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Power Curve Blues

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

Every airplane has a power curve. And every power curve has a backside. It’s an area of the performance envelope in which induced drag rises dramatically, necessitating considerably more power to maintain a given airspeed and altitude.

Venturing into this “region of reverse command” on approach can be particularly hazardous because as you “drag it in” on final your sink rate will begin to increase precipitously unless you pour in the power. Pulling back on the yoke will only exacerbate the problem, and at some point you might be amazed at how much power is required just to keep you from falling out of the sky.

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