Managing engine damage/failure

[SnP102]

Hello all,

 

I have finally taken the time to learn the A-10C, and I have been having a blast. Sooooo much more enjoyable than the SU-25T.

 

I have been playing for a couple hours today, and I experienced engine damage when engaging a T-55 (I was stupid and my approach was too close).

 

My left engine fan speed was normal and my right was about 25%. I trimmed the hell out of the plane, and still had difficulties. Especially while attempting to land, which I aborted, and crashed there after when my plane rotated beyond my control and crashed into the ground.

 

So you have a damaged engine, what do you do to manage the situation?

[Puma]

Do you have a emergency checklist? There are some steps to follow but they wont hange the flight dynamics. Sas off might help. Shortesr answer is practice. Thrust in the a-10 is far off centerline so it is touchy. Keep the approach faster than normal (140-150) to help compensate. All of that is in a good checklist.

[DUSTY]

I trimmed the hell out of the plane, and still had difficulties. Especially while attempting to land, which I aborted, and crashed there after when my plane rotated beyond my control and crashed into the ground.

 

So you have a damaged engine, what do you do to manage the situation?

 

Well depending on the level of damage to your engine you can either attempt to relight it or secure it (shut down). In most cases in DCS A-10 if your engine gets hit it's best to secure the engine by following the checklists.

 

That leaves you with a single engine (S/E) approach and landing which is a tricky task and takes practice to perfect. It would be a good idea to do some training in good weather conditions where you drop one engine to idle thrust to get a feel for single engine handling characteristics.

 

The A-10C checklists give some good guidance for safely accomplishing single engine approach/landings. I use the v476th checklists for the A-10 which are publicly available and perfect for the sim.

 

SINGLE-ENGINE LANDING

1. Speed brakes – Close.

2. Flaps – Retract.

 

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:

Selective jettison of stores on same side as dead engine will reduce rudder requirement.

It may take up to 30 seconds for the gear to extend and lock.

Gust factor and crosswind corrections should be applied to touchdown airspeed, but are not applied to single-engine approach speed.

 

3. External stores - Jettison (as required).

4. Yaw trim control knob - Neutral.

5. SAS/anti-skid paddle - OFF.

6. Yaw SAS - Engage operable channel if hydraulic pressure for operable hydraulic system is normal, and yaw damping, trim, and turn coordination is desired. (Do not engage pitch SAS.)

7. Landing gear handle - DOWN. (If left hydraulic system is inoperative:

AUX LG EXT handle - PULL: when gear indicates safe: AUX LG EXT handle - Push in.)

8. Emergency brake handle - Pull (if left hydraulic system is inoperative).

9. Anti-skid switch - ANTI-SKID (if left hydraulic system is operative).

10. Review SINGLE-ENGINE GO-AROUND (EF-37).

11. Fly no-flap approach at 150 KIAS plus 1 knot for each 1,000 pounds of aircraft gross weight over 30,000 pounds until landing is assured.

 

After landing is assured:

12. Flaps – As required (if left hydraulic system is operative).

13. Speed brakes – As required (if right hydraulic system is operative).

 

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:

• During single-engine operation, failure to use sufficient rudder can result in large sideslip angles and yaw rates. Large sideslip angles will produce excessive drag, loss of airspeed, and excessive sink rates. It is critical to maintain coordinated flight using the rudders and slight bank into the good engine to prevent sideslip buildup during single-engine situations. If altitude and the situation permit, power reduction on the good engine may be required to arrest excessive yaw buildup. If sideslip is not arrested, it is possible to create a condition where the yaw rate becomes so large that there is insufficient rudder available to correct the sideslip, and the aircraft can depart controlled flight. Increased power settings must be led by timely and coordinated rudder inputs.

• Flight tests show a significantly higher rudder force is required to maintain controlled flight following the failure of a right engine as opposed to the failure of a left engine. The additional force required varies, but has been measured to be as high as 100 pounds. The onset rate is rapid and occurs when the right hydraulic system depressurizes, about the same time that the slats extend. Use of rudder trim may be necessary to relieve excessive rudder pressure.

