What Happens When A Engine Quits?
Airplane engines have become very reliable over the last several decades. Aircraft manufacturers test engines for one or two large bird strikes, and they are tested under extreme weather elements. If anyone has any doubt that an airplane could fly quite some distance with a lost of both engines then they need to look no further then the space shuttle. The shuttle glides from the earth's orbit back to Cape Canaveral in Florida. It is estimated that an airplane with dual engine flame out could glide around 100 miles at 35,000 ft. Making a glide from high altitude to an airport is called a dead stick landing. Their was a successful landing of a Airbus-330 over the Atlantic by Air Transit Airlines in 2001 that landed safely on the island of Azores which is a Portuguese air base. The cause of that dual engine flame out was caused by a fuel leak. Many airlines have revise their curriculum's to include that in many training scenarios.
Today, engine failures remain rare. However, when it does happen pilots are well drilled in procedures to fly safely out of danger.
Today, engine failures remain rare. However, when it does happen pilots are well drilled in procedures to fly safely out of danger.
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