Lesson Plan: CFI 1

Objectives: Understanding Multi Engine aerodynamics in general, as well as knowing

what the critical engine is and the reasons why the left engine is critical.

Elements:
 Turning tendencies;
 Engine failure;
 Critical Engine;
 Factors affecting the critical engine.

Time: 60 minutes

Equipment:
 Multi Engine Jeppesen manual;
 Student Handout.

Instructor Actions:
 Ensure students understand how losing an engine affects safety of flight.
Knowing the consequences of the loss of an engine can help towards the
outcome of such a drastic in flight failure.

Student Actions:
 Actively participate in the ground lesson, take notes, be able to explain
and perform the maneuver back to the instructor.

Completion Standard: Student should be able to explain the multi engine airplane
turning tendencies, the critical engine, and the reason why the left engine is
considered critical in conventional airplanes.

Nicolò Pomarolli Phoenix East Aviation 4/10/23

Lesson Plan: CFI 2

Multi Engine AERODYNAMICS

INDUCED FLOW:
If we look at a wing without the engine and fuselage the amount of lift created will look
like this:

The propellers of the wing‐mounted engines create an accelerated flow or accelerated

slipstream of air over the wings called induced flow. The amount of lift created by a
multi‐ engine airplane looks like this:

Turning tendencies… in a multi engine airplane!

The turning tendencies that affect single‐engine airplanes also affect multi‐engine airplanes,
particularly torque and p-factor. Since a multi‐engine airplane has at least two engines, these
effects are increased.

There are two types of twin engine airplanes:

1) Conventional twins: the propellers of each engine rotate in the same direction, such as
the Diamond DA-42 Twinstar.
2) Twin engine airplane with counterrotating propellers, that rotate in opposite direction
to each other such as the Piper Seminole.

Torque and p‐factor, although still present, are canceled out with counter‐rotating propellers!

Nicolò Pomarolli Phoenix East Aviation 4/10/23

Lesson Plan: CFI 3

Conventional Propellers Counterrotating propellers

Torque and P-factor in a Multi…

Nicolò Pomarolli Phoenix East Aviation 4/10/23

Lesson Plan: CFI 4

When one engine fails!!!

When an engine failure occurs in a multi engine aircraft, asymmetric thrust and drag
cause the following effects on the aircraft’s axes of rotation:

1) Pitch down (Lateral Axis):

Due to a loss of accelerated slipstream over the horizontal stabilizer, causes it to
produce less negative lift, causing the airplane to pitch down. To compensate for
this, back pressure is required.
2) Roll toward the failed engine (Longitudinal Axis):
The wing produces less lift on the side of the failed engine due to the loss of
accelerated slipstream. This will require additional aileron deflection into the
operating engine.
3) Yaw toward the dead engine (Vertical Axis):
Loss of thrust and increased drag from the wind milling propeller cause the
aircraft to yaw toward the failed engine. The pilot must put rudder input on the
side of the operating engine. “ Dead foot, dead engine”

Engine Inoperative Climb Performance

Climb performance depends on the excess power needed to overcome drag. Vy, or best
rate of climb airspeed, is the airspeed at which we have the most excess power. When a
multi engine loses an engine, loses 50% of its available power. This power loss results in
loss of approximately 80% of the aircraft excess power and climb performance.

When one engine fails, besides the fact that it is not creating thrust anymore, it is
generating drag! And an increase in drag must be offset by additional power. The
additional power is taken from the excess power, making it unavailable to aid the
aircraft in climb. When an engine fails, maximize thrust (full power), and minimize drag
( flaps up, gear up, prop feathered etc)!

Nicolò Pomarolli Phoenix East Aviation 4/10/23

Lesson Plan: CFI 5

The critical engine

The critical engine is the engine that, if it were to fail, would most adversely affect the
performance or handling characteristics of the airplane.

On conventional airplanes, the critical engine is the left engine! On a twin engine
airplane with counter rotating propellers such as the Piper Seminole, there is no critical
engine since the yawing and rolling effects of losing one engine will be identical no
matter which engine fails.

There are four factors that determine which engine is critical:

 P -factor
 A ccelerated slipstream
 S piraling slipstream
 T orque

P-Factor
Both propellers turn clockwise when viewed from the cockpit. At low airspeed and high
angle of attack of the wings, the descending blade grabs a “bigger bite of air”, producing
more thrust than the ascending blade. The only difference between the two engines is:
the descending blade of the right engine has a longer arm from the CG than the
descending blade from the left engine.

The left engine produces thrust closer to the centerline. So if the left engine fails, the
yaw tendency will be greater than the one produced by the loss of the right engine,
making the left engine critical.

Nicolò Pomarolli Phoenix East Aviation 4/10/23

Lesson Plan: CFI 6

On a counter‐rotating twin engine airplane, arms (A1, A2) to the descending propeller blades
are the same length, resulting in the same amount of yaw regardless of which engine fails.

Accelerated Slipstream (Roll and Pitch)

Since P factor causes thrust to be produced on the right side of the propeller, the
induced airflow will also be shifted right as depicted in the image. Take a look at the
difference between the two arms:

1) In the case of the left engine, the center of lift will be closer to the aircraft
longitudinal axis.
2) In case of the right engine, the center of lift will be further towards the tip.

The most adverse rolling and pitching moment happens when the left engine fails. This
contributes to make the left engine critical.

Nicolò Pomarolli Phoenix East Aviation 4/10/23

Lesson Plan: CFI 7

Spiraling Slipstream
A spiraling slipstream from the left engine hits the vertical stabilizer from the left, aiding
to counteract the yaw produced by the loss of the right engine. However, with a left
engine failure, slipstream from the right propeller does not counteract the yaw toward
the failed engine because it spirals away from the tail.
For this reason, the left engine is critical.

Torque
As the propeller rotates in one direction, the engine tries to rotate the airplane in the
opposite direction. This is due to Newton’s third law which states that for every action
there is an equal and opposite reaction. (bla bla bla)

Think of a helicopter. If it didn’t have the rear rotor, the helicopter fuselage would spin
opposite to the direction of the blades. The rear rotor function is to counteract torque!

Nicolò Pomarolli Phoenix East Aviation 4/10/23

Lesson Plan: CFI 8

Who cares about helicopters, how does torque affect our multi engine airplane when
we have an engine failure? Let’s take a look at each engine individually.

1) In a left engine failure, torque increases the airplane tendency to roll and yaw
toward the inoperative engine.
2) In a right engine failure, torque decreases the airplane tendency to roll and yaw
towards the inoperative engine.

In a counter rotating propeller airplane instead, there would not be any difference.

Nicolò Pomarolli Phoenix East Aviation 4/10/23