t0r0nad0
Pattern Altitude
So I was studying for my AGI last night, and I came across a little section on multi-engine operations in the part about climb rates. I had forgotten that I'll be certified to teach multi-ground school, so I'll have to learn this stuff. Anyway, I digress...
It said that on a multi-engine plane with props that rotate clockwise as looking from the back, that the left engine is the "critical engine" as it's center of thrust is closer to the centerline of the airplane than the right engine's, due to P-factor. After taking a couple of minutes to mull that one over, it made sense, and I can see what they mean. But, I do have a couple of questions that weren't answered in the Gleim outline:
1) So the left engine is the "critical engine"... so what? I mean, what does that mean to the pilot? Will the plane automatically crash because the left engine goes out instead of the right one?
2) In a multi-engine airplane with counter-rotating props (like a Piper Aerostar), is there not a critical engine since the center of thrust of both props will be equidistant from the centerline of the airplane?
Thanks in advance for the help. I'll probably post more questions here as studying commences (My goal is to take the exams on 6/30).
It said that on a multi-engine plane with props that rotate clockwise as looking from the back, that the left engine is the "critical engine" as it's center of thrust is closer to the centerline of the airplane than the right engine's, due to P-factor. After taking a couple of minutes to mull that one over, it made sense, and I can see what they mean. But, I do have a couple of questions that weren't answered in the Gleim outline:
1) So the left engine is the "critical engine"... so what? I mean, what does that mean to the pilot? Will the plane automatically crash because the left engine goes out instead of the right one?
2) In a multi-engine airplane with counter-rotating props (like a Piper Aerostar), is there not a critical engine since the center of thrust of both props will be equidistant from the centerline of the airplane?
Thanks in advance for the help. I'll probably post more questions here as studying commences (My goal is to take the exams on 6/30).