• Under normal single-engine approach conditions, best single-engine climb speed is approximately:

• Gear down - Single-engine approach speed minus 10 KIAS.

• Gear Up - Single-engine approach speed.

 

Point 10 states to review S/E go around (EF-37) and I'm not sure what manual that is referencing right now. Maybe someone else can chime in there?

The below checklist for a S/E go around is a bit simplistic but covers the basics.

 

SINGLE-ENGINE GO-AROUND

1. Throttle - MAX.

2. Landing gear - UP (if left hydraulic system is available).

3. External stores - Jettison (if required).

4. FUEL FLOWS - OVERRIDE (if required).

 

If you do attempt a s/e approach, demonstrate good airmanship by salvaging a bad approach early and taking it around. Minimum s/e control speed can be >140KIAS depending on weight and drag of your current config - that means a late missed approach can be fatal (as you experienced). This is because the thrust asymmetry while at slower speeds will result in a yawing and secondary rolling motion that the flight controls are unable to counteract. During my multi engine training in Beechcraft Duchess' you were committed to a single engine landing below 400ft AGL, no doubt a similar limit would apply to the A10.

 

Hope that helps.

Edited April 4, 2016 by |DUSTY|

[SnP102]

Thank you sir.

[seastate]

TBH with a single engine I find the easiest landing is a high approach with engines off. Flaps max and speedbrakes as required. I know it's not the 'correct' way but it means you're not yawing all over the place and you only need to keep an eye on your speed.

[Goldham]

Also there is a yaw trim knob near the emergency flight controls panel so you can mostly trim the aircraft out for level flight. Just keep the slip indicator ball in the middle.

[Puma]

Be careful expecting trim to fix a single engine approach. Trim changes at speed, so as you fly the approach tou would need to retrim constantly. I had much more luck "just flying". Trim once, then just keep the thing on the thing.

[paulca]

Be careful expecting trim to fix a single engine approach. Trim changes at speed, so as you fly the approach tou would need to retrim constantly. I had much more luck "just flying". Trim once, then just keep the thing on the thing.

 

The trim changing with speed is not the big issue, it's the source of the yaw imbalance changes with throttle is what gets you.

 

So you trim out the adverse yaw from the single engine while in the pattern at 180kts. All is grand. You start your descent reducing throttle and suddenly the plane is yawing again, away from the failed engine. So you adjust your trim to get back to pedals off straight. All is good.

 

As you near the bottom of the approach you pop out the second flap which requires a little more power and now you are yawing back the other way again.

 

Personally I just counter the yaw with roll and fly crabbed down the approach. Cut the throttles to idle slightly high and slightly fast and decrab it onto the runway.

 

DO NOT get onto the grass, with one engine you can't get back out of it.

[Flamin_Squirrel]

The trim changing with speed is not the big issue, it's the source of the yaw imbalance changes with throttle is what gets you.

 

So you trim out the adverse yaw from the single engine while in the pattern at 180kts. All is grand. You start your descent reducing throttle and suddenly the plane is yawing again, away from the failed engine. So you adjust your trim to get back to pedals off straight. All is good.

 

As you near the bottom of the approach you pop out the second flap which requires a little more power and now you are yawing back the other way again.

 

Personally I just counter the yaw with roll and fly crabbed down the approach. Cut the throttles to idle slightly high and slightly fast and decrab it onto the runway.

 

DO NOT get onto the grass, with one engine you can't get back out of it.

 

...and this is why the checklist says:

 

1. Speed brakes – Close.

2. Flaps – Retract.

 

By minimising drag, power requirements are reduced and so is thrust asymmetry.

 

Also, when flying single engine, the ball is no longer an accurate indication of sideslip and should not necessarily be centred.

 

The most efficient way to fly is to to roll into the good engine a little, as well as yaw.

[SharpeXB]

I have a really great app called iWarthog which has an emergency procedure section with a touchable Caution Panel. You touch R-Gen or whatever and it gives you the procedure.

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=75142&highlight=iWarthog

 

I don't see it on the App Store anymore though.

Edited April 6, 2016 by SharpeXB