When operating a light multiengine airplane at V(MC), what performance should the pilot expect to maintain?

When operating a light multiengine airplane at V(MC), which is the minimum control speed, the pilot should expect to maintain heading. V(MC) is the minimum airspeed at which a pilot can maintain controlled flight with one engine inoperative. At this speed, the aircraft is near its critical conditions for maintaining lateral control, and any reduction in speed could lead to a loss of control or yaw towards the inoperative engine.

Maintaining heading at V(MC) is crucial because it ensures that the pilot can effectively manage the adverse yaw caused by the asymmetric thrust. A pilot must skillfully apply opposite rudder to counteract the yawing motion and keep the airplane on a straight flight path. Therefore, at V(MC), the primary focus for the pilot is maintaining directional control, which is represented by maintaining heading.

While altitude, rate of climb, and ground speed are important factors in overall flight performance, they are not the primary concerns at V(MC). In fact, maintaining altitude and achieving a rate of climb might not be possible if one engine is inoperative, especially at this critical airspeed. Ground speed also varies depending on the wind conditions, which is not the primary operational focus at V(MC).