{"id":804281,"date":"2026-05-11T12:46:22","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T10:46:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/?p=804281"},"modified":"2026-05-11T11:44:14","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T09:44:14","slug":"both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\/","title":{"rendered":"Both Engines Dead: Can Jets Survive?"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style>\n\n<p>At 41,000 feet over the Atlantic, Air Transat Flight 236 ran out of fuel. Both Rolls-Royce engines on the Airbus A330 wound down to silence. For the 306 people aboard, the next 19 minutes would be the longest of their lives \u2014 a powerless glide toward a runway in the Azores that most of them had never heard of. They made it. Every single one.<\/p>\n\n<p>The scenario sounds like the premise of a disaster film: total engine failure at cruising altitude. But the engineering reality is more reassuring than the headline suggests. Modern commercial jets are not flying bricks. They are, in fact, remarkably efficient gliders \u2014 and the procedures, training, and backup systems designed for exactly this scenario are among the most thoroughly rehearsed in all of aviation.<\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"background:#f0f4f8;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:18px 0 28px;border-radius:0 8px 8px 0\">\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 6px;font-weight:700;font-size:17px;color:#333\">Quick Facts<\/p>\n<ul style=\"margin:0;padding-left:20px;color:#444\">\n<li>A typical narrowbody jet (A320, 737) has a glide ratio of approximately 17:1 \u2014 meaning it travels 17 km forward for every 1 km of altitude lost<\/li>\n<li>From 35,000 feet (10.7 km), an A320 with no engines can glide approximately 180 km (112 miles)<\/li>\n<li>Widebody aircraft like the A330 or 777 achieve glide ratios of 18:1 to 20:1<\/li>\n<li>The Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deploys automatically to provide hydraulic and electrical power during total engine loss<\/li>\n<li>Every airline pilot trains for dual engine failure in simulator sessions at least twice per year<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px\"><img data-opt-id=1819375159  fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.unsplash.com\/photo-1436491865332-7a61a109cc05?w=1200&#038;q=80\" alt=\"Commercial aircraft in flight at high altitude\" style=\"max-width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:6px\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">Modern commercial jets are designed to glide safely even with total engine failure. Photo: Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">The Physics: Why Jets Glide Better Than You Think<\/h2>\n\n<p>The moment both engines fail, a commercial aircraft does not drop out of the sky. It transitions into an unpowered glide, governed by the same aerodynamic principles that keep sailplanes aloft for hours. The key metric is the <strong>glide ratio<\/strong> \u2014 the horizontal distance covered per unit of altitude lost.<\/p>\n\n<p>A Cessna 172 has a glide ratio of around 9:1. A modern sailplane can achieve 60:1 or higher. Commercial jets sit surprisingly high on this spectrum. The Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 families achieve approximately 17:1. The larger A330 and Boeing 777 \u2014 with their longer, more efficient wings \u2014 can reach 18:1 to 20:1. In practical terms, an A320 at 35,000 feet has roughly 180 kilometers of glide range. A 777 at the same altitude has over 200 km.<\/p>\n\n<p>This is not theoretical. It has been demonstrated in real emergencies, repeatedly.<\/p>\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Step by Step: What Happens in the Cockpit<\/h2>\n\n<p>When both engines fail simultaneously, the cockpit sequence follows a precise, well-drilled procedure:<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>0\u20135 seconds:<\/strong> Engine failure warnings illuminate. The ECAM (Electronic Centralised Aircraft Monitor) on Airbus, or EICAS (Engine Indicating and Crew Alerting System) on Boeing, displays the failure. The aircraft begins to decelerate.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>5\u201315 seconds:<\/strong> The crew pitches the nose down to establish the optimum glide speed \u2014 typically around 220\u2013250 knots depending on aircraft type and weight. This is the speed that maximizes distance per foot of altitude lost.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>15\u201330 seconds:<\/strong> The Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deploys \u2014 either automatically or manually. This small propeller drops from the fuselage into the airstream, using ram air pressure to generate hydraulic and electrical power. It provides enough energy to run essential flight instruments, one hydraulic system, and critical avionics.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>30 seconds \u2013 2 minutes:<\/strong> Pilots attempt engine restart using the windmill restart procedure. At altitude, airflow through the engines may be sufficient to spin the turbine and reignite combustion. If fuel is available and the engine is mechanically intact, restart success rates are high.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>2\u20135 minutes:<\/strong> If restart fails, the crew declares a MAYDAY, identifies the nearest suitable airport using onboard databases, and begins planning the approach. ATC clears all traffic from the flight path.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>5+ minutes:<\/strong> The aircraft descends in a controlled glide at approximately 2,000\u20133,000 feet per minute. At this rate, a jet at 35,000 feet has roughly 12\u201317 minutes of flight time remaining \u2014 enough for a carefully planned approach.