I was taught not to apply flaps on Instrument approaches, while taking my instrument training. My CFI said that doing so was not safe. But it seems to me that at least applying one notch of flaps would be a good decision. Because otherwise especially while on a precision approach, you would simply have to land clean if you want to use all available runway and avoid floatation close to the ground. I was just wandering if this is just something my CFI preferred or if others do this as well?
I was taught, gear down and one notch flaps at the FAF.
Seems to work real well, besides if you go missed you are providing more lift with the notch of flaps, then you can clean things up when your airspeed permits.
Depends on the airplane. Some aircraft will have operational requirements which require flaps.
If we're talking piston singles, for the most part it's personal preference. There might be some operational considerations that may make you want to lean one way or another.
For example, some 182s tend to have issues when engine temperatures are lowered too quickly. Turbocharged aircraft also need a more gradual reduction of temperature. The difference in the power settings to hold glideslope in the two configurations may make you prefer one over the other.
I'd say it depends on the situation. If you are the only one on an ILS going into a podunk airport, I'd say be configured at about 90-100 kts prior to the FAF. But if you are sequenced with faster traffic on an ILS into a busy airport I would reccomend using a no-flap or 1-notch approach to help the flow of traffic. Just always use what is the safest option depending on runway length. If you are shooting an approach to mins to a 3500 foot runway, I'd reccomend being configured prior to the FAF.
PLEASE do not be one of theese people that fly Cessnas into large airports and do 85 kts. and Flaps 45 on the ILS. cough...cough...DAB ...cough...
You'd like me. I was doing practice approaches with a friend one night. It was my turn for the ILS all the way to landing. Just before leaving Approach, I was asked to maintain best forward speed because of a LearJet coming behind me.
I turned to my safety pilot and said, "If you see anything dangerous, take the airplane away from me." I pointed the nose of the 172 down kept the RPM below redline and flew the ILS at 120 KTS. Plenty of time after reaching DH to slow down land and taxi off the runway within an acceptable distance.
The interesting part was how incredibly stable the approach was at that speed! The needles never moved and I'm not that good.
I think it's a matter of personal preference. Having full flaps out does tend to bog you down if you have to go missed. Plus, I like higher approach speeds anyway.
i think it also makes a difference what you are flying the approach through. if you are trucking on in with some ice, you don't want to slow down. but if you are clean and coming into fog at a half-mile, i know i'd want to go as slow as practical so i get a little extra time to pick up the lights and get some visual cues. tough if you are going into someplace like TEB though cause they usually get angry if you drop below 140 until 2 or 3 miles out and someone is behind you, depending on what you are flying.
I got my Instrument ticket in a 172. I was taught to fly approaches at 100 mph (90 kts - my airplane's ASI was in mph) and no flaps.
At least in a 172, a faster approach at higher RPM felt better and more stable. Also, no flaps facilitated taking a miss.
It depends very much on the airplane. An A36 Bonanza will feel better with the first notch of flaps thrown out. I believe what we did at Mesa was to throw out approach flaps during the initial segment, fly it and the intermediate with approach flaps, and at something like one dot above GS intercept throw out gear. Putting out the gear at that point created just enough additional drag to establish the correct rate of decent to hold the GS, with little trimming needed. Try it.
You can fly a pretty good ILS at 160 knots in a caravan (on the down hill slide)...If you break out early enough, you can chop the power and milk in flaps all the way to 30 degrees, put the mains on the numbers and make the first turn off, with beta or a smidgeon of reverse thrust and a little braking. I used to have to fly the caravan into ORD on a saturday afternoon as a way to get some overtime. (obviously this doesn't apply to you in a warrior or 172 learning how to fly approaches)
But when I'm up in BFE and it's a half mile and one hundred, I like to slow way down, take my time.
When you are first learning to do approaches, using simple profiles as a crutch is o.k. You gotta start somewhere. But after you get experienced, you may wan't to learn to accomodate ATC flow issues or the weather conditions you are flying in.
When it is icing out, I never use flaps and fly all my approaches as fast as I can.
i had that same problem in a C210 NA 285hp. Flying the ILS to 18 at KOMA. Centriuon 38F, reduce speed to 120kts, overtaking a SWA737 on a 3 mile final. dumped the gear and gave them there 120kts. Thats the only time ive been asked to slow up.
Nothing's cooler in an airline pilot sort of way than shootin' a good ILS approach.
I used to come in at around 150 kts when things were busy (ie. Boeings and Airbuses coming and going). That was in a Britten-Norman Islander. Pretty much like a big Cessna 172 with two engines. Vso was only 35 kts in that thing! I guess I was using the ole' "4.3 times Vso" rule to calculate my approach speed.
As stated above, it pays to be flexible. And yet it's also good to keep things simple in training. If I were you, I'd throw out a notch of flap at the FAF. That way you'll get used to making a configuration change at that critical point.
Incidently, in the Islander, 80 kts was a good approach speed. So was 70, 90, 65, 100, etc. Point is, though...in some planes the calculated approach speeds are very critical. Those are the planes you probably dream of flying some day. Therefore...it pays to pick a speed ahead of time and stick to it. Always be thinking, BUT when reason fails (and it does seem to at the worst times) you want to have some solid procedural training to fall back on. As you get more experience, you can afford to be more flexible.
JM2C
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