Landings

[salem]

More mishaps have occured due to engine failure than any other cause in microlighting. After three engine failures, I am very glad that when I trained, my instructor drilled into me to practice forced landings. Flying has its inherent dangers and one is always flying the percentages, so why put yourself in a potentially dangerous situation by practicing forced landings with the engine off? An idling prop does not present so much drag as to render the exercise unrealistic. When you have a real engine failure there is no time to think. Your reactions, which must be honed through training, take over. One cannot, therefore, overemphasize the importance of training. I know that I would be loath to practise forced landings with a dead engine and as a result I might not have gained sufficient experience for my reactions to take over when the real crunch came. So please guys practice, practice, practice with the engine idling safely, until the appropriate reactions become second nature. A small tip: While descending, give two to three small bursts of throttle to prevent ice from forming in the carburetor which can turn a practice run into a real emergency!