Thanks, jgs238!
I'm kinda new here and ignorant of past threads. I see a lot of talk of torque in engine-out situations in that thread. What seems to be ignored is P-factor, a usually more significant influence than torque. In the sudden reduction of thrust and increase in drag from an engine failure, the resulting immediate increase in angle of attack causes an asymmetric thrust distribution from the propeller disc. The downward travelling blades have more angle of attack to their relative wind, thus generating more thrust than their upward traveling siblings. In the interest of controlability, you want that "extra" thrust to be as close to the aircraft centerline as possible. Compared to this effect, the effect of torque around an off-center mounted engine is relatively less. After years of multi-engine flying, mostly in aircraft roughly equivalent to a P-38 in size, weight and horsepower, (but not in testosterone!), I can vouch for the powerful effects of asymmetric thrust suddenly applied. A really brave (or foolish) check airman might even occasionally disable the autofeather circuit before pulling the power on one engine. Inside the marker on an ILS, the plane dirtied up and at or near Vref, that guarantees an exciting time! Still, simpler than it would be in a Lightning. No wonder we lost so many.
I'm kinda new here and ignorant of past threads. I see a lot of talk of torque in engine-out situations in that thread. What seems to be ignored is P-factor, a usually more significant influence than torque. In the sudden reduction of thrust and increase in drag from an engine failure, the resulting immediate increase in angle of attack causes an asymmetric thrust distribution from the propeller disc. The downward travelling blades have more angle of attack to their relative wind, thus generating more thrust than their upward traveling siblings. In the interest of controlability, you want that "extra" thrust to be as close to the aircraft centerline as possible. Compared to this effect, the effect of torque around an off-center mounted engine is relatively less. After years of multi-engine flying, mostly in aircraft roughly equivalent to a P-38 in size, weight and horsepower, (but not in testosterone!), I can vouch for the powerful effects of asymmetric thrust suddenly applied. A really brave (or foolish) check airman might even occasionally disable the autofeather circuit before pulling the power on one engine. Inside the marker on an ILS, the plane dirtied up and at or near Vref, that guarantees an exciting time! Still, simpler than it would be in a Lightning. No wonder we lost so many.
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