EXERCISE 17

FORCED LANDING WITHOUT POWER (PFL)

Introduction
I. If you have a partial or complete engine failure, the actions to take will vary depending upon the aircraft
height, the weather and the type of terrain over which you are flyi ng. The Firefly is designed to be operated
from relatively small grass areas so, if your engine fails, your preferred action will probably be to fly a forced
landing without power (FLWOP) . The procedures outlined in this exercise are only a guide, success will
depend to a large cxtent on you r ability to modify thc procedures to suit the conditions . Common sense and
good ainnanship play a very important role .
2. It is easy to get over-engrossed in the forccd landing chccks. to the detrimcnt of your flying, so you must
learn and remembcr the priorities . The aim ofa forced landing is to save life . If this can be done with minimum
damage to property and without wrecking the aircraft, so much the bener. BUT DO NOT FORGET THE
AIM .

PRINCIPLES LNVOLVED
Basic Principles
3. A straight g lide at constant a irspeed gives a constant angle of g lide . If the descent is continued all the way to
the ground, then the point at which the aircraft 1V0uld hit the ground remains stationary in the windscreen.
From the cockpit, the angle between the horizontal and the.. ground impact point is known as the sightline
angle . If the ground impact point is stationary in the windscrecn, then the sightline angle is constant. 1l1is also
ap plies to a turning glide, where the aircraft is effectively flying round the inside of an inverted cone (see Fig
17. 1).
4 . During glide circuits, yo u learned how to adjust the approach by varying the bank to maintain a constant
s ightline anglc. The actual sightline angle now dcpends on the wind . Exactly the same technique is used during
the latter stages of FLWOP. The lirst part of the FL WOP pattern. from the position known as High Key to the
start of the constant sightline angle turn, is designed to position the aircraft close to the correct sightline angle .
In some ways, the FLWOP is easier than the glide circuit, because you start the final approach knowing what
the approach angle should be in the prcvailing conditions.

Fig 17.1 Constant sightline in a descending turn

Initial Issue 17 - I
The Forced Landing Pattern
5. The required pattern is described below:
a. The pattern (Fig 17.2a) is flown with reference to an initial aiming point (lAP), chosen by the pilot.
The lAP should be one-third of the way into the field in the intended direction oflanding.
b. The pattern is started from High Key, point I , (fig 172b) At High Key, the aircraft should be heading
in the same direction as it will land, normally into wind, and should be at or above 2000 ft . At High Key,
the lAP is just in view on the left or right hand side of the aircraft in front of the leading edge of the wing.
c. From High Key, fl y straight until the lAP appears behind the trailing edge of the wing (Fig 17.2c) . At
this point, known as point 2, turn until the aircraft tracks at 90° to the landing direction and maintain this
heading until the lAP appears behind the wing in your 7 or 5 o' clock position This is point 3.
d. Before reachi ng point 3 in Fig 17 .2c check the engine response by opcning the throttle at the nornml
rate and checking that the engine responds smoothly. Then select TAKE-OFF flap and reduce speed to 75
kts. At point 3, start a continuous descending turn, adjusting the bank to maintain the sightline angle
using the same techniques as on a glide approach .
e As in the glide approach, select LANDING FLAP only when you are quite sure that by doing so you
will not undershoot the field Thi s is particularly critical if the chosen fi eld is small and LANDING
FLAP is selected at a lower height than usual to achieve a landing in the field . On a practice forced
landing you might have to go around at your briefed minimum height before you select LANDING
FLAP .
£. If you are too high, try to correct by adjusting bank rather than by lowering LANDING FLAP early.
Save LANDING FLAP to bring touchdown closer to the field boundary .

a. Pattern nown h. High key position,

around selected field start of landing na',".'.·n

nt 2
c. Turn here to track at d. Start continuous turn to
right angles maintain sight line an
x

Fig 17.2 The Forced Landing Pattern

17·2 Initial Issue

ElTect of Wind
6. If fl ying was always done when there was no wind, forced landings (either practice or real) would be very
si mple; we cou ld learn the correct sightline angle for a glide approach and maintain it all the way down. In
reality, the stronger the wind the steeper the approach angle (Fig 17.3).

