at 4000 feet elevation straight in. I did ... power back to 18", gears down, flaps down, 90 knots approach ... all was going well. Then the plane started to veer to the right sharply. I corrected with rudder, added mixture, prop and throttle, kept the right speed and realized the engine was not responding. Jerry had cut the fuel right off. I started the "flow" -- Fuel pump, fuel selectors, carb heat, mixture, prop, throttles, mags. Everything ok, but no engine! then, went through the drill -- identify, verify and feather the bad engine. Then I "baby" the good engine. Jerry was quiet. We were still on approach and doing well with time. We were definitely in control under a really tough situation. Jerry asked me to abandon the approach and re-start the engine. I started a go around procedure -- power, flaps, gear, pitch for Vyse. done, I went through engine re-start procedures and we got the engine up. Jerry said, it was well done, but I should have cleaned the gears even before positive rate as I was on approach and presumably not close to ground and at high altitude. Small twin piston airplanes don't climb well on one engine, even in clean configuration. Nice tip!
He then said, please proceed direct to BRV VOR. I put on my foggles and proceeded down to the VOR. He said I was cleared for the VOR-33 approach into KRMN. As I was approaching the BRV VOR and setup nicely for my tear-drop entry, Jerry pulled one of the throttles. He said, I had no way to re-start. What was my intentions? I controlled, identified and verified and feathered (simulated) and said I will continue with the approach. Full reversal on tear-drop, set up nicely on the approach and we started the descend. As we were going down the path with minimums approaching, he said you have now popped out of clouds (at 800'), go ahead and land. We did a single engine landing smoothly and then secured the plane next to the small terminal. We were both smiles! A new Multi-Engine Pilot is born!
Thank you Jerry and a BIG thank you to Raymond, my amazing CFI. You are the reason I persevere!