Junes “Saving The Approach” article was good. It reinforced a lot of what I already knew but some of which I hadnt used in a long time since my former airline career. In my retirement, I am instructing both beginning students in a C-150 and 288
When To Flap
Since such an approach will be completed at a relatively long runway, the landing configuration should be set up at the final approach fix (FAF). I do not recommend changing this configuration on short final while close to the ground due to the possibility of a large pitch change. Of course, if the approach is a non-precision approach or if the precision approach ends up breaking out at 500-600 feet above the ground, go ahead and use full flaps as needed.
Key Takeaways:
- For precision instrument approaches, it's suggested to deploy approach flaps at the Final Approach Fix (FAF) to maintain a stable configuration and avoid large pitch changes close to the ground, especially in light aircraft.
- Proper hand-propping technique requires applying flat hand pressure to the prop's front surface, never wrapping fingers around the trailing edge, to prevent injury from backfires.
- Pilots should be mindful of potential visual illusions when transitioning from large to smaller runways, as different dimensions can lead to misjudging altitude during landing.
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