small single engined planes, why don’t they make the engine jettesonable so when it fails?

Question

the pilot can get rid of exsess weight and glide more? Seems only logical.

Answer 1

On light singles that’s one of the WORST things that can happen. The engine does indeed have a lot of weight so if you loose the engine’s weight the shift in CG might move so much that it may be impossible to control the aircraft.

And the aircraft’s weight has no effect on the distance it can glide only the time. Very different.

So lets pray the engine stays on.

Answer 2

When the engine fails, you are flying a glider. Making the engine 'jettisonable' would so signifgicantly affect the weight and balance, and would instantaneously render the airplane un-flyable. The tail of the airplane would drop, forcing the plane into an instant stall, and mean a crash straight into the ground.

This versus being able to bring the plane down in as safe a manner as possible, reducing the risk to the occupants, and other people or property.

Engine out procedures are supposed to be practiced, and the pilot should be familiar with the emergency procedures. Also, if the pilot has done a thorough pre-flight, and the aircraft is maintained properly, the chances of an engine failure are significantly reduced.

Answer 3

a great form of effective solutions already with regard to the maintenance standards for plane engines, yet you do no longer want an engine to land. right that's a tidbit that could confound you: gentle twin engine planes have a greater advantageous fatality value after an engine failure than a single engine planes. Flying a gentle twin with purely one engine turning may well be frustrating. considering the fact that each and all the potential is on one part, the airplane tries to instruct to the edge of the ineffective engine, and you should preserve adequate velocity to maintain administration. decelerate too plenty, and the airplane in certainty flips over and you die. On incredible of that, you lose 80% of your climb overall performance in case you do each and every thing completely. once you're somewhat sloppy, you haven't any longer have been given any potential to climb. between the certification standards for a single engine airplane is that it has a stall velocity of sixty one kts or much less- which potential if the engine quits it in all fairness ordinary to discover a gap to land. Planes do no longer fall out of the sky while the engine quits, in one engine airplane if issues get too quiet in front, you purely %. the main suitable available spot and land. as long as you keep administration of the airplane and don't hit something head on, you will just about easily proceed to exist, and could probable walk away.

Answer 4

Losing metal will make the aircraft unflyable and completely unbalanced.
Also, spare a thought for the people on the ground, how much damage would an engine travelling at several hundred mph The terminal velocity of a lump of metal dropped from 5000ft) do when it hit the ground, possibly in a built up area? It would easily demolish a house.

Dropping an engine wouldnt do much good anyway, wouldnt increase the glide distance by much.

Answer 5

1. Engine failures in flight are extremely rare, and the development of complex solutions is not justifiable.

2. The airplane would not be any better glider without the engine than with it, especially if you take into account the added complexity of the system for dropping the engine.

3. A falling engine would be a greater hazard on the ground than a gliding airplane.

4. In general, adding such a mechanism to a light airplane would not be feasible.

Answer 6

Because it will make the CG shift way back and make control impossible. All other factors not withstanding, the last thing you would want after an engine failure is to lose total control of the aircraft as well.

Answer 7

It would cause an almost immediate aerodynamic stall, as well as cause significant drag from the hole that you have just opened up in the front of the plane.

Oh, and by the way, do you want an engine to fall on your house because someone hit the wrong button?

Answer 8

In addition ot all the excellent answers so far, IF there's a mechanism to release the engine, THAT can fail and release it when you don't want it to, which could be disastrous.

Answer 9

The issues mentioned about the sudden shift in CG are quite valid. Also...would you want an aircraft engine falling on you or your house or elsewhere? I wouldn't.

Answer 10

it would throw the balance off on the plane..
over all the aircraft has to be balanced at the wing to fly