Engine Failure During Cruise in a Bonanza
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During most of my training for private pilot and commercial certificates, the majority of my engine-out training consisted of simulated engine failures in the traffic pattern or below 3000’ AGL. Although an engine failure on takeoff is the most critical, we spend most of our time in cruise and train less for this emergency.
In the FAA publication: Airplane Flying Handbook, they describe and illustrate a recommended procedure for descending from altitude to a forced landing. It consists of a spiral to a key position (usually base leg) and landing. It is my experience that it can be very difficult to judge altitude, airspeed and distance while practicing this maneuver. We have a more complete procedure that I find works better for the average pilot.
When an engine fails in cruise, there are three things to do initially and immediately:
1. Trim for best glide airspeed (usually 100-110 KIAS in Bonanzas)
2. Switch fuel tanks. If your tank ran dry or is contaminated, we can bring the engine back to life.
3. Pick your spot of intended landing
After those items are taken care of, we can try to re-start the engine.
a. Check your mixture, enrichen as necessary
b. Try using your boost pump. If your engine-driven fuel pump has died, high boost will restore fuel flow and get your engine running again. If the engine comes back to life, it will probably run rich and you will need to lean in order to keep the engine running smoothly.
c. Switch magnetos to left and right to see if that can re-start your engine.
If all fails, now take your prop control and pull it all the way aft for the most coarse pitch condition. This gives an astonishing amount of reduced drag and can extend your glide substantially. The important aspect during this situation is to continue flying towards your intended landing spot and maintaining best glide airspeed. Most fatal accidents are a result of allowing the airspeed to deteriorate and the resulting stall/spin. If you keep flying the airplane, it can be survivable even if you fly your Bonanza into a building or terrain. It is never survivable when you stall/spin the plane into the ground.
As you continue towards your landing spot, plan on entering an upwind leg @ 2500’-3000’ AGL. While on upwind, keep the landing spot/runway slightly on your left side so that you can continually keep the spot in sight. While approximately half way down your runway, make a 90-degree crosswind turn to the left. Once your wings are level continue turning another 90-degrees left to downwind. At this point, lower your landing gear.
Your desired touchdown spot should be one-third the way down the runway/landing area. This will help to assure that you don’t undershoot or overshoot your landing spot. When you are abeam this desired spot, you want to be 1500’ AGL. If you find yourself higher or lower, you can immediately adjust your base leg by turning earlier or later. I suggest no flaps until the landing is assured. Once on final, use flaps as necessary (full flaps are preferred if you have enough altitude). Come over the fence at recommended airspeed (usually 85 KIAS) and touchdown smoothly. Following this procedure remarkably simplifies the emergency landing. These procedures more closely follow a “normal” traffic pattern and help us to determine our altitude and distance from the runway/landing spot. Our usual cruise altitudes in Bonanzas are between 5000’ and 9000’ AGL. This gives us enough time to pick a suitable landing spot and maneuver to enter upwind between 2500’ and 3000’ AGL. I suggest practicing this with your CFI and once you are comfortable and have it all committed to memory, you can practice it on your own.
Paul Gretschel BPPP
ATP MCFI CFII ME
10. 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Flying the Turbo-normalized Bonanza
Flying the Turbo-normalized Bonanza
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If you have ever considered flying the Tornado Alley Turbo conversion on your Bonanza, I promise you an exciting ride. The Turbo-normalized version of your Bonanza is quite a different bird than it’s normally aspirated cousin. The Tornado Alley version is typically paired with Osborne tip tanks. The tips are necessary because the TN version drinks quite a bit of fuel. Normal fuel capacity in a BE-36 is 74 gallons useable. Osborne tips add an extra 20 gallons per side for a total of 114 gallons.
The Beechcraft machine that I am referring to is an A-36 Bonanza with the turbonormalizer conversion. This is not to be mistaken for a B-36 TC, which is a factory Bonanza with a turbo charger. The 36 TC has a longer wing and a different engine. The Tornado Alley is an STC mod that starts life as a plain vanilla A-36 Bonanza. The turbo-normalized version today is usually paired with the tip tanks, TKS anti-ice system and built-in oxygen. Basic empty weight will increase from approximately 2600 lbs to 2800 lbs. and the C.G. will move about 1 – 2 inches forward. The good news is that the STC allows an increase in gross weight from 3600 lbs to 4000 lbs. The only caveat is that above 3650 lbs, your Bonanza is no longer a utility category, it is now normal category. While operating in normal category, there are a few airspeed changes like reduced Va and approach flap speeds.
There is a phenomenon that we call the low altitude problem (LAP). Takeoff ground roll and climb are seriously degraded, up to 30%. I have noticed that the initial climb rate is somewhat anemic (300-500 fpm) up to 5000 feet density altitude. From that point on, it will climb nicely between 800 and 1000 fpm with 29.6 inches manifold pressure and 2500 rpm all the way to at least 15,000 ft. Fuel burn stays fairly constant through the climb @ 30-35 gph at an airpseed of 120 KIAS. Because of the increased ground roll, we suggest runway lengths of 3500 feet and more for safety. True airpseed @ 50 degrees F lean of peak at that altitude is about 170 knots. At that setting, fuel burn settles in about 15-16 gph.
This is a cross-country airplane. The increased fuel burn and decreased climb rate won’t pay for itself on an 80 -100 nm trip. You need to fly at least two or three hours to see the benefit. Of course, getting higher quicker is payment in itself. With the advantage of increased altitude and oxygen, you can fly above weather and take advantage of increased tailwinds and more comfortable flying.
