One Engine Inoperative (Simulated) during Straight-and-Level Flight and Turns (AMEL, AMES)

Positive aircraft control — promptly recognize the failure and keep flying the airplane (IR.VII.B.S1). On instruments that means the scan does not stop: distractions, task prioritization, loss of situational awareness, and disorientation during the failure drill are listed risks of this Task (IR.VII.B.R4). Handle the engine only as fast as you can do it without letting attitude, heading, or airspeed get away.

1. Set the engine controls and reduce drag
2. Identify the inoperative engine
3. Verify it
4. Simulate feathering the propeller on the inoperative engine — the evaluator then establishes zero thrust
5. Establish the best engine-inoperative airspeed and trim

Then verify the securing checklist, try to determine and resolve the cause, and monitor the operating engine (IR.VII.B.S5–S7). The exact control order comes from your POH/AFM.

A power setting on the "failed" engine that simulates the drag of a feathered propeller without shutting the engine down — you simulate the feather; the evaluator then sets zero thrust (IR.VII.B.S2). Actually securing an engine in flight — let alone in IMC — trades a training benefit for a real emergency, so the evaluator must brief the manufacturer-recommended methods for simulating engine failure during the preflight briefing (FAA-S-ACS-8C, Appendix 2, Multiengine Considerations).

The best engine-inoperative airspeed, established and trimmed for (IR.VII.B.S3). On the airspeed indicator, the blue radial line marks the airspeed for best single-engine rate of climb at gross weight and sea level (IFH ch. 5) — your POH/AFM gives the numbers for other weights and altitudes.

• Altitude ±100 feet — or minimum sink rate if the airplane can't hold altitude
• Airspeed ±10 knots
• Heading ±10°

Note the "minimum sink" escape hatch: the standard recognizes that a light twin on one engine may be unable to maintain altitude (IR.VII.B.R2).

• Fly the best engine-inoperative airspeed for minimum sink (IR.VII.B.S3, S8)
• Assess performance capability and decide an appropriate action to ensure a safe landing (IR.VII.B.S9)
• Tell ATC: under IFR you must report when unable to climb or descend at least 500 fpm, and report any information relating to the safety of flight (IPH ch. 2) — an engine failure and an OEI ceiling below the MEA certainly qualify

Because an airplane that can't climb or maintain altitude on one engine (IR.VII.B.R2) will eventually be maneuvering low and slow with thin margins — the setup for a stall, spin, or controlled flight into terrain. The mitigations are built into the Task:

• Hold the best engine-inoperative airspeed (IR.VII.B.S3)
• Stay trimmed and within the aircraft's operating limitations (S10)
• Assess performance capability and decide on a safe landing early (S9) — while you still have altitude to spend on the decision, not after the terrain has closed the options

The approach-phase version of this risk is covered under Task VII.C.

• Verify the prescribed checklist procedures used for securing the engine — high-workload memory items get reviewed against the checklist once conditions permit (FAA-S-ACS-8C, Appendix 2)
• Attempt to determine and resolve the reason for the failure
• Monitor engine functions on the operating engine and adjust as necessary
• Assess performance and commit to a plan for a safe landing

One engine is now doing all the work from whatever tanks feed it — you must know your fuel system's single-engine procedures cold from the POH/AFM before you need them: which tanks feed the operating engine, how to keep it fed, and what the emergency checklist says about fuel selectors and pumps. Brief this on the ground; on instruments you won't have spare attention to reason it out.

Yes — your certificate will bear the limitation "Multiengine Limited to VFR Only." Test in a multiengine airplane and instrument privileges are automatically conferred on the single-engine rating. Removing the VFR-only limitation later — at the private or commercial pilot certificate level — requires satisfactorily performing Tasks VII.B and VII.C in a multiengine airplane with a manufacturer's published VMC (FAA-S-ACS-8C, Appendix 1).

With your airplane's numbers, not a generic one: the standard is the control combination recommended by the manufacturer, or as required for best performance, trimmed off so you can keep flying the scan (IR.VII.B.S4). Follow up with why trim matters on instruments — untrimmed control pressure destroys the light touch instrument corrections require and steals attention from the cross-check (IFH ch. 7).

Because OEI, performance margins are thin (IR.VII.B.R2) and every configuration item is a drag decision. The S2 flow opens with set the engine controls and reduce drag, and simulating the feather removes the failed propeller's drag (IR.VII.B.S2) — but the ACS leaves the specifics to your airplane: know from the POH/AFM exactly which items your drag-reduction step covers (flap and gear positions and the rest of the manufacturer's OEI configuration) and in what order. Then keep the airplane configured and flown as recommended by the manufacturer, or as required to maintain best performance, trimmed (IR.VII.B.S4). Configuration on the single-engine approach is covered under Task VII.C.

In a typical twin, no — the instrument pneumatic system uses two engine-driven air pumps feeding a manifold check valve. If either engine or pump quits, the check valve isolates the failed side and the instruments are driven by air from the operating system (IFH ch. 5). Verify what your airplane actually has: consult the POH/AFM for the power source of every instrument so you know what to expect when a failure occurs (IFH ch. 5).

• The multiengine airplane must have a manufacturer's published VMC — unless your certificate has a center-thrust limitation (FAA-S-ACS-8C, Appendix 3)
• The evaluator must discuss the methods for simulating an engine failure in accordance with the manufacturer's recommended procedures during the preflight briefing (Appendix 2, Multiengine Considerations)
• On an IPC, Area VII Tasks B, C, and D are required — B and C in multiengine airplanes only, and the multiengine Tasks must be flown in an aircraft or a Level B/C/D FFS, not an AATD (Appendix 1)