Twin rules I have learned from personal experience:

1. Run engines richer than you on a single engine powered airplane. Instead of 300-400 rpm shy of max lean rpm on the high needle, I run mine 500 rpm shy and RICHEN the mixture on the stronger engine to match it to the weaker engine. Never lean the weaker engine to match its rpms to the stronger engine.

2. All throttle movements should be smooth and slow. I never slam the throttle to WOT and always gradually advance and retard my throttles.

3. On takeoffs use as much runway as you can before lifting off. The goal is to verify your engines can operate at wide open throttle with no problem and also to get as much air flowing over your control surfaces. Takeoff speeds are typically higher for me before I rotate to become airborne.

4. As a newbie, fly a little higher and faster than you normally would to give yourself some extra room and control surface authroity to react to an engine out.

5. Repeat 100 times before every twin flight: I WILL CUT THROTTLE AND DEADSTICK THE AIRPLANE TO A LANDING WHEN I EXPERIENCE AN ENGINE FAILURE. I WILL NOT ATTEMPT TO LAND WITH ONE ENGINE UNTIL I HAVE PRACTICED and PERFECTED SIMULATED ENGINE FAILURES AT ALTITUDE.

6. Rig your throttle on separate servos and separate channels that are slaved together. You should rig your radio (computer radio is best) to be able to match throttles in flight (not necessary if your engines are of good quality). Set your radio with a switch to be able to pull and engine off to idle at altitude so you can get practice with single engine flight. You want to be in charge of your first engine failure, NOT MURPHY, and determine the parameters and flight characteristics of your airplane on a single engine. On one of my twins, engine failure loss is a non-issue with hardly any yaw as long as airspeed was fairly fast. In fact, takeoffs were easy on one engine too! On another twin of mine, engine failure caused instant spin and the only remedy was to cut throttles ASAP, do an unusual attitude recovery, and complete a deadstick landing.

7. If your engines so as much as hiccup during the take off roll: ABORT ABORT ABORT. Better to overshoot the runway and bust a landing gear than takeoff and suffer a flameout on takeoff.

8. I prefer shallower climbouts to maintain a high airspeed. High angle of attack takeoffs, while tempting, are more risky. I save the near vertical flights with my overpowered twins only when I get to altitude.

9. Always preflight your airplane before each day's flying and if you can before each flight. Always verify mixture settings on each engine with pinch test. Extra vibes possible due to twins can easily loosen mixture screws, muffler and backplate bolts and yes, even glow plugs! I lost a nice twin when a glow plug vibrated loose on me.

10. Rule No. 10. ENGINES FLAMESOUTS tend to occur only on go arounds (aborted landing attempts). I do not know why but this appears to be a law of nature. The worse your approach to landing is the greater the chance one engine will quit when you decide to abort the landing and try again.

11. First few flights when a twin newbie should be made when no one else has a loud powered plane in the air. You want to be able to hear your engines. An engine in distresss often will let you know.

12. Try to have fun flying :0)