Multi-engine flying,

Asymmetrical flight

Multi-engine Briefing M1

V2.0
Content – M1

 Objectives
 Introduction
 Forces and Moments
 How to Control Asymmetric Flight?
 Minimum Control Speed (VMCA)
 Single Engine Performance
 Air Exercise – VMCA demo
 Real Engine Shutdown & Restart in Flight
 Airmanship
 Common errors
Content – M1

 Objectives
 Introduction
 Forces and Moments
 How to Control Asymmetric Flight?
 Minimum Control Speed (VMCA)
 Single Engine Performance
 Air Exercise – VMCA demo
 Real Engine Shutdown & Restart in Flight
 Airmanship
 Common errors
Objectives

At the end of this briefing the student must be able:

• To fully understand the Minimum Control Speed – VMCA.
• To explain and to handle correctly an asymmetric flight.
• To know the air exercise – VMCA and the real engine
shutdown by heart.
Content – M1

 Objectives
 Introduction
 Forces and Moments
 How to Control Asymmetric Flight?
 Minimum Control Speed (VMCA)
 Single Engine Performance
 Air Exercise – VMCA demo
 Real Engine Shutdown & Restart in Flight
 Airmanship
 Common errors
Introduction
• Multi-engine vs Single-engine

• Why?
 Reduncy
 Performance

• Engine failure?
 Single engine
 Multi engine
Introduction
• Asymmetric flight
• How is your airplane affected by an engine failure?
 Loss of power (50 %)
 Loss of performance
 Controlability (moments)
 System (alternator, A/C, ...)
Introduction
• Asymmetric flight

Loss of power (50%)  loss of performance ? 85%

altitide

Only ~15%
of climb
%) performance
10 0
e s (
g in remaining
n
2E
1 Engine (50%)
0
distance
Glide
(0%)
Content – M1

 Objectives
 Introduction
 Forces and Moments
 How to Control Asymmetric Flight?
 Minimum Control Speed (VMCA)
 Single Engine Performance
 Air Exercise – VMCA demo
 Real Engine Shutdown & Restart in Flight
 Airmanship
 Common errors
Forces and Moments
• Type of twin
• Conventional twin (clockwise rotating propellers)

 Conclusion: left engine is the critical one !

Forces and Moments
• Type of twin
• Counter-rotating propellers
Forces and Moments
• Offset thrust line
• Creates a yawing moment towards the dead engine
Forces and Moments
• Propeller drag
• ‘Windmilling’ and ‘feather’ positions

e
t iv
la w
Re irflo
A

Torque

Min Drag
Drag
Forces and Moments
• Propeller drag
• ‘Windmilling’ and ‘feather’ positions
Windmilling
propeller

Change in
equivalent Flat blade
parasite position
Stationary
area (∆f) propeller
Feathered
propeller

0 15 30 45 60 90
Propeller blade angle (β)
Forces and Moments
• Propeller drag
• Increases the yawing moment towards the dead engine


Forces and Moments
• Lift loss
• Creates a rolling moment towards the dead engine
• Example below:
 Air over right wing travels faster, so additional lift is
developped
 Airplane rolls to the left

absence of airflow over presence of induced flow

the left wing over right wing
Content – M1

 Objectives
 Introduction
 Forces and Moments
 How to Control Asymmetric Flight?
 Minimum Control Speed (VMCA)
 Single Engine Performance
 Air Exercise – VMCA demo
 Real Engine Shutdown & Restart in Flight
 Airmanship
 Common errors
How to Control Asymmetric Flight?
• Yaw and Roll
• Control by the use of rudder and aileron

• T Y = R X
• T Y: Asymmetrical Thrust
• R X: (Full) rudder input
How to Control Asymmetric Flight?
• How much rudder and aileron?
• Zero bank
 Stop yawing with rudder input, maintain wings level
with ailerons


How to Control Asymmetric Flight?
• How much rudder and aileron?
• Zero bank
 Stop yawing with rudder input, maintain wings level
with ailerons


 The airplane is SIDE-SLIPPING (drag)
How to Control Asymmetric Flight?
• How much rudder and aileron?
• Zero sideslip
 Bank into good engine (3 - 5° bank)


