Okay, okay, I know theres no such thing as “the step” (“Cruise Dynamics,” August). Or is there? Our Glasair One + One Half (half Glasair I, half Glasair II) has a strange cruise characteristic. Other Glasair FT pilots have observed this on their planes too, so were not alone. 263
Stepping Out
Okay, okay, I know theres no such thing as "the step" ("Cruise Dynamics," August). Or is there? Our Glasair One + One Half (half Glasair I, half Glasair II) has a strange cruise characteristic. Other Glasair FT pilots have observed this on their planes too, so were not alone. At cruise, at altitude, you can fly in level flight at one of two airspeeds, separated by only five knots and obtained by an almost imperceptible pitch change. My partner always flies at the slower of the two speeds because the airplane stops accelerating there as she levels from climb. Whereas I will set the nose to the known level flight attitude and fly at the higher speed. The only way she can get herself to fly five knots faster is to overshoot her final altitude by 100 ft and "dive" to get past the first level flight cruise speed, just like the proverbial step technique.
Key Takeaways:
- A pilot describes a "drag bucket" phenomenon in his Glasair, allowing two distinct cruise speeds with an almost imperceptible pitch change, while the editor encourages controlled testing.
- A reader corrects previously published alternate airport rules, clarifying weather minimums for the Estimated Time of Arrival and the use of GPS-only approaches for WAAS-equipped aircraft.
- A pilot recounts a challenging go-around where an "elevator trim stall" occurred in a powerful, turbocharged aircraft, highlighting the dangers of applying full power too quickly when trimmed for landing.
- A discussion on ATC communication issues features a pilot arguing that ATC often fails to respond to calls, while the editor maintains that pilots generally have more room for improvement.
Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->
See a mistake? Contact us.