Strong headwind,
steeper descent
angle

Zero wind, normal

descent angle

Fig 17.3 EITect of Wind on Approach Angle

7. Refer back to para 5b and Fig 17.2c: you will see that we track at right angles to the landing direction when
fl yi ng crosswind . It follows that the stronger the wind, the more we mu st head into it and the closer we will be
to the fie ld when it appears at point 3 in Fig 17.2a. The modified pattern is illustrated at Fig 17.4 . As we a re
closer to the ficld , the aspect wi ll be steeper; this is exactl y what we WJnt .

, ,

Light wind S trong wind

Fig. 17.4 Effect of wind on pattern

In itial Issue 17 - 3
Height at High Key
8. The height of 2000 ft agl should be taken as the minimum height at High Key, but the pattern works using
any height between 2000 ft and 3000 ft. In strong winds, use the higher end of the height band to allow for the
greater loss of height gliding into wind. Increasing the height at High Key enlarges the pattern but the sight line
angle of the field at various positions stays the same.

High Key above 2000 fI

_ _ _ f+f+
High Key nl 2000 ft
x

Fig 17.5 Effect of increasing height at High Key

Engine Failure Below 2000 ft agl

9. Up to now we have assumed that the engine failure has occurred far enough above 2000 ft agl for you to
manoeuvre to an acceptable High Key position. Although most of your practices will allow you time to do
everything correctly, rea l engine failures can occur when they are less easy to deal with . If the engine fails
below 2000 ft agl, the best course of action could be differcnt for small diffcrenees in wind, aircraft height or
head ing. These considerations can help yo ur judgement:
a. During a transit below 2000 ft agl be aware of suitable fields for use if a forced landing becomes
necessary . As a rough guide (regardless of a ltitude) it is possible to reach any ficld within a circle drawn
through the half span pos ition on each wing (Fig 17.6).
b. The most suitable fields are those that offer a landing run into the wind . So you should know the
forecast wind. Look for any indications, such as smoke or wind lanes on water, that confirm the local
low- level wi nd.
c. If you arc betwecn 2000 ft agl and ci rcu it height. you will be at a height to intercept the constant
sightline of the forced landing pattern . Your instructor will show you ways of doing this frolll various
start pos itions and heights.
d. If you are below circuit height, it might not be possible to intercept a modified forced landing pattern .
In this case, you will need to turn the a ircraft into the wind as far as possi ble, depending upon the height.
From thi s point the procedure will be the sallle as that for an EFATO (see Exercise 12).
e. There is no substitute for experience and that can only be gained by practi sing and thinking aboul the
situations in which you might find yourself. Continually monitor the sighlline angle of your selected field
and, if necessary, change your f.eld to one that wi ll improve you r chances of success . This decision is
best made earlier rather than later in the pattern .

17 - 4 Initial Issue
 ~-----~----------------- - - ---
-------
-~
~yGiI
~j
Circle projected
Ihrough hall wingspan
shows approximate ......~ ~
gliding range

. .... ..
- .....
... ,,. ...
Circle shows limil of
"" .. . gliding range .. .. . ....
........_--•........

Fig 17.6 Approximate guide to possible landing fields

Choice of Landing Area

10. The best field for a forced landing is an AIRFIELD. If you have to make an altemative choice of field,
there are five factors to bcar in mind . Remember them as the Five Ss:
Surface, Size, Shape, Surround and Slope
a. Surface. The idcal choice is a grass field. Other surfaces are likely to be more hazardous. For
example, a frcshly ploughed field will almost certainly break the undercarriage, with unpredictable
results . Yet once the same field has settled and produced a young growth it might be almost as suitable as
a grass field After a crop is harvested the stubble usually forms a very good surface. Your instructor will
discuss other variations on this .
b. Size. The field selected should be large enough for the round-out and the landing run. AllolV for a
longer landing in light wind conditions, or if you cannot land exactly into wind .
c. Shape . A square ficld is normally a bettcr choice than a long, narrow field. A square field has two
mam advantages. First , it offcrs a landing run into wind, whatever the wind direction. Secondly, it does
not restrict vou to one landing path . If you find , late in the pattem , that you are under- or overshooting
you can steepen or slacken the tum to take up a new landing path .
d. Surrounds . Choose a field with a clear approach into wind ; high trees, overhead cables and buildings
could cause you to modifY your flightpath and waste valuable height. When practising a forced landing
without power. also make sure that the overshoot area is clear for you to climb away safely.
e. Slope . At height, it is difficult to tell whcther a field is sloping or not. If you are committed to land on
sloping ground, remember that the landing run will be shorter uphill and longer downhill. The slope will
also change the aspect of the field as you fly the pattem from High Key.

