Pilot Goldilocks: Not Too Much, Not Too Little, But Just Right

The fact is the closer we get GA to a science, the longer we live.

Ben Younger

Monday, April 07, 2025 at 12:30 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Flying by the numbers has become a part of my routine that has served me well over the years. [Courtesy: Ben Younger]

Key Takeaways:

"Flying by the numbers" involves pre-determining and using specific, reliable aircraft settings for repeatable outcomes in various flight envelopes (climb, cruise, descent).
This approach significantly reduces pilot workload, eliminates guesswork, and improves precision and safety, especially during high-stress flight phases like instrument approaches.
Pilots are encouraged to experiment with their specific aircraft to discover and document these optimal combinations of throttle, mixture, prop, trim, flaps, and gear.
This method provides consistent performance, allowing pilots to focus on other critical tasks rather than constantly adjusting power settings or flight parameters.

See a mistake? Contact us.

The segment between JINAT and FURRY on the ILS Zulu approach to Runway 16 right at California’s Van Nuys Airport (KVNY) is 4 miles long. It requires a descent from 4,900 feet to 3,800 feet.

In the clouds with a full workload between flying, communicating, and navigating, the last thing I want to start calculating is what engine settings to use to descend in a controlled manner. Not only that, the gear will come down at the end of the segment as I intercept the glideslope, materially changing whatever setting was just working in the initial descent. There’s also fuel, seat belts, and weather to be checked. Oh, and don’t forget to switch from GPS to LOC or you won’t pick up the ILS signal. There’s a lot going on, and we are not all that far from the ground and moving closer every moment.