Pilot's tip of the week

Engine Failure: #1 Rule

Featuring

Subscriber question:

"Simple question: What's the most important thing for surviving total engine failure? A simple answer would be appreciated." — Peter A.

Bob:

“You absolutely have to be sure that you don’t stall the airplane!

I’ve been to many aircraft accident scenes, I’ve evaluated hundreds and hundreds of accidents and pilots are NOT killed when they fly their airplane to the ground under control. They ARE killed when they stall an airplane into the ground.

So maintaining an airspeed safely above stall speed right on down to the ground is so very, very important.”

Have you ever had to make an off-airport landing?

(If so, what's the #1 thing that made it a success?)

(NEW) VFR Mastery scenario #94 “Gulf Coast Gauntlet” is now available. You’ve been dodging showery precipitation all the way home and you’ve got one area to bypass. The catch is the only VFR you can use is the peninsula on the west side of Tampa’s Class B, about 15 miles ahead. You stop and wait, but the only good airport is behind you and still IFR in showers. You circle to consider your options: VFR under the Bravo, VFR with a clearance through the Bravo, land without permission at a private airpark where no one seems to be monitoring the radio, or continue to circle, burning gas and hoping things improve. Watch the Intro video.

Get the Pilot’s Tip of the Week

Sign up here to receive tips like this every week along with videos, quizzes and more.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.