Fly782

Take the wind into the good engine or the bad? Im studying for the fun Delta job knowledge test and have been reading way too many books with conflicting info that is making my thought process contradict itself...On take off its worse to lose the upwind engine, correct? I think I am studying too hard and not thinking straight

trafly

You want the good engine on the upwind side, or wind on the good engine.
You're already banking into the good engine and x-wind pushing on the tail will help offset the asymmetrical thrust.

Fly782

Ok thats what I thought but that stupid ace the technical interview book said the downwind engine is critcal

trent890

Exactly. "Critical" as in FAR 1.1:

Critical engine means the engine whose failure would most adversely affect the performance or handling qualities of an aircraft.

So if the downwind engine had failed, it would be the engine "whose failure would most adversely affect the performance or handling qualities" and it is indeed critical.

CrakPipeOvrheat

Thanks!! Next time I have an engine failure I am going to make sure it is the upwind engine that fails. Like I have a choice. For landing it doesn't matter until the flare. I take that back, you will be at idle in the flare. I don't see the point of this question. When you are flying it is all headwind, relatively.

Fly782

So maybe I am reading your answer wrong but your still essentially saying take the wind into the good engine correct?Like Crkpipe said this is a stupid question and you do not have a choice really but the test asks this and i dont want to be sitting there switching my answer a million times. I guess now that were on it, which is worse to lose on TO? Is my understanding the the upwind engineis worse to lose wrong? I really appreciate the answers though guys.

CrakPipeOvrheat

No. The critical engine is the one you would prefer not to lose if you had a choice. Therefore, according to your book, you would want to keep the downwind engine and have the failed engine on the upwind side. Let's say you have a very strong right crosswind on takeoff and you need a lot of left rudder. Now you lose your right engine (the upwind). Dead foot dead engine. So you would need more left rudder and you might not have enough rudder so I think your book is wrong.

Although, it would be tricky if it was the downwind engine that failed and you had to go from left rudder to right rudder in the middle of the takeoff roll.

What is this Delta test you are studying for?

Fly782

I get what your saying and I agree I think the book is wrong too, now what about when you come back to land? Concensous, keep the wind into the good engine? XJT. Sorry guys just want to fully know this crap. Asked tons of people and they just respond find the longest runway!

GW258

Are you trying to identify which engine is the "critical engine" based on wind?

or

What wind conditions work for/against you in an engine failure situation?

Which engine is "critical" is not a choice made by the pilot as has been suggested.

CrakPipeOvrheat

It doesn't matter on landing. When you pull the power to idle for the flare it will just be a normal crosswind landing. Now if you were doing a single engine go around (lets say right crosswind) after you already applied your left rudder for the crosswind landing I would still think it is better to have the good engine on the upwind side because what if you have a lot of left rudder in and you add power for the go and you don't have enough extra left rudder to maintain control.

Never mind, it does not matter you would just go back into a crab. Just answer on the test what your book tells you to. This is a stupid question.