Engine failure question...?

Question

In a passenger jet (Boeing 737, A320, etc.)...would there be a good chance of making a safe gliding landing in the continental United States (with all the aiports) if both engines failed at FL300. Not afraid of flying or anything I was just curious.

Answer 1

It's been done over remote parts of Canada and over the middle of the Atlantic ocean.

Over the continental US would be a piece of cake to glide to a suitable airport (a successful landing might be a different story, especially if it is IFR).

Airliners can theoretically glide at 17:1 giving them 96 miles of straight line, no wind range.  The Gimli Glider (Air Canada Boeing 767) managed a 12:1 glide ratio.

Answer 2

Firstly - the chances of both engines failing in flight are negligible. A twin-engine jet will fly safely with one engine inoperative, as mandated by FAA/JAR regulations.

With both engines out, an aircraft will glide reasonably well - the chances of making a safe landing will depend on the location (and facilities) of the nearest airfield, and the weather.

The aircraft will deploy a Ram Air Turbine, to provide emergency electrical and hydraulic power, after that it's all down to the guys sitting at the front. It is certainly not impossible to put the aircraft down safely without the engines.

Answer 3

yes and no,,  this is how it goes...  the pilot will defiantly find an airport within gliding distance,, but the thing is he is most probably gona overshoot or undershoot the runway....   remember  if it was a cessna theres no big deal in overshooting or undershooting  risk of surviving is high,,  but when it comes to a boeing or any other jet or even a turboprop aircraft overshooting or undershooting means most probably a disaster,,,,,  most probably only one percent of pilots can land it safly on the runway when flying a jet aircraft with no engines operating

Answer 4

Not only possible, but it has been done. In the dark. Google Gimli glider.

Answer 5

50/50 if you were born lucky.

Answer 6

The typical jet airliner has a glide ratio of about 9:1, so if you were at 30,000 ft AGL, you would have a radius of about 270,000 ft, or 51 miles.  In most parts of the US, that would make finding a suitable airport or other landing spot a good likelihood.

Of course if you are in the middle of the Sierra Nevada, conditions would be less favorable.  But you still would stand a pretty good chance, even if you ended up landing gear-up in a soybean field.

The fuselage of the airplane is built really rugged, and it will protect the people inside in a wide variety of off-airport landing situations.

Your crew are highly trained professionals, who know how to handle the power-off landing that would be necessary.  There are all sorts of ways of adjusting the glide path to get onto the airport.  If it can be done, it will be done.  And your entire crew is trained in managing off-airport landings, in the unlikely event such a thing should happen.

So tilt back and relax.  You will enjoy a safe flight.

Answer 7

I really don't see how all of that weight gets airborne even with both engines functional.  

If you were at FL 300, and lost both engines, I'd just order a few jack-n-cokes and get prepared......