Definition
The climb capability of a multiengine airplane when one engine has failed or been intentionally shut down and the remaining engine (or engines) is producing takeoff or maximum continuous power. It is expressed as a rate of climb (feet per minute) or a climb gradient (feet gained per nautical mile) at a specified weight, altitude, temperature, and configuration, with the failed engine's propeller feathered and the airplane flown at the published best single-engine climb speed (VYSE).
Plain English
How well a multiengine airplane can still climb after one engine quits. It depends on the airplane's weight, the air temperature, the altitude, how the airplane is configured, and how precisely the pilot flies it.
Context Anchor
Seen in multiengine training, engine-failure procedures, and performance planning for takeoff and climb.
Why Pilots Care
It tells the pilot whether the airplane can clear obstacles, reach a safe altitude, or return to the airport after losing an engine, directly affecting go/no-go decisions on takeoff.
Grounding Statement
Picture a twin-engine airplane just after takeoff: one engine quits, and the key question is whether the remaining power is enough to keep the airplane climbing.
Intuition Check
Performance here does not mean pilot skill or general airplane quality. It means a measured ability of the airplane: can it climb, and how much, with one engine inoperative?
Example Sentence 1
Before takeoff, the pilot checked the OEI climb performance chart and confirmed the airplane could still clear the rising terrain east of the airport at the day's temperature.
Example Sentence 2
After an engine failure shortly after takeoff, the crew used the published OEI climb performance to decide whether they could safely continue to the nearest suitable airport.