gatt wrote in
news:ru6dnZlbZ5BGu4zVnZ2dnUVZ_qjinZ2d@integraonlin e:

Dylan Smith wrote:


We don't know it was an 'impossible turn'. We don't even know what
altitude they were at, whether the engine was still developing power
or
not, or whether the plane caught fire, or ... there simply isn't
enough
information to

Except we know they didn't make it. Assuming the pilot was reasonably
proficient, that suggests the turn couldn't be made.


No, it suggests that he probably wasn't prficient, but we don't know and
are unlikely to ever know. There's always a min height that it can be
performed from and only a lot of practice will tell you what that is for
each departure. As i've said before, only proficiency in handling an
airplane in this situation and a carefully thought out self briefing
before the departure can give even a chance of success in the turnback
manuever. Add in a bit of luck and you have it, but it's almost always
safer to go straight ahead if at all possible.


Bertie