<\/p>\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">The Gimli Glider: When a 767 Ran Out of Fuel<\/h2>\n\n<p>On July 23, 1983, Air Canada Flight 143 \u2014 a Boeing 767-200 \u2014 ran out of fuel at 41,000 feet over Manitoba, Canada. A metric-imperial conversion error during fueling had left the aircraft with less than half the required fuel. Both Pratt &#038; Whitney engines flamed out in sequence.<\/p>\n\n<p>Captain Robert Pearson, an experienced glider pilot, pitched for best glide speed and turned toward a decommissioned RCAF base at Gimli, Manitoba. The 767 glided 17 minutes across 75 nautical miles. On approach, Pearson found the runway was being used as a drag racing strip \u2014 complete with spectators and vehicles. He executed a forward slip \u2014 a crosswind technique almost never used on large jets \u2014 to lose altitude rapidly, touching down at excessive speed but with all 69 occupants uninjured.<\/p>\n\n<p>The aircraft, registered C-GAUN, returned to service after repairs and flew for Air Canada until 2008. It became the most famous gliding jet in history.<\/p>\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Air Transat 236: The Atlantic Glider<\/h2>\n\n<p>On August 24, 2001, Air Transat Flight 236 was over the mid-Atlantic en route from Toronto to Lisbon when a fuel leak \u2014 caused by an improperly installed hydraulic pump \u2014 drained both wing tanks. The Airbus A330 lost both engines at 34,500 feet, approximately 120 km from Lajes Air Base in the Azores.<\/p>\n\n<p>Captain Robert Pich\u00e9 and First Officer Dirk DeJager glided the A330 for 19 minutes across 120 km, making the longest glide by a commercial aircraft in aviation history. The landing was hard \u2014 the brakes locked, blowing eight main tires \u2014 but all 306 occupants survived. Sixteen passengers sustained minor injuries.<\/p>\n\n<p>The RAT deployed automatically, providing the crew with basic flight controls and instruments throughout the descent. Without it, the outcome would have been very different.<\/p>\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">US Airways 1549: Miracle on the Hudson<\/h2>\n\n<p>On January 15, 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 \u2014 an Airbus A320 \u2014 struck a flock of Canada geese at 2,818 feet, just three minutes after takeoff from LaGuardia Airport. Both CFM56 engines ingested birds and lost thrust almost simultaneously.<\/p>\n\n<p>Captain Chesley &#8220;Sully&#8221; Sullenberger and First Officer Jeffrey Skiles had approximately 208 seconds to make a decision. At low altitude over one of the most densely populated metropolitan areas on Earth, there were no runways within glide range. Sullenberger chose the Hudson River.<\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;border-radius:0 8px 8px 0;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7;display:flex;gap:20px;align-items:flex-start\">\n<div><em>&ldquo;Everything we know in aviation, every rule in the rule book, every procedure we have, we know because someone somewhere died. We have purchased at great cost, lessons literally bought with blood, that we have to preserve as institutional knowledge and pass on to succeeding generations.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Captain Chesley &#8220;Sully&#8221; Sullenberger<\/strong> &mdash; Captain, US Airways Flight 1549; author of <em>Highest Duty<\/em><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The A320 touched down on the river at approximately 150 mph. The fuselage remained intact. All 155 occupants evacuated onto the wings and into rescue boats within minutes. There were zero fatalities. The event, immediately dubbed the &#8220;Miracle on the Hudson,&#8221; became the most famous emergency landing in aviation history and prompted a wave of renewed interest in bird strike prevention and engine certification standards.<\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"max-width:550px;margin:0 auto 28px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?id=1773722220793053404&#038;theme=light\" style=\"width:100%;height:400px;border:none;border-radius:12px;overflow:hidden\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">The Ram Air Turbine: Aviation&#8217;s Emergency Generator<\/h2>\n\n<p>The Ram Air Turbine is one of the most critical \u2014 and least discussed \u2014 safety systems on modern jets. It is a small propeller, typically 50\u201365 cm in diameter, stored in a compartment on the aircraft&#8217;s belly or lower fuselage. When deployed, it drops into the airstream and spins at high speed, converting the kinetic energy of the aircraft&#8217;s forward motion into hydraulic and electrical power.<\/p>\n\n<p>On Airbus aircraft, the RAT powers the Blue hydraulic system, providing control of the flight control surfaces \u2014 ailerons, elevators, rudder \u2014 and essential avionics. On Boeing aircraft, the RAT typically drives a hydraulic pump connected to the flight controls. In both cases, the RAT provides enough power to fly and land the aircraft, but not enough for non-essential systems like cabin lighting, galleys, or entertainment.<\/p>\n\n<p>The RAT has been deployed in real emergencies dozens of times. It has never failed to provide the power needed to bring an aircraft to a safe landing.<\/p>\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">ETOPS: Planning for the Worst Over Oceans<\/h2>\n\n<p>The dual-engine-failure scenario is so thoroughly addressed that it shaped one of aviation&#8217;s most important regulatory frameworks: ETOPS \u2014 Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards.<\/p>\n\n<p>ETOPS certifies how far a twin-engine aircraft may fly from the nearest suitable diversion airport. Early twin-engine jets were restricted to routes within 60 minutes of an airport. Modern ETOPS ratings extend to 180 minutes (most current twin-engine jets), 240 minutes (Boeing 787, A350), and even 370 minutes for certain operations.