Due to the vertical lift loss during your more than 180 degree turn back to
the airport, you will loose more than 700fpm and your glide range will
decrease if you try to maintain your best glide speed during your turn. I
believe Barry Schiff wrote that this maneuver is best done at a fairly high
rate of turn which involves an approximate 45-50 degree bank to keep the
radius of turn small. This will enable you to then level the wings and then
obtain your best glide speed in the shortest time while getting you back to
the runway in the shortest distance. Not a maneuver for the non-proficient
or the startled and hesitant.
--
Jim Burns III

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"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 ?