“November 12345 is cleared for the visual approach to Runway One Left, traffic is a Boeing 737 on a seven-mile final behind you, maintain best speed, contact the tower….”
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Keep Your Speed Up
"November 12345 is cleared for the visual approach to Runway One Left, traffic is a Boeing 737 on a seven-mile final behind you, maintain best speed, contact the tower....Fly into a Class C or Class B primary airport and youll eventually be asked to keep your speed up because of inbound traffic behind you. Do it IFR, even at some Class D facilities, and youd best be very ready to mix with the heavy iron, which easily could be approaching 100 knots faster than your flivver can manage.
Key Takeaways:
- Pilots can use the "by the numbers" technique, involving known power, attitude, and configuration settings, to ensure predictable aircraft performance and reduce workload during various flight phases, including approaches.
- This foundational technique can be adapted for high-speed approaches, often requested by ATC, by developing specific "high-speed numbers" to efficiently transition from a faster cruise to a stabilized descent at the glideslope intercept.
- Even when flying a high-speed approach, it is crucial to transition to a fully stabilized state by 500 feet AGL (VMC) or 1000 feet AGL (IMC) for safety, and pilots must always be prepared with practiced techniques or declare "unable" to ATC requests that compromise safety.
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