Initial Issue 17 - 5
Planning the Descent
11 . Your instructor will concentrate first on showing you how to choose a suitable field and teaching you the
pattern from High Key . Once you have become proficient at flying the pattern, you will progress to more
realistic situations . With an engine failure at height, your probable sequence of actions will be:
a. Turn towards a suitable landing area.
b. Close the throttle.
c. Set up an 80 kts glide descent and trim the aircraft.
d. Try to find out why the engine has failed and, if there is no obvious reason, attempt to restart it.
e. Put out a Mayday call on RT. Select transponder to 7700 .
f. If the forced landing is a practice, clear the engine every 1000 ft in the descent.

Additional Considerations
12. So far we have discussed the fundamentals of a FLWOP . The following points could be described as the
administrative details . They ought not to be ignored or treated lightly, but the omission of anyone of them
lIou ld not always effect the final outcome.
13. Abandoning the aircraft. Assuming that you are flying with a parachute, the decision whether or not to
aba ndon the aircraft should be made early . Usually, the decision is taken as you select the field. If there is a
suitable landing area available, then there is little point in leaving the aircraft . On the other hand, if you are
over extensive forestry or mountainous terrain, it would probably be safer to use the parachute. Having
decided to attempt a FLWOP, you might change your mind, if either you get a better view of the ground and
scc that it is not suitable after all, or you misjudge the descent and decide that you would prefer to use the
parachute. 111e lowest height at which to initiate abandonment of the aircraft (conUllittal height) is 1500 ft agl.
14. Checking cause of railure. It would be foolish to force land from 3000 ft simply because the magneto
switch had been put off accidentally . So check the possible causes offailure as soon as you have planned your
dcscent. There are several possible causes all of which should be checked.
a. Carry out the initial actions from mcmory.
b. Use the FRC to confinll the initial actions and to carry out the subsequent actions .

15 . Distress call . If the rescue services Imow your position before you land you can expect speedy assistance
soon after landing. So transmit a di stress call on the frequency you are using or, if you are using the quiet
frequency, select your base approach frequency for your distress call . If you have time, and require more
comp rehensive assistancc from the ground, make a call on the emergency distress frequency . You should know
the full distress call, but remember that it is necessary to transmit only vital infonll3tion and then only if you
have the time. An c"ample of such a call is as follows:
MAYDAY. MAYDAY , MAYDAY
BRA VO KILO HOTEL ONE THREE. BRAVO KILO HOTEL ONE THREE, BRAVO KILO HOTEL
ONE THREE
5 MILES NORTH OF NEWARK
ENGINE FAILED
MAKING FORCED LANDING
Do not get involved in a long discussion with the controller to the detriment of your forced landing.

