Learn how an Airbus A320 can safely fly and land on one engine, including take-off decisions, drift-down, ECAM actions and landing limits.
Yes. In real-world aviation, the Airbus A320 is certified to remain controllable, continue flying and land with one engine inoperative, provided the crew follows the engine-failure procedure and remains within one-engine-inoperative performance limits. The response depends chiefly on whether the failure occurs before V1, after V1, in cruise or on approach.
Why can the A320 fly on one engine?
Loss of one engine is a design case built into the A320's certification, take-off data and system redundancy. The operating engine can produce the required one-engine-inoperative thrust, while the rudder counters asymmetric thrust and the flight-control computers help maintain stable handling.
The aircraft does lose performance and some redundancy. Its electrical network reconfigures around the failed generator, while the three hydraulic systems retain useful coverage through engine-driven and electric pumps. The power transfer unit may transfer hydraulic power between the green and yellow systems without mixing their fluid; our explanation of what the A320 PTU transfers and when it operates covers that system in detail.
Remaining capability depends on what actually failed. A clean engine shutdown is different from an uncontained failure, fire, hydraulic leak or electrical damage, so the aircraft's ECAM status and approved performance data determine what remains available.
What happens if an A320 engine fails during take-off?
The decisive reference is V1, the take-off decision speed calculated for that runway, aircraft mass and set of conditions.
| Failure point | Normal response | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Before V1 | Reject the take-off for a recognised engine failure, following the approved stop procedure. | The take-off calculation provides sufficient stopping distance when its assumptions remain valid. |
| At or after V1 | Continue the take-off for an engine failure alone, rotate at VR and establish the commanded engine-out flight path. | A late rejected take-off may overrun the runway; the performance calculation instead provides for continued flight. |
| Initial climb | Maintain control and the required speed, retract the landing gear, then accelerate and clean up at the prescribed point. | Retracting flaps early or letting speed decay can destroy the limited climb margin. |
| Cruise or approach | Stabilise the aircraft, complete the engine-failure procedure and assess a diversion or landing. | There is normally more time to diagnose the failure, but altitude, terrain and system condition still matter. |
The one-engine take-off case is safe only when the original calculation is valid. Runway length and condition, temperature, wind, obstacles, aircraft mass and deferred defects all affect the result. After V1, the crew does not improvise a new plan based on how much runway appears to remain.
How does an Airbus A320 land with one engine?
An A320 lands safely on one engine by controlling yaw and speed first, completing the ECAM procedure, recalculating landing performance and flying a stabilised approach with the prescribed configuration.
- Stabilise the flight path. The live engine creates yaw towards the failed side. Rudder and rudder trim counter it; when the PFD displays the beta target, the pilot follows that target rather than trying to centre a conventional slip indicator. The autopilot may be used when available and within its limitations.
- Set the required thrust. Depending on the phase of flight, the operating engine may remain at take-off thrust or be managed through the MCT detent. Our guide to A320 thrust-lever detents, including FLX/MCT explains how that gate interacts with autothrust.
- Identify and secure the failed engine. The crew follows ECAM in the correct order and positively confirms the affected engine before moving its master lever. Rushing this confirmation and shutting down the healthy engine is one of the most serious errors possible. See our practical explanation of reading ECAM priorities and completing the displayed actions.
- Choose a suitable landing airport. The decision considers runway length, weather, terrain, approach minima, rescue cover and the systems listed in ECAM STATUS. The nearest strip on the map is not automatically the safest choice, although fire, severe damage or secondary failures increase the urgency.
- Recalculate the approach. The crew uses the approved one-engine-inoperative landing configuration, VAPP and landing-distance calculation for that aircraft and failure state. There is no single flap setting or speed that applies to every A320 CEO, A320neo, engine type and operator procedure.
- Touch down under control. Braking, spoilers and reverse-thrust availability are checked before the approach. Reverse from only the live engine creates additional asymmetry, so it must be used according to the applicable procedure rather than applied automatically at maximum.
Can an A320 go around on one engine?
Yes, an A320 can perform a one-engine-inoperative go-around, but its climb performance is much lower than with both engines operating. The crew applies the commanded thrust, controls yaw, follows the engine-out flight path and retracts flaps and gear on the prescribed schedule.
An unstable approach should not be forced into a landing merely because an engine has failed. Our A320 go-around procedure for simulator practice explains the normal sequence; an engine-out case requires the aircraft-specific abnormal procedure and performance check.
One-engine range, altitude and diversion
There is no fixed distance that every A320 can fly on one engine. If the aircraft cannot maintain its present altitude, the crew follows a drift-down profile to an altitude determined by mass, temperature, terrain and the remaining engine's performance.
Some A320 aircraft and operators hold extended-diversion approval, but that does not mean a damaged aircraft should remain airborne for the maximum approved diversion time. A straightforward engine shutdown may permit an orderly diversion to a well-equipped airport; fire, vibration, smoke or loss of another major system calls for a more urgent landing.
Common simulator mistakes
- Trying to hold an impossible altitude: lower the nose, protect speed and descend if the aircraft is above its one-engine ceiling.
- Cleaning up too early: use the engine-out acceleration schedule rather than retracting flap immediately after lift-off.
- Ignoring the beta target: large aileron inputs create drag; use coordinated rudder and trim.
- Using the same landing numbers: recalculate VAPP and landing distance for the failure and resulting inoperative systems.
- Misconfigured throttle hardware: verify that separate axes and detents allow the live engine to reach the commanded thrust without moving the failed engine's lever.
- Expecting identical aircraft behaviour: simulator and add-on models differ in their ECAM logic, hydraulic transfer, electrical load shedding and engine-out performance.
A desktop simulator is useful for practising priorities and workload, but it does not replace approved A320 documentation, professional instruction or a certified training device.