Unit 7 – What to do when the prop stops

Preflight Exercises
Complete the weight and balance portion of the Preflight Briefing Sheet.

Conduct the preflight inspection

Dry-run through the following checklists

  • Slow Flight
  • Power Off Stall
  • Power On Stall
  • Steep Turns
  • Engine failure during takeoff roll
  • Engine failure immediately after takeoff
  • Engine failure in flight
  • Emergency landing without power
Preflight Discussion
Topic Be able to answer: Resources to study:
Aerodynamics Crosswind Landing

  • Describe the crab method when landing with a crosswind.
  • Describe the sideslip (wind down) method when landing with a crosswind.
  • How does the decreasing airspeed during the crosswind flare affect control effectiveness?
  • How do you adjust control input during the flare, touchdown and rollout in a crosswind?
  • Describe the common errors in the performance of a crosswind approach and landing.

Gusty and Turbulent Conditions

  • In strong winds (headwind and tailwind), how can you improve airplane controllability?
AFH 3BReview AFH Chapter 8 Approaches and Landings



Practical Knowledge Engine failure on takeoff

  • What are your priorities during an engine failure on takeoff?
  • Describe how to determine the abort point prior to departure.
  • Describe the aborted takeoff procedure.
  • Describe the checklist for an engine failure after takeoff
  • Describe how you would select a landing location for an engine failure with no runway remaining.
  • When would you turn back to the runway?

Engine failure in flight

  • What are your priorities during an engine failure in flight?
  • What is the glide ratio for your airplane?
  • How would you select a landing location?
  • Draw on the board how you would approach your selected landing location.
  • Describe your position and altitude at high key.
  • Describe your position and altitude at low key.
  • Describe when you would use flaps during the emergency approach for landing.
  • Describe the checklist for for engine failure in flight.
  • Describe emergency announcements, frequencies, and transponder squawk codes.
AFH 3BStudy AFH Chapter 17 Emergency Procedures



Complete Modules 7 in AOPA’s Say It Right online course.


POHStudy Chapter 3 in your airplane’s POH/AFM.


Decision Making and Risk Mgmt
  • Review crosswind component and weight and balance for flight.


Flight Experience


POHReview your airplane’s checklists.



AFH 3BReview AFH Chapter 7 Airport Traffic Patterns & AFH Chapter 8 Approaches and Landings

Operation Expect to:
Preflight Inspection You will be conducting the preflight inspection. Your instructor will be asking you questions about the preflight issues you are looking for and to identify the location and purpose of different aircraft components.
Engine Start You will start the engine, using the appropriating priming procedure, check engine gauges and lean the mixture for taxi.
Taxi You will make the determination of the appropriate runway to use for takeoff. You will transmit the pre-taxi announcement on the radio, allow the airplane to roll forward with slightly more than idle power, test the brakes, and then taxi to the appropriate runway for runup.
Run-Up You will perform the run-up using the checklist. Your instructor will ask you about acceptable and unacceptable conditions for items checked during run-up.
Departure Brief You will give the departure briefing for this flight, with a departure plan to the practice area.
Before Takeoff Check You will perform the before takeoff check, including the collision avoidance scan. You will transmit the takeoff announcement on the CTAF.
Normal Takeoff You will perform the takeoff. After the airplane lifts off, establish a Vx climb, then after clearing obstacles, establish a Vy climb. Complete the 1,000 AGL checklist and tun the airplane to the on-course heading..
Shallow Climbing Turns You will then practice turns and rudder coordination as you climb up to the practice area altitude.
Level-Off, Cruise Check, Straight and Level Level the airplane off using the sequence Pitch-Power-Trim, starting approximately 50 ft prior to the discussed altitude. Be sure to anticipate that you will need to increase forward pressure on the yoke to prevent the airplane from attempting to climb again, reducing power only once the airplane has achieved the desired low cruise airspeed, and finally trimming the airplane once the airspeed and the elevator force transmitted to the yoke and felt in your hands has stabilized.
Altitude needed to turn 270 degree At cruise altitude, your instructor will demonstrate the amount of altitude needed to turn 270 degrees after simulating an engine failure from a Vy climb attitude and energy state.
Simulated Engine Failure in flight Your instructor will simulate an engine failure by closing the throttle. You will practice managing this simulated emergency by prioritizing airspeed, field selection, troubleshooting, communication and then preparing for landing.
Traffic Pattern with Normal Takeoff and Normal Landing You will practice normal takeoffs, flying the traffic pattern and normal landings. You will initiate a go around without prompting from your instructor if the approach becomes stabilized below 200 AGL, or at any time you are unsure of the approach. You will initiate a forward slip if on a high approach and airplane permits their use with the current flap configuration.
Simulated Engine Failure in the traffic pattern Your instructor will simulate engine failures at various points in the traffic pattern. You will manage this simulated emergency by maintaining aircraft control, selecting the best route to return to the runway, using flaps, forward slips and S-turns if needed to avoid overshooting. You will be primed to go-around if any point landing is not assured. You will also attempt to simulate restarting the engine once aircraft control and navigation are fully managed.
Simulated Engine Failure on takeoff If the runway is over 6000 ft, the instructor will close the throttle before the airplane has reached 200 AGL. Your instructor will then coach you through maintaining aircraft control by reducing the angle of attack immediately, using flaps to decrease the forward velocity and flare for landing. You will experience that at this low energy state you must immediately lower the nose to prevent an aerodynamic stall due to the quickly increasing angle of attack.
Approach Briefing You will be responsible for giving the approach briefing as you return to the airport.
Descending Turns You will practice making shallow left and right descending turns. Remember to watch the nose during these turns to determine the amount of rudder input needed to keep the nose pinned on a distant object as you roll the airplane from left to right and right to left.
Pattern Entry Your instructor will coach you through performance of the before landing and landing checklists, entry on the 45, establishing downwind,
Your instructor will transmit radio broadcasts on the CTAF to give your airplane’s location and intentions as you return to the airport, enter the pattern and land.
Normal Landing You will establish a stabilized approach, using power to maintain a stable rate of descent. The instructor will call for a stable check at 200 AGL. You will initiate the flare and continue to apply back pressure to hold the airplane in the landing attitude, while simultaneously decreasing the airplane’s descent rate. You will control the aircraft’s lateral alignment with aileron, longitudinal alignment with rudder, and ensure that the aircraft touches down on the centerline with no lateral drift.
Postflight Procedures You will taxi the airplane from the runway to the tiedown, executing the after landing checklist and shutdown checklists. Your instructor will help you push the airplane back into the tiedown, secure it, clean it and complete the post-flight section of the checklist.