17 - 6 Initial Issue
"oreed Landings in Hazardous Areas
16 . Allhough you would nornmlly expect to carry out a forced landing afte r an engine failure, it could be
hazardous to land on the terrain within the gliding range of the aircraft , Ideally, the aircraft should be flown
above 1500 ft agl over hazardous terrain such as stcep hills, moorland and flooded fields, so that you can
safely abandon the aircraft, But there are occasions when fli ght below 1500 ft agl is operationally necessary,
perhaps on essential low-level na vigational sorties or if you arc forced to fly low to avoid cloud. You callnot
have a pre-formed plan to copc with an enginc failure in these ci rcumstances because there are too many
va riables , The following guidelines, added to the ainnanship you have already acquired, might help you to
arrive at the best solution to a complex problem.
n, Convert speed to height , but be careful. At RO kts your potential height gain is zero: even from 120 kts
yo u are not going to gain mu ch morc than 300 ft , It might be more profitable to use excess speed to turn
the aircraft towards the best landing area .
b. If possible, make the final approach into wind since the relati ve effect on ground speed is significant in
a low performance aircraft , but consider thc effects of this on the landing run available, particularly if it
will lead to landing on a steep downs lope.
c . Glide at 80 kts. Reducing the gliding speed wi ll increase the rate of descent, and it will also increase
the likelihood of a stall . To rccover will cost you height and cancel any previous gain , A reduced speed
might also restrict your ability to reduce the rate of descent to an acceptable figure for touchdown; it will
also make it hard for you to manoeuvre to alter you r landing direction slightly. Gliding at 80 kts not only
gives you the best gliding range, but also ensures that you retain enough speed to control your touchdown
successfu lly. This is particularly important because the Firefly gives the pilot little protection from
vertica l dccelcratiolls.

d. After the round-out. you have the choice of either putting the aircraft down at around 60 to 65 kts or
holding it a little above the surface until it runs out of fl ying speed , The fonner technique would be suited
to the situation where there is a hazard ahead, wilereas the latter would be appropriate if the landing mn
was adequate but the surfacc was ilazardous. In cither case, touch dO\\11 on the mainwhecls and try to
kccp tilc weight off thc nosewhccl but be carcfulnot to pull back so far on the control column that you lill
the aircrafl off again .

Engine Failure Above Cloud

17, If the engi ne fails when you arc above cloud, and you do not know your exact position or the heig ht of the
cloud basc. you mu st abandon tile aircraft If you know your position, and tile cloud base is above committal
heigilt , yo u may descend , When you have visual contact wi th thc ground. decide whether to do a forced landing
or abandon . If you decide to descend through cloud, do not go belo\\' ),our safety altitude or committal heig ht,
whicilevcr is the highcr. abandon the aircrafl,

FOI'ced Landing Checks

18 The forced la nding checks during a FLWOP should be done as soon as you are sure that there is no cilance
of rcstarting the engine . For praeticc FLWOP , the forced landing checks shou ld be simulated and the prc-
landing checks should be done to ensure that the eng ine is correctly set for going around. 111e forced landing
checks ensure that the engine does not restart momentarily during the approach to a forced landing and that
\'ou are properly prepared for a forced landing and a quick evacuation if there is a fire .

Actions After Landing

19. Your first concem is for ~ 'our 0\\'11 safety and that of other people. Ensure that the aircraft is safe by
chccki ng that the magneto switcil and the battcr" master switch a re OFF . You must then do what you can to
notify base of your success and to guard the aircrafl .

Initial Issue 17 - 7
 AIIVI:)
20. The aims of this exercise are:
a. To make a safe approach and landing without power.
b. To recognise those situations when it would be safer to abandon the aircraft .

AIRMANSHlP
General Points
2 1. Practice FLWOP (PFLs) are not allowed except on acti ve airfields or in authorised low-flying areas.
Touchdowns are a llowed only on the airfield; all practice PFLs in open country must be terminated at the
minimum heights laid down in local orders and Air Staff Instructions.
22 Prolonged descents with the throttle closed allow thc cngine to cool rapidly, so warn' the engine every 1000
fl during the descent as described in Exercise 8 - Descending. Make your last planned engine warm before
High Key, but give the engine a brief response check on the crosswind leg of the pattern. To do the response
check open the throttle at the norma l rate for an overshoot and then close it when the engine has responded
norma lly. with no hes itation or rough running. In particula rl y cold weather, a full engine warm should be
substituted for the response check.
23 . Most areas in which PFLs are practised are busy fl ying areas so keep a good lookout all around you, with
special emphasis on the area below. It is from this area that another aircraft could be climbing up and away
from a practice forced landing.
24 . During the descent on a ll PFLs, carry out Pre-Landing Checks so that the engine controls are correctly set
lip for the subsequent go around or landing.
25 . For a PFL onto an acti ve airfield the altimeter should be set to QFE, which will give an accurate height
above touchdown . Away from the circuit below transition level, however, the altimeter should be set to RPS so
that it reads altitude above sea level. It will then be necessary to take account of the elevation of the ground in
the local a rea to detennine the aircrafl 's height above a chosen field .

