At 13:00 31 October 2004, an aspiring private pilot
outlined the like-a-lawn-dart method of using slips
to a landing, and asked:

1. Is this the common interpretation of the task...
No drag devices,
all
the way to the ground?

Nope. (This from a DE who's administered over 350 private,
commercial & CFI-G flight tests in 25 years.) I don't
ask any applicant to perform any maneuver I haven't
done recently in the same model aircraft, in the same
conditions and preferably at the same airport used
for the flight test. On a light- or no-wind day, I
doubt I could land most gliders as you describe without
having set up a ridiculously low final approach in
the first place. (Geez, Louise, I'd flunk myself for
that!)

2. Have you experienced/how would you deal with what
seems to be a rather
low drag ratio even with a full-rudder slip?

If you mean slipping like crazy on final with minimal
effect on the glideslope, Yup. And in my case, I quickly
discovered the joys of situational awareness, well-timed
S-turns and strict attention to speed control. (eg:
get past 'Uh-Oh!' and get on with solving the problem.)
The first three rules of flying are and will ever be'
Fly the aircraft! Fly the aircraft! and Fly the aircraft!
(With the implied assumption that you know what's possible/safe
FOR the aircraft in question IN the extant situation.)


Ask your CFI to have a heart-to-heart with the DE.
If he/she is 'hard over' on slipping all the way to
the ground irrespective of aircraft and airport concerns,
find another DE.

Judy