What works for me is to be around 13" by the time I'm mid-field
downwind and around 100 kts and slowing. Add the 1st notch abeam the
numbers and start slowing to 80-90 kts. Add 2nd notch on base
and be at 70 on final. I use the last not on final if needed, which I
usually do to perform a nice slow, short field landing at 60-65 kts.

I love seeing how well a 182 perform a short landing. Great plane.




"III" wrote in message
om...
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.

I've taken to turning final with two notches of flaps out, leaving the
power at about 1700 RPM, and then adding more flaps as needed to
follow a path to the threshold and finally adding the remaining flaps
on very-short final. That's not a stabilized approach. It works, but I
know I could be doing better.

I could stabilize the approach using two notches of flaps, but I'd
rather use them all. I could use all the flaps on the entire trip down
final, but I'd rather not drag the plane along.

My CFI uses incremental flaps, my partner advises using two notches
and then maybe kicking them all in at the end (although I don't know
what he does when he's alone), and a more-experienced pilot friend
(but not in 182's) just commented that I should be flying a stabilized
approach.

So, what do other Skylane pilots do?

Thanks.