It’s one of the most terrifying thoughts a fearful flyer can have: what if both engines fail at 35,000 feet? No power. No sound. Just silence and altitude. For most people, the mental image is one of chaos — the plane stalling, dropping out of the sky, and plummeting into the unknown. But that image couldn’t be further from the truth. Because even if every engine stops, a modern airliner doesn’t fall. It glides. Smoothly. Predictably. And with far more control than most people realise.
This article walks you through exactly what happens during a total engine failure at cruising altitude. Not the Hollywood version — the real, mechanical, practiced, cold, calm truth.
First: Engine Failure Doesn’t Mean Instant Disaster
Modern aircraft engines are engineered to a standard of reliability that is hard to fathom. Twin-engine jets are certified to fly thousands of miles from the nearest airport under rules like ETOPS (Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards) because the engines almost never fail.
When they do, it’s typically one engine, not both — and it’s usually gradual. A total, simultaneous failure of all engines is extremely rare. But even if it happens, the aircraft doesn’t lose control. It doesn’t stop flying. It becomes a glider. And unlike a paper plane, it’s an aerodynamically efficient, highly engineered glider with time, distance, and options.
The Physics: Why a Plane Keeps Flying Without Engines
Airplanes stay in the air not because of their engines, but because of their wings. The engines provide forward thrust, but the wings create lift by moving through the air. When the engines stop, the aircraft doesn’t stop moving — it begins to descend gradually, trading altitude for forward distance.
This is called gliding. Every aircraft has a “glide ratio” — the number of horizontal miles it can fly for every mile of altitude lost. For most modern jets, that ratio is around 15:1. That means for every 1,000 feet of descent, the aircraft can glide forward 15,000 feet (or roughly 2.8 nautical miles).
So if a jet loses all power at 35,000 feet, it can glide over 100 miles. That gives the crew time — usually 20 to 30 minutes — to troubleshoot, communicate, and navigate to a diversion airport. It’s not a rush. It’s a controlled descent.
What the Pilots Do: Training Kicks In
Pilots are trained relentlessly to handle engine failures. In simulators, they practice engine-out procedures under a variety of conditions — day, night, high altitude, mountainous terrain, bad weather. A dual engine failure at altitude is a known, trained scenario.
The moment both engines fail, the pilots follow a simple but effective drill:
Establish best glide speed – This is the ideal speed to maintain maximum distance while descending. Trim and stabilise – Adjust the aircraft to fly hands-off, reducing workload and keeping the descent smooth. Attempt restart – Fuel systems, ignition, bleed air, and other parameters are checked and adjusted to bring the engines back online. Declare emergency – The crew notifies air traffic control, which begins coordinating airspace and identifying suitable diversion options. Navigate and prepare – The crew plans the approach to the nearest airport or safe landing location using onboard systems and charts.
There is no guesswork. No improvisation. Just a step-by-step, drilled response that’s been rehearsed hundreds of times.
What About Power for Instruments?
Even without engines, modern airliners don’t go dark. They are fitted with emergency power sources like the RAT (Ram Air Turbine) — a small propeller that deploys into the airstream and powers essential systems like flight instruments, hydraulics, and communication radios.
In addition, aircraft carry backup batteries and auxiliary power units (APUs), which may kick in depending on the phase of flight and available systems. So while the engines may be silent, the cockpit remains fully functional. The pilots still see their airspeed, altitude, heading, and navigation data.
You won’t see blinking lights, hear screaming alarms, or experience uncontrolled movements. From inside the cabin, most passengers wouldn’t even know what had happened — because the aircraft continues to fly.
Real-World Cases That Prove the Point
Total engine failure has happened before — and the outcomes demonstrate exactly how well-equipped aircraft and pilots are to manage it.
Air Canada Flight 143 (The Gimli Glider) – In 1983, a Boeing 767 ran out of fuel mid-flight due to a metric conversion error. With no engines, the pilots glided the jet over 75 miles and safely landed it on a decommissioned airstrip in Gimli, Manitoba. No lives were lost.
US Airways Flight 1549 (Miracle on the Hudson) – In 2009, an Airbus A320 lost both engines due to a bird strike shortly after take-off. The pilots, using gliding principles, ditched the aircraft safely in the Hudson River. Every passenger survived.
British Airways Flight 9 – In 1982, a 747 lost all four engines after flying through volcanic ash. The aircraft glided for over 15 minutes while the pilots restarted the engines. They successfully landed in Jakarta. No injuries occurred.
These weren’t acts of luck. They were the result of engineering, discipline, and training.
What the Cabin Feels Like
If you were on a plane during a glide, here’s what you might notice: a gradual descent. Perhaps a reduced engine noise or unusual quiet. Cabin lights stay on. Flight attendants remain seated. There are no sudden drops, violent shaking, or screaming alarms.
You wouldn’t feel like you were “falling” — because you aren’t. You’d feel like the aircraft was descending slightly faster than usual, but still smoothly, controlled, and stable.
The pilots would be busy communicating, calculating distance to airports, and preparing for a possible approach. In most cases, you wouldn’t know anything unusual had occurred until after landing — if at all.
Gliding Is a Safety Feature — Not a Last Resort
Every commercial aircraft is designed to glide. It’s not a backup plan. It’s a core feature of fixed-wing flight. Pilots rely on it not just in emergencies, but in normal operations — like descending to an approach or planning energy management during landing.
And while no one wants to experience an engine failure, knowing that the aircraft can glide for over 100 miles, with trained professionals at the controls, offers a level of safety that should radically change your perception of the “worst-case scenario.”
The Bottom Line: Still Safe. Still in Control.
The phrase “engine failure” sounds terrifying — but it doesn’t mean disaster. In modern aviation, it means executing a planned sequence, switching into glide mode, and doing what pilots are trained to do: fly the plane safely to the ground.
You’re not falling. You’re gliding — with systems still running, communication intact, and a global air traffic network ready to assist.
If your brain ever conjures the image of a powerless plane plummeting through the clouds, replace it with this one: a quiet, steady descent. Calm in the cockpit. Controlled airspeed. An aircraft that continues to fly — not because the engines are roaring, but because the wings are doing their job.
And they always do.
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