<\/p>\n\n<p>Achieving an ETOPS rating requires demonstrated engine reliability exceeding specific thresholds, proven maintenance protocols, crew training for extended diversions, and route-specific planning that identifies all diversion airports along the flight path. It is the reason twin-engine aircraft now dominate transoceanic routes that were once the exclusive domain of four-engine jets like the 747.<\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"background:#f0f4f8;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:18px 0 28px;border-radius:0 8px 8px 0\">\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 6px;font-weight:700;font-size:17px;color:#333\">Good to Know<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0;color:#444\">The in-flight shutdown rate for modern turbofan engines is approximately 1 per 500,000 flight hours. The probability of both engines failing simultaneously (excluding common-cause events like fuel exhaustion or bird strikes) is estimated at less than 1 in 10 billion flight hours. For context, the entire global airline fleet accumulates roughly 100 million flight hours per year \u2014 meaning a random, independent dual engine failure would be expected approximately once every 100 years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">The Bottom Line: Jets Are Designed for This<\/h2>\n\n<p>Dual engine failure is not a design oversight \u2014 it is a design requirement. Every commercial aircraft certified under FAR Part 25 (or EASA CS-25) must demonstrate controllable flight and a safe landing following complete loss of thrust. The glide ratio, the RAT, the engine restart procedures, the ETOPS framework \u2014 all of these exist because engineers and regulators asked the question &#8220;what if both engines quit?&#8221; and then built systems to answer it.<\/p>\n\n<p>The Gimli Glider glided to safety. Air Transat 236 crossed 120 km of ocean without power. US Airways 1549 ditched on a river with zero fatalities. In each case, the aircraft performed as designed, and the crews executed as trained.<\/p>\n\n<p>Both engines dead at 35,000 feet is terrifying. But it is survivable \u2014 not by luck, but by engineering.<\/p>\n\n<p><em>Sources: FAA Advisory Circular 120-42B (ETOPS), NTSB Reports AAR-10\/03 (US Airways 1549), Transportation Safety Board of Canada Report A83H0001 (Gimli Glider), Bureau d&#8217;Enqu\u00eates et d&#8217;Analyses (Air Transat 236), Airbus A320 Flight Crew Operating Manual, Boeing 767 Airplane Flight Manual<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"background:#f0f4ff;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:32px 0 8px;border-radius:0 8px 8px 0\">\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600;color:#333\">Related Posts<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/turbulence-terrifying-almost-never-crashes-planes\/\">Turbulence Is Terrifying. It Almost Never Kills.<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/aviation-medical-exam-ame-explained\/\">The Medical Exam Every Pilot Dreads<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At 41,000 feet over the Atlantic, Air Transat Flight 236 ran out of fuel. Both Rolls-Royce engines on the Airbus A330 wound down to silence. For the 306 people aboard, the next 19 minutes would be the longest of their lives \u2014 a powerless glide toward a runway in the Azores that most of them [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":804278,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"","_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"","_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[665],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-804281","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aviation-world"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Both Engines Dead: Can Jets Survive? | MiGFlug.com Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Both Engines Dead: Can Jets Survive? | MiGFlug.com Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"At 41,000 feet over the Atlantic, Air Transat Flight 236 ran out of fuel. Both Rolls-Royce engines on the Airbus A330 wound down to silence. For the 306 people aboard, the next 19 minutes would be the longest of their lives \u2014 a powerless glide toward a runway in the Azores that most of them [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"MiGFlug.com Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-05-11T10:46:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:M3bp.bc15\/w:1200\/h:797\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"797\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Max Gr\u00fcnwald\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Max Gr\u00fcnwald\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Max Gr\u00fcnwald\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e08e79cb0e942ed72190e62d1a936af6\"},\"headline\":\"Both Engines Dead: Can Jets Survive?\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-11T10:46:22+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1630,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\/\\/migflug.com\\/jetflights\\/wp-content\\/uploads\\/sites\\/4\\/2026\\/05\\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Aviation World\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\\\/\",\"name\":\"Both Engines Dead: Can Jets Survive? | MiGFlug.com Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\/\\/migflug.com\\/jetflights\\/wp-content\\/uploads\\/sites\\/4\\/2026\\/05\\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-11T10:46:22+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e08e79cb0e942ed72190e62d1a936af6\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\/\\/migflug.com\\/jetflights\\/wp-content\\/uploads\\/sites\\/4\\/2026\\/05\\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\/\\/migflug.com\\/jetflights\\/wp-content\\/uploads\\/sites\\/4\\/2026\\/05\\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens.jpg\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":797},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Startseite\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Both Engines Dead: Can Jets Survive?