CFI Info – The Gunslinger in All of Us

I got to know “The Gunslinger” at a world-famous aviation simulator training school. He sauntered into my multi-engine instrument refresher class, sporting aviator sunglasses and a white flying scarf tied skillfully around his neck. His ten-gallon cowboy hat boasted a snug fit.  He packed a six-gun, pearl-handled attitude. He had come, to once again, tame the piston twin.

The Gunslinger’s approach to engine failures was the “draw fast and shoot method.” His goal was to complete the process of: fly the airplane, identify, verify, feather and secure the failing engine in under four seconds.  He was fast, but not accurate. He shut down the operating engine forty percent of the time – poor survival odds on take-off.  Mistakes in multi-engine emergencies are nothing new.  Perhaps we’ve all caught a glimpse of the Gunslinger or some other cowboy in the mirror.

As pilots, we are only as good as the quality of our training and recurrent emergency review. The bold items in the emergency checklist must be memorized and practiced in the correct order to develop the accurate automatic response. Before each take-off, we should mentally expect the engine to fail and rehearse our reaction accordingly.  Engine failures are stressful no matter how good our training.   The hard part: correctly choosing the failed engine and the corresponding levers of throttle, prop and mixture for shut down. Accuracy is essential…without good training, the panic and fear may end in catastrophe.

So how long should it take? My last piston-twin engine failure was a catastrophic failure caused by a factory defect. There were 18-20 seconds from first vibration to full shut down on the right engine. There was time to fly the airplane and identify which engine failed.   Enough time to say “right engine,” touch each throttle handle to identified left and right and pull the right throttle back to “verify.” The same followed with the prop to “feather” and the mixture to “secure” the failing engine. This 8-10 second process guaranteed that the failing engine got shut down and that the chance of success was 100 percent.  Of course, flying the airplane during the entire process was required.

Part of the challenge is the way we simulate engine failure.   Pulling a throttle or mixture back in full sight of the trainee eliminates the need to decide which engine has failed. Turning off an engine fuel selector in flight may create an artificial element of surprise, but how safe is it?

Here is an alternative method which can be effective for training and testing for the correct identification of a failing engine.
1.      During various stages of flight – cover the throttle quadrant with a
         piece of paper so it is hidden from the pilot.
2.      Bring a throttle to idle behind the paper shield, hold onto it and ask,
         “Which engine has failed?
            a. While the decision is being made the pilot must remember to
                “fly the airplane”…applying rudder,   aileron and pitching for blue
                 line or Vyse. 
            b. Factors that help with the decision: yaw, pitch and roll toward the
                dead engine, “dead” rudder foot and/or possible changes in
                engine gauges.
3.      If the failed engine is correctly identified by saying left or right
         or pointing at it, move the paper and continue.
            a. If it is not correctly identified – it is time for more training.
4.      The pilot should complete the steps of “continue to fly the airplane,
         power up, and clean up.”
5.      Depending upon the conditions of the day, phase of flight and the
         airplane being flown; there may be time and/or altitude to troubleshoot.
6.      If a shutdown is necessary: next comes feather, secure and trim.  As the
         instructor, your job is to assist the student to learn how to  acurately choose
         the failed engine and correctly secure it.  At this stressful point, it is easy
         to “draw and shoot” making a wrong choice with the wrong engine levers. 
         To promote safety during this essential step, place hand, palm forward,
         about an inch behind the engine levers. If the correct  engine lever
         (prop or mixture as appropriate) is retarded until it touches your hand –
         continue. This will help develop muscle memory and skill in selecting and
         feathering the failed engine rather than the operating one. If the incorrect
         lever is retarded, your hand will stop a complete shutdown and more
         training is needed.
            a. The failed engine prop lever should be pulled back as described
                above until it touches the palm of your hand for feather to demonstrate
                accuracy and to simulate feathering the failing engine.
            b. Repeat with the failed engine mixture lever for “secure.”  It completes
                the simulated shut down procedure but your hand in position won’t
                allow an engine shut down if the choice is wrong and the “draw” is fast.
                In that case, start the training again….
                               And maybe loosen the cowboy hat.
7.      If the choice is successful set zero thrust to continue simulated
         single-engine flight or push the levers forward to end the maneuver. 
 
Give it a try and share your results.  Remember, briefing it on the ground
in advance is a must. 
 
References:
 
FAA AFS-8:  Flying Light Twins Safely; FAA-P-8740-66 Flying Twins; www.faasafety.gov; 2008
David Robson: Transition to Twins; Aviation Supplies and Academics, Inc.; 2000
Jeppesen Sanderson Training Products: Multi Engine Manual; Chapter 5; Jeppesen Sanderson, Inc.; 2001.
Airplane Flying Handbook; Chapter 12, Transition to Multiengine Airplanes.

Mary Schu
2015 National CFI of the Year
Mailto:maryschuaviation@gmail.com
 
For more information on the GA Awards program go to http://www.generalaviationawards.org/