The TKS de-icing/anti-icing system is available in it’s standard format or it’s known icing version. The only substantial difference between the two is an extra fluid pump (for the glycol solution) and a windshield strip to remove/prevent ice on the windshield. The TKS system, or weeping wing as it is sometimes called, works very well. It can be turned on prior to entering any icing condition (anti-ice mode) or turned on after ice has formed (de-ice mode). Typically, you will have enough fluid for one and one-half hours de-ice or 3 hours anti-ice. Prudence dictates that you should be out of the icing way before you need to shed ice for 3 hours!
Let’s break this down for simplicity sake:
• you put in a turbo-normalizer, tip tanks, TKS weeping wing, and built in oxygen
• your ground roll and low altitude performance decrease
• your initial climb decreases
• your empty weight increases by about 200 lbs
• your gross weight increases by 400 lbs
• now you benefit by an extra 200 lbs useful load
• you burn a lot more fuel in climb
• you can fly higher
• you can get to higher altitudes faster
• better true airspeeds
• you have great ice protection
• increased true airspeed as a result of higher manifold pressures at altitude
All is is available for approximately $100,000.00. For pilots that want/need to get above the weather, fly longer x-c trips, or fly higher in general, this system is wonderful. For the pilot looking to bore holes in the sky, you can probably pass on this option. I was told recently that TKS and Tornado Alley try to work together for you and get your Bonanza back to you in about six weeks turnaround time.
Paul Gretschel, BPPP
Coram, NY
MCFI CFII ME ATP
10.25.2009
If you have ever considered flying the Tornado Alley Turbo conversion on your Bonanza, I promise you an exciting ride. The Turbo-normalized version of your Bonanza is quite a different bird than it’s normally aspirated cousin. The Tornado Alley version is typically paired with Osborne tip tanks. The tips are necessary because the TN version drinks quite a bit of fuel. Normal fuel capacity in a BE-36 is 74 gallons useable. Osborne tips add an extra 20 gallons per side for a total of 114 gallons.
The Beechcraft machine that I am referring to is an A-36 Bonanza with the turbonormalizer conversion. This is not to be mistaken for a B-36 TC, which is a factory Bonanza with a turbo charger. The 36 TC has a longer wing and a different engine. The Tornado Alley is an STC mod that starts life as a plain vanilla A-36 Bonanza. The turbo-normalized version today is usually paired with the tip tanks, TKS anti-ice system and built-in oxygen. Basic empty weight will increase from approximately 2600 lbs to 2800 lbs. and the C.G. will move about 1 – 2 inches forward. The good news is that the STC allows an increase in gross weight from 3600 lbs to 4000 lbs. The only caveat is that above 3650 lbs, your Bonanza is no longer a utility category, it is now normal category. While operating in normal category, there are a few airspeed changes like reduced Va and approach flap speeds.
There is a phenomenon that we call the low altitude problem (LAP). Takeoff ground roll and climb are seriously degraded, up to 30%. I have noticed that the initial climb rate is somewhat anemic (300-500 fpm) up to 5000 feet density altitude. From that point on, it will climb nicely between 800 and 1000 fpm with 29.6 inches manifold pressure and 2500 rpm all the way to at least 15,000 ft. Fuel burn stays fairly constant through the climb @ 30-35 gph at an airpseed of 120 KIAS. Because of the increased ground roll, we suggest runway lengths of 3500 feet and more for safety. True airpseed @ 50 degrees F lean of peak at that altitude is about 170 knots. At that setting, fuel burn settles in about 15-16 gph.
This is a cross-country airplane. The increased fuel burn and decreased climb rate won’t pay for itself on an 80 -100 nm trip. You need to fly at least two or three hours to see the benefit. Of course, getting higher quicker is payment in itself. With the advantage of increased altitude and oxygen, you can fly above weather and take advantage of increased tailwinds and more comfortable flying.
The TKS de-icing/anti-icing system is available in it’s standard format or it’s known icing version. The only substantial difference between the two is an extra fluid pump (for the glycol solution) and a windshield strip to remove/prevent ice on the windshield. The TKS system, or weeping wing as it is sometimes called, works very well. It can be turned on prior to entering any icing condition (anti-ice mode) or turned on after ice has formed (de-ice mode). Typically, you will have enough fluid for one and one-half hours de-ice or 3 hours anti-ice. Prudence dictates that you should be out of the icing way before you need to shed ice for 3 hours!
Let’s break this down for simplicity sake:
• you put in a turbo-normalizer, tip tanks, TKS weeping wing, and built in oxygen
• your ground roll and low altitude performance decrease
• your initial climb decreases
• your empty weight increases by about 200 lbs
• your gross weight increases by 400 lbs
• now you benefit by an extra 200 lbs useful load
• you burn a lot more fuel in climb
• you can fly higher
• you can get to higher altitudes faster
• better true airspeeds
• you have great ice protection
• increased true airspeed as a result of higher manifold pressures at altitude
All is is available for approximately $100,000.00. For pilots that want/need to get above the weather, fly longer x-c trips, or fly higher in general, this system is wonderful. For the pilot looking to bore holes in the sky, you can probably pass on this option. I was told recently that TKS and Tornado Alley try to work together for you and get your Bonanza back to you in about six weeks turnaround time.
Paul Gretschel, BPPP
Coram, NY
MCFI CFII ME ATP
10.25.2009
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