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/\",\"name\":\"MiGFlug.com Blog\",\"description\":\"for those interested in flying military jets and aviation related  topics\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e08e79cb0e942ed72190e62d1a936af6\",\"name\":\"Max Gr\u00fcnwald\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/4a7af37924a5c24d0712babd0e5eafec09d37b3a41831dd4c4ee30f54ebfc1a7?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/4a7af37924a5c24d0712babd0e5eafec09d37b3a41831dd4c4ee30f54ebfc1a7?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/4a7af37924a5c24d0712babd0e5eafec09d37b3a41831dd4c4ee30f54ebfc1a7?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Max Gr\u00fcnwald\"},\"description\":\"Max brings German precision to every article he writes. A former aerospace engineering student from Munich, he traded the workshop for the keyboard but never lost his obsession with technical detail. His articles are the ones you read when you want to know exactly how something works \u2014 no fluff, no hype, just the facts delivered with quiet authority.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/author\\\/maxgruenwald\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Both Engines Dead: Can Jets Survive? | MiGFlug.com Blog","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Both Engines Dead: Can Jets Survive? | MiGFlug.com Blog","og_description":"At 41,000 feet over the Atlantic, Air Transat Flight 236 ran out of fuel. Both Rolls-Royce engines on the Airbus A330 wound down to silence. For the 306 people aboard, the next 19 minutes would be the longest of their lives \u2014 a powerless glide toward a runway in the Azores that most of them [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\/","og_site_name":"MiGFlug.com Blog","article_published_time":"2026-05-11T10:46:22+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":797,"url":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:M3bp.bc15\/w:1200\/h:797\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Max Gr\u00fcnwald","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Max Gr\u00fcnwald","Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\/"},"author":{"name":"Max Gr\u00fcnwald","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/#\/schema\/person\/e08e79cb0e942ed72190e62d1a936af6"},"headline":"Both Engines Dead: Can Jets Survive?","datePublished":"2026-05-11T10:46:22+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\/"},"wordCount":1630,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:M3bp.bc15\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens.jpg","articleSection":["Aviation World"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\/","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\/","name":"Both Engines Dead: Can Jets Survive? | MiGFlug.com Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:M3bp.bc15\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens.jpg","datePublished":"2026-05-11T10:46:22+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/#\/schema\/person\/e08e79cb0e942ed72190e62d1a936af6"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:M3bp.bc15\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:M3bp.bc15\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens.jpg","width":1200,"height":797},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/both-engines-fail-35000-feet-what-happens\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Startseite","item":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Both Engines Dead: Can Jets Survive?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/#website","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/","name":"MiGFlug.com Blog","description":"for those interested in flying military jets and aviation related  topics","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/#\/schema\/person\/e08e79cb0e942ed72190e62d1a936af6","name":"Max Gr\u00fcnwald","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4a7af37924a5c24d0712babd0e5eafec09d37b3a41831dd4c4ee30f54ebfc1a7?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4a7af37924a5c24d0712babd0e5eafec09d37b3a41831dd4c4ee30f54ebfc1a7?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4a7af37924a5c24d0712babd0e5eafec09d37b3a41831dd4c4ee30f54ebfc1a7?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Max Gr\u00fcnwald"},"description":"Max brings German precision to every article he writes. A former aerospace engineering student from Munich, he traded the workshop for the keyboard but never lost his obsession with technical detail. His articles are the ones you read when you want to know exactly how something works \u2014 no fluff, no hype, just the facts delivered with quiet authority.","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/author\/maxgruenwald\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/804281","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=804281"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/804281\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":804284,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/804281\/revisions\/804284"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/804278"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=804281"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=804281"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=804281"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}