AIR EXERCISE
Revision
26 . InID,ediately after take-off you will practise a glide circuit to refresh the constant sightline-angle approach --'
techniques . You will a lso be able to see the aspect of the ground frol11 500 fl agl.

Selection of Field
27 . On leaving the circuit, your instructor will discuss the appearance of the ground and possible landing fields
from 500 fl agl. You should pay particular attention to the size, shape, surrounds, surface and slope of the
lidds below and consider the alignment of the fi elds with reference to the surface wind . From 500 ft you will
be able to assess the type of surface of a fi eld and should be able to see clearly obstacles such as fences, poles,
cables and ditches. You may even be able to detect any slightly sloping ground . You will then be shown how
the ground appears from 2500 ft agl.
28 . At 2500 ft the si ze and shape of fields are still quite clear but the precise nature of the surface is much
more difficult to determine. Many surface obstacles cannot be seen eas ily and slopes in particular may not be
obvious. Your instructor will discuss the suitabi lity of nearby fields fo r a FLWOP and invite you to select one
fo r the PFL exercise . Remember, when selecting the fi eld, that the fina l approach and landing run should be
madc into wind . Choose the lAP about '/. of the way into the field in the landing direction and note adjacent
ground features to help re-identify the lAP as the pattern is fl own.

17 - 8 Initial Issue
Oemonstmtion PFL
29 . You will be shown a PFL pattern round your chosen field from High Key and will practise the sight line
angle and approach tedmiques from abeam the lAP . When fl ying the pattern remember that, for a real
FLWOP, a decision whether to abandon the aircraft must be made by 1500 ft agl. Also, be aware of MSD .
Note the aspect of the ground at 500 ft MSD so that in subsequent practices you will go around in good time.
Standard Procedure for Forced Landing
30. All methods of fl ying a forced landing use a standard procedure which you must learn . The complete
procedure when the engine fail s is as follows :
a. Fly the aircraft safely.
b. Close the throttle and gain height if possible, while reducing speed to 80 kts for the glide.
c. Trim and check that the ai rcraft is in balance.
d. Ca rry out relevant FRC Immediate Actions.
e. Assess the wind veloc ity: look arou nd for any smoke, or remember the wind velocity at take-off and
use the HSI if synchronised.
f. Select a landing area and fl y towards the High Key position.
g. Carry out any FRC Subsequent Actions . If possible, confiml the Inunediate Actions and subsequent
drills directl y from the FRCs .
h. Make a distress call on RT.
i. Assess your progress towards High Key and if you are not going to be there by at least 2000 ft agl
select a closer landing a rea.
j . Decide whether or not to abandon the a ircraft. Minimum height for abandoning is 1500 ft agl; this is
the lowest height to sta rt leaving the a ircraft, not for thinking about itl

Methods of Adjusting the Final Approach

31 . On an opportunity basis your instructor will teach you the following techniques for correcting a poorly
judged final approach :
a. C hanging landing direction . If the fi eld is approximately square it should be possible to change the
landing direction to track diagonally across the field . For example, if undershooting cut the corner or if
overshooting extend the track and land along the appropriate diagonal.
b. S turns . Lose excess height by using S turns, but be sure to maintain airspeed and avoid harsh
manoeuvring near the ground .
c. C hanging the field . Change your choice of field if possible.
d. Di ving off height. Increase airspeed to 95 kts, but re-establish 75 kts in good time to avoid excessive
floal during the round-out.
e. Sideslipping. Increase airspeed to 80 kts and sideslip as required to lose excess height.
f. Retracting n.p. Raise LANDING FLAP to take-offposition . Do not raise the flaps from TAKE-OFF
to UP .

