Fly In The Yellow Arc

Joseph E. (Jeb) Burnside

Friday, July 22, 2022 at 05:18 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The recommendation to extend landing gear above V_LO for rapid airspeed reduction is intended for extreme, out-of-control situations where traditional recovery methods are not possible, serving as a last-ditch effort.
While pilots are legally responsible for operating airworthy aircraft (FAR 91.7), the practical reality, especially for renters, often involves relying on maintenance professionals, making it difficult for pilots to be fully aware of all maintenance details.
A pilot's personal account strongly advises against hesitating to declare an emergency during critical in-flight incidents, emphasizing that ATC assistance and enhanced safety benefits far outweigh any potential administrative concerns.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Regarding the May 2022 issue’s staff article, “Fly in the Yellow Arc?” I disagree with the recommendation to extend the gear above V_LO to slow down “in a hurry.” The pilot has no idea how the airplane will react to lowering the gear at a high airspeed—will it pitch or yaw? Asymmetric drag if a gear door separates? What will that separated gear door hit on its way back?

The best and fastest way to reduce airspeed is to pull up the nose. Raising it 30 degrees will get your airspeed indicator back in the green in 2-3 seconds. To recover, push over and go slightly negative until the nose is again on the horizon.