Date: 12 Dec 96 03:49:24
From: Reid Fairburn <cr_king@cr_king.seanet.com>
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At 01:07 PM 12/8/96, you wrote:
>Hi, I have a friend who is afraid of flying who asks the following question.
>If, for some reason, all the engines on a large plane (such as a 747) were
>to stop in the middle of a long flight across the US, what would happen?
>In particular, we would like to know:
>
>- How long could the plane glide along?
>- Would it be able to make it to the ground without crashing?
>- Would it, generally, be able to make it to an airport?
>
>Feel free to make any reasonable assumptions. Thanks very much.
=======First, I would say that the chance of having all four engines fail at
the same time would be about as good as sticking a rifle out the window in
Chicago and shooting a moose, with your eyes closed!
Second, the things glide a long ways and the chance that the pilot
can find a place to land is good...be it dirt or a runway. This is a
maneuver so rare that it is not really trained for but could be handled when
and if it ever arose.
Reid Fairburn
Creative Kingdom, Inc.
cr_king@cr_king.seanet.com
206-946-9455/4815