Conclusiou
DO NOT FORGET THE AIM: TO SAVE LIFE

Initial Issue 17 - 9
 Intentionally blank

17 - 10 Initial Issue
 ANNEX A TO PFLS - ENGINE FAILURE DRILLS
Causes and Symptoms of Possible Engine Failures
This section is concerned with how to diagnose and deal with possible engine failures in the air:
a. Engine fire or mechanical failure . All engine fire is obviously a serious airborne emergency and
should be evident to the Firefly pilot by the sight and smell of smoke or flames from the engine cowling.
An engine which completely and suddenl y stops or labours under severe vibration, often with unusual
noises, is said to be suffering a mechanical failure . This may result from a component part of the engine
failing structurally, or seizure following a possible loss of lubrication (Iow or zero oil pressure). An
cngine suffering a fire or mechanical failure should nonnally be shut down straight away and must not be
restarted .
b. Engine failure (non-mechanical) . Non-mechanical enginc failures can be said to be those where the
engine simply runs dOMl such that the propeller either windmills or gradually stops for no immediately
apparent rcason . Power wi ll not be restored by just opening the throttle. Some likely causes are an
incorrect cockpit selection, engine fuel starvation or blockage of the air intakes by ice or foreign object. It
may be possible to restart an engine which has non-mechanically failed .
c. Other engine problems . Some other engine problems which may arise are rough running or a
malfunctioning propeller. Rough running may be caused by a number of factors including restricted fuel
flow, partial engine icing, minor mechanical difficulties or ignition trouble. A propeller malfunction will
usually stem from loss of oil to the pitch change mechanism which will coarsen the propeller pitch .
Further problems will arise with an engine if, for exanwle, the temperatures and pressures are outside
nonnal limits and the engine can only be operated at reduced power. In any of these cases it may not be
necessary to close the engine down but a forced landing may become inevitable because engine power is
IIlsufficient to allow the a ircraft to mainta in height.

Use of FRCs
2. The emergencies section of the FRCs includes drills for most of the possible engine failures . You should
acquaint yourself thoroughly with these drills before fl ying this FLWOP exercise and apply them thereafter
To action the FRC emergency drills the pilot must first of all diagnose the problem and detennine the
ap propriate drill to apply . You will see that the drills include Immediate Actions and Subsequent Actions.
These are normally completed from memory and confirmed later from the FRCs shou ld time and circumstance
allow . The emergency shutdown drill will inevitably lead to a FLWOP or FRC Abandoning drill . In the case of
the non-mechanical failure , the Subsequent Actions lead to an engine restart, but where this fails they lead
further to the FRC Abandoning or Forced Landing drill . For other problems, there are drill s for rough running
and propeller malfunctions but none for difficulties such as thc tcmperatures and pressures being outside
normal parametcrs . Here, the pilot must use his best judgement to decide the safest course of action and,
shou ld the situation worsen, be prepared to shutdown or carry out a precautionary forced landing whilst power
rema lllS.
3. In the c.1se of rough running, propeller ma lfunctions or other difficulties such as the temperatures and
pressures being outside normal parameters , an engine shutdown is unlikely to be necessary initially. Carry out
any relevant FRC drills and continue to use the engine where possible. The problem will now be to retain
height if the engine can only operate at reduced power. A landing should obviously be made as soon as
possible and on an airfield within range . If an airfield can be reached, fl y to intercept a PFL pattern for the
aCllve runway at a convenient poi nt. Once in the pattern, close the throttle and complete a precautionary forced
land ing. En-route, however, be alert for a possible deterioration in the engine condition. Take continuous note

Initial Issue 17 - 11
 "-

of the ground below and monitor the height. Be prepared to set up a forced landing into a field, or abandon the
aircraft in time, if sufficient height cannot be held or should the engine fail or have to be shut down.

Conclusion
4. An engine failure in the air requires the pilot to apply sound application of the correct FRC drills and to
exercise his best flying skills, judgement and aimlanship to save life.

FLY SAFELY - SAVE LIFE

17 - 12 Initial Issue