How to Control Asymmetric Flight?
• How much rudder and aileron?
• Zero rudder


How to Control Asymmetric Flight?
• Zero rudder/bank vs Zero Sideslip

• The “Zero rudder / bank” technique creates a lot of drag

and thus reduces the small climb capability even more

• The “Zero sideslip” technique will provide the (least drag)

best climb performance which is critical at this stage of
flight
Content – M1

 Objectives
 Introduction
 Forces and Moments
 How to Control Asymmetric Flight?
 Minimum Control Speed (VMCA)
 Single Engine Performance
 Air Exercise – VMCA demo
 Real Engine Shutdown & Restart in Flight
 Airmanship
 Common errors
Minimum Control Speed (VMCA)
• VMCA (actual)

• The Minimum Control Speed is the lowest speed at

which the directional control can be maintained should
an engine suddenly fail.
Minimum Control Speed (VMCA)
• VMCA (actual)
• The speed at which the rudder authority equals the asymmetry

• T Y = R X
TY>RX
• T Y: Asymmetrical Thrust When speed is reduced
below VMCA
• R X: Full rudder input
Minimum Control Speed (VMCA)
• VMCA (actual)
• The Minimum Control Speed is depending on the following
factors:
 thrust on the live engine,
 feathering of dead engine,
 engine failed (critical engine),
 altitude,
 center of gravity, and
 weight
Minimum Control Speed (VMCA)
• Center of gravity
Minimum Control Speed (VMCA)
• Weight
Minimum Control Speed (VMCA)
• Rudder Authority

• To control a sudden engine failure the rudder authority

must be sufficient to balance the asymmetry.

• If not, the airplane will yaw towards the dead engine

 loss of directional control.

• Rudder authority depends on:

 rudder deflection (pilot input)
 position of CG (moment arm = X)
 airspeed (aerodynamic)
 weight (note that weight has a very small effect)
Minimum Control Speed (VMCA)
• Asymmetry

• The asymmetry depends on:

 the thrust on the live engine.
 the drag on the dead engine (windmilling vs feather).
 the critical engine.
Minimum Control Speed (VMCA)
• Published VMCA
• Published speed by the manufacturer
• Determined for the most critical scenario
• Red line on the ASI
• For DA42 = 68 KIAS
Minimum Control Speed (VMCA)
• Published VMCA
• Is determined for (the most critical scenario):
 ISA conditions
 Most aft CG, max TOW
 Out of ground effect
 Critical engine fails
 Max 5° bank into good engine
 Flaps in T/O position
 Gear Up
 Windmilling propeller
 Max rudder input (70 kg or 150 lbs)
 Max 20° heading change
Minimum Control Speed (VMCA)
• Speed drops below VMCA

1. develop hazards: low speed region, close to stall,

uncontrollable yaw, result in further speed loss  spin
entry.
2. Regain control?
a. Reduce the asymmetry, idle on the good engine.
b. Regain safe flying speed, lower the body attitude.
Minimum Control Speed (VMCA)
• Other Speeds
• VYSE
 Single Engine Best Rate of Climb Speed (best performance)
 Blue Line speed
Minimum Control Speed (VMCA)
• Other Speeds
• VSSE
 Intentional Minimum Speed for Single Engine operations
 Per POH
 Original: Safe Single Engine Speed
• VXSE
 Best angle-of-climb speed with one engine inoperative
• VMCG
 Minimum control speed with the critical engine
inoperative on the ground with the use of rudder to
maintain directional control
Minimum Control Speed (VMCA)
• Performance

VMCA
per Climb
for
ma
nce
Zero bank

Zero rudder
Lowest
possible VMCA

Zero 5° bank 8-10°

sideslip
Bank angle
bank
Content – M1

 Objectives
 Introduction
 Forces and Moments
 How to Control Asymmetric Flight?
 Minimum Control Speed (VMCA)
 Single Engine Performance
 Air Exercise – VMCA demo
 Real Engine Shutdown & Restart in Flight
 Airmanship
 Common errors
Single Engine Performance
• Climb Performance (2 engines)

1030 fpm
Single Engine Performance
• Climb Performance (1 engine)

150 fpm
Single Engine Performance
• Engine Inoperative Service Ceiling (50 fpm)

