Polar with spoilers extended?
First I thought that you were pulling our legs, but it seems you're
actually serious.
Every year a couple of pilots die because they are too slow on approach.
Where I fly, a student will fail his checkride big time if he's only one
knot below the yellow triangle on final. *Especially* with a headwind.
If you don't understand this, I *strongly* recommend you talk to a
knowledgeble instructor.
I will be the first to agree that pilots die every year because they
are too slow on the approach. However I have not been able to find any
evidence that any of these were caused by the pilot intentinally
flying the approach slower than normal. In fact in nearly every case
I have examined it appears more likely that pilot was flying by sight
and feel and not paying any attention at all to the airspeed. Often
they are landing or flying downwind which gives the illusion of
airspeed, as does flying close to the ground. If fact the few pilots I
have been able to interview or read their description of the accident
described it as feeling like the controls went limp and had no effect.
The didn't make any mention of airspeed. It is not hard to find this
description in NTSB reports for power aircraft. I believe nearly all
Stall Spin Accidents are caused by the illusion of speed. The pilot
thinks he going fast so he doesn't look at the airspeed indicator and
he is not thinking about a stall or a spin.
Brian
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