Single-Engine Procedure

Air Classics, Jun 2005 by Towle, Joe

BY JOE TOWLE, P-38 ENGINEERING TEST PILOT

When an engine quits, reduce the power on the live ngine and correct yaw with ard opposite rudder; then increase power as much as you can hold. The dead engine's mixture control should he set to idle cut-off, to reduce fire hazard hy stopping the flow of fuel. Set the feathering switch to full feather and pull the throttle hack to "close." That's all there is to getting set for single-engine flight.

If the flight is going to be for any duration though, you'll find that the following operations make for safer and better flying: Turn off the boost pump of the dead engine, trim the rudder tab, close the tank selector valve, the Prestone shutter, and the oil cooler flap of the dead engine.

Don't bum up your good engine - 31in of mercury with 2300-rpm is satisfactory cruising power, and for single-engine climb 37-in with 2600-rpm is recommended. The use of more power is unnecessary. The single-engine power stall occurs at 90-mph indicated and you will experience a big change in direction trim with change in speed, comparable to the torque effect in single-engine airplanes.

Single-engine landings are a cinch but never count on a twin-engine plane maintaining altitude with both the gear and flaps full down. Once full flaps are extended the landing MUST by made, so extend flaps 100% only when you see it's in the bag.

For single-engine flight due to "Flakitis:"

* Reduce power on live engine and correct yaw with hard opposite rudder.

* Increase power slowly.

* Set dead engine mixture control to idle cut-off.

* Feather prop.

* Close throttle on dead engine.