“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 significantly reduce workload and achieve predictable aircraft performance during approaches by developing "by the numbers" settings (power, attitude, configuration) for various flight phases.
- A specific high-speed approach technique involves flying at an elevated speed to the glideslope intercept point, then executing a coordinated sequence of gear extension, power reduction, and flap deployment to transition smoothly into a stabilized descent.
- Regardless of the initial approach speed, the ultimate goal is always a stabilized approach by specific altitudes (500 ft VMC, 1000 ft IMC); pilots must practice these techniques beforehand and be prepared to decline ATC requests ("unable") if safety would be compromised.
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