Flaps and the FAF

[minitour]

Hello,

And, a good question...Think of it this way. You have the airplane configured and trimmed for 90 knots. Glideslope comes in, and you reduce the power to track the glideslope. The airplane is trimmed for 90 knots, and it will naturally pitch down to seek that trimmed airspeed. What is required is a good understanding of the airplane you are flying and the proper pitch/power relationships for the various profiles (non-precision descent, ILS, etc...). Hope this makes sense?

regards,

ex-Navy Rotorhead

Awesome!!!

Yeah, when you explain it that way it makes perfect sense...kinda like a "make the airplane work FOR you rather than you work for the airplane" kinda thing...

Thanks!!

-mini

 

[Goose Egg]

Just my own $0.02, but I like to have the airplane configured for the approach prior to crossing the FAF. That means that the gear is down, approach flaps are set (10 degrees in this case), and the pre-landing checklist is complete (prop full forward, etc.) I'm sorry, but tracking a both a localizer and glideslope is not the place to be making wild configuration changes. I always thought that the purpose of the intermediate approach segment was to get the airplane stablized in the landing configuration and at the approach airspeed.

Anyone that would fail you for that... have them show you in the PTS where it says that applies, if they still fail you, put a stop payment on that DE's check.. and contact your nearest FSDO.

Dang straight.

-Goose

 

[Kaman]

Well said, Goose Egg...

I find it very difficult to believe than an examiner would bust someone for flying an approach in the manner in which you teach it. It certainly defies all the logic behind that "stabilized approach concept" that the FAA advocates.
Instrument flying is so much easier when you plan ahead, and act ahead...I'd also suggest going out with an instructor and going through various profiles and noting the pitch/power targets. Then it's a matter of minor adjustments...Just like the FAA also advocates..."establish, trim, cross-check and adjust". I've told my students that 90% of instrument flying is contained in the 8-9 pages of attitude instrument flying in the IFH.

Regards,

ex-Navy Rotorhead