View Single Post
  #2  
Old December 15th 03, 10:38 PM
Neil Gould
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Hi,

Disclaimer: I'm not a C-182 pilot.

Recently, III posted:

I know this question pertains to aircraft and piloting in general, but
I'm wondering what C-182 pilots do.

I'm sold on the benefits of a stabilized approach.

I consider a stabilized approach to mean that power, flaps, and trim
are set right after turning final (assuming a standard pattern) and
then aren't adjusted until starting the roundout and flare. I like to
land with the flaps fully extended. If I turn final in a Skylane and
extend the flaps to 40 degrees, it takes a lot of power to make it to
the threshold (given a 1/2 mile final, which is not unheard of at our
busy airport), so a stabilized approach requires a lot of power to
drag the plane in.

My idea of a stabilized approach is one in which you *will* make the
field. So, in your case, I'd either not put 40 degrees of flaps in until
the field is made, or use a steeper AOA if for some reason I *had* to use
full flaps. There's not a lot of value to being stabilized if that puts
you short with any loss of power.

Regards,

Neil