gliding back to your departure airport

That wasn't implicit in your post (although "top of climb" is a heck of a
hint). Most such questions deal with failure during the initial climb.

Bob Gardner

"Harold" wrote in message
...
Well obviously, but I'm not talking about in the pattern area like the
Impossible Turn is. I'm talking about 10 minutes after departure at 7k
feet
where the departure airport, if you can make it, is the best landing
option.
Then for all intents and purposes its a 180 degree turn.

Keep in mind that it will not be a 180 degree turn but more like 210
degrees
(unless you plan to make your power-off landing parallel to runway
surface).
There have been many, many studies of the "Impossible Turn." Google that
term and you will learn a lot.

Bob Gardner

"Harold" wrote in message
...
If a small single engine plane can out-climb its engine-out glide
ratio
from
take off through the top of climb point, wouldn't it follow that it
can
always theoretically make it back to the departure airport in the
event
of
engine failure ? Assuming straight out departure, no wind, and the
altitude
loss in the 180 turnback is offset by the runway portion you didn't
use.
If
my best glide is 85 KTAS and it loses 700 fpm at that speed, shouldn't
I
be
guaranteed I can make it back if I climb at 84 KTAS and 701 fpm ?