± 11000 ft, ISA

Content – M1

 Objectives
 Introduction
 Forces and Moments
 How to Control Asymmetric Flight?
 Minimum Control Speed (VMCA)
 Single Engine Performance
 Air Exercise – VMCA demo
 Real Engine Shutdown & Restart in Flight
 Airmanship
 Common errors
Air Exercise – VMCA demo
• First Demo (failure of non-critical engine)
• Speed = 105 KIAS
• Take a “visual reference point”
• Left engine: full power
• Right engine: idle
Air Exercise – VMCA demo
• First Demo (failure of non-critical engine)
• Maintain directional control (visual reference)
− Rudder pressure
− 5° bank in good engine
• Gradually raise body attitude (speed decrease of 1 kts/sec)
• Gradually increase rudder pressure to maintain directional
control
Air Exercise – VMCA demo
• First Demo (failure of non-critical engine)
• When loss of directional control occurs (= rudder max)
− Reduce power on the good engine
− Lower the body attitude
− Rudder relax (to maintain visual reference)
Air Exercise – VMCA demo
• First Demo (failure of non-critical engine)
• When directional control regained, speed increasing and
above VMCA
− Full power on good engine
− Raise BA (+ 5°)
− 5° bank in good engine
− Climb back at the VYSE (82 KIAS = blue line speed)
− Note the aircraft performance
− Regain original heading
Air Exercise – VMCA demo
• First Demo (failure of non-critical engine)
Note:
In certain flight conditions the VMCA will be lower than the stall
speed

Recovery must be initiated at the stall

warning or aerodynamic buffet, whichever
occurs first !
Air Exercise – VMCA demo
• Second Demo (failure of critical engine)
• Left engine: idle
• Right engine: full power
• Loss of directional control will occur at higher speed
Air Exercise
• QRH DA42
Content – M1

 Objectives
 Introduction
 Forces and Moments
 How to Control Asymmetric Flight?
 Minimum Control Speed (VMCA)
 Single Engine Performance
 Air Exercise – VMCA demo
 Real Engine Shutdown & Restart in Flight
 Airmanship
 Common errors
Real Engine Shutdown & Restart in Flight
• Procedure
• Stay within 10 NM of a suitable airport for the DA42
• Remain at or above 4000 ft AGL
• Perform the ‘ENGINE FAILURE/ FIRE AND SHUTDOWN
CHECKLIST’ in read and do
• With 1 propeller feathered: straight and level turns (BCAA
requirement!)
• Perform the ‘ENGINE RESTART CHECKLIST’ (unfeathering
procedure) in read and do
• Restart below 6000 ft AGL, speed between 80 & 120 KIAS
• Do NOT switch off the alternators and the fuel selectors
(simulate these actions without actually doing them)
Real Engine Shutdown & Restart in Flight
• QRH DA42
Content – M1

 Objectives
 Introduction
 Forces and Moments
 How to Control Asymmetric Flight?
 Minimum Control Speed (VMCA)
 Single Engine Performance
 Air Exercise – VMCA demo
 Real Engine Shutdown & Restart in Flight
 Airmanship
 Common errors
Airmanship

 A clear understanding is reached as how simulated

emergencies will be introduced.
 Understanding that the use of the checklist is essential to
safe operation of airplanes and no flight should be
conducted without one.
 Certain immediate action items (such as the response to an
engine failure in a critical phase of flight) should be
executed by memory.
 When an instructor simulates an engine failure, the student
responds with the appropriate memory items and retards
the propeller control towards the FEATHER position.
Content – M1

 Objectives
 Introduction
 Forces and Moments
 How to Control Asymmetric Flight?
 Minimum Control Speed (VMCA)
 Single Engine Performance
 Air Exercise – VMCA demo
 Real Engine Shutdown & Restart in Flight
 Airmanship
 Common errors
Common errors

 Not keeping directional control by outside references (V MCA

demo is a visual maneuver).
 Not being able to keep a constant deceleration by increasing
gradually the body attitude during the entry.
 Detecting the loss of directional control too late, due to the fact
that the trainee is not looking to the outside visual references
 Recovery technique
 Not understanding the recovery technique
 Not applying the recovery technique promptly and correctly
 Opposite recovery technique as for the stall (even though
the stall warning may sound !)
THE END