Originally posted by cas
a pilot once told me that a single engine aircraft losing an engine is going down……..
in a twin with an engine out the second engine is only there to take you to the crash site??????????????????

Not strictly true, some modern twins have a reasonably acceptable single engine performance but not many and those that do usually require the following conditions to achieve it.

1) a clean aircraft i.e. flaps & gear up, cowl flaps closed

2) being above Vse when the engine fails, a lot of them can’t accelerate on one engine so the only way to get abe Vse, especially on the approach woould be to put the nose down which you wouldn’t want to do if you had just realised that you were too low

3) a pilot who is current on single engine flight in that type and is ready for the engine failure when it happens (if he or she’s flying a twin they should be, just as a single engine pilot should always be prepared for an engine failure)