Mar 7, 2026 · 28 min · 8 segments
Multi-Engine flying is some of the most fun and rewarding flying you can do! As multi-engine pilots there are some key aerodynamic principles we need to understand and be proficient with handling…
And the majority of that comes down to the way the aircraft behaves when one engine dies and the other one doesn't, all right? Because this type of condition creates a lot of asymmetric thrust.
which creates some unique characteristics in the way the aircraft handles and some unique things that we need to be aware of as multi-engine pilots.
The majority of your training for multi-engine aircraft is going to be related to these principles and being able to show that you can control this multi-engine aircraft on a single engine.
Now, as with many things in aviation, we can use a handy-dandy acronym to help us kind of remember the things we're talking about.
Now, the critical engine is the engine that, when failed— has the most adverse effect on directional control.
The engine that, when failed, has the most adverse effect on directional control.
What's the difference? Well, counter-rotating, that might be somewhat self-explanatory.
It's basically when each propeller on each engine rotates the opposite direction.
So from the pilot's vantage point, each of those props are going to be rotating inward typically, okay, towards the fuselage.
Whereas in a conventional twin, both propellers rotate the same direction, which from the pilot's vantage point is always going to be clockwise, right? If you're looking at it from the front on, it'd be counterclockwise, but they're going to rotate in that direction and both of them are going to do that.
So between our conventional twins and our counter-rotating twins, which one has a critical engine and which one doesn't? Well, the conventional twin is gonna be the one that has the critical engine.
And the majority of that comes down to the way the aircraft behaves when one engine dies and the other one doesn't, all right? Because this type of condition creates a lot of asymmetric thrust.
which creates some unique characteristics in the way the aircraft handles and some unique things that we need to be aware of as multi-engine pilots.
The majority of your training for multi-engine aircraft is going to be related to these principles and being able to show that you can control this multi-engine aircraft on a single engine.
Now, as with many things in aviation, we can use a handy-dandy acronym to help us kind of remember the things we're talking about.
Now, the critical engine is the engine that, when failed— has the most adverse effect on directional control.
The engine that, when failed, has the most adverse effect on directional control.
What's the difference? Well, counter-rotating, that might be somewhat self-explanatory.
It's basically when each propeller on each engine rotates the opposite direction.
So from the pilot's vantage point, each of those props are going to be rotating inward typically, okay, towards the fuselage.
Whereas in a conventional twin, both propellers rotate the same direction, which from the pilot's vantage point is always going to be clockwise, right? If you're looking at it from the front on, it'd be counterclockwise, but they're going to rotate in that direction and both of them are going to do that.
So between our conventional twins and our counter-rotating twins, which one has a critical engine and which one doesn't? Well, the conventional twin is gonna be the one that has the critical engine.
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