Which Airspeed?

One of the most important bits of information pilots can glean from our instrument panels is airspeed. Its used on takeoff to gauge when to apply backpressure for liftoff, its used when landing to ensure were neither too slow or too fast, and we use it in cruise to help verify performance (and establish bragging rights). Depending on the airplane and the days mission, we may also use it to ensure were at or below an appropriate speed before penetrating turbulence or conducting various maneuvers.

Joseph E. (Jeb) Burnside

Tuesday, January 16, 2018 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Airspeed is fundamental for all flight phases and aircraft performance, but many critical operational speeds (e.g., best glide, maneuvering speed) are not explicitly marked on the airspeed indicator.
Pilots must actively track these unmarked airspeeds through methods like memorization or placards to ensure safe and optimal aircraft operation.
The principle "pitch plus power equals performance" enables pilots to consistently achieve desired airspeeds and flight profiles by establishing key power settings for common maneuvers (e.g., climb, ILS approach, holding).
Pilots are encouraged to experiment with their specific aircraft to determine optimal pitch and power settings for various conditions, which simplifies flying and reduces workload.

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One of the most important bits of information pilots can glean from our instrument panels is airspeed. It’s used on takeoff to gauge when to apply backpressure for liftoff, it’s used when landing to ensure we’re neither too slow or too fast, and we use it in cruise to help verify performance (and establish bragging rights). Depending on the airplane and the day’s mission, we may also use it to ensure we’re at or below an appropriate speed before penetrating turbulence or conducting various maneuvers.

Airspeed also is important when we’re trying to get the best performance out of an aircraft. When climbing right after takeoff, choosing the best angle of climb speed gets us over the trees at the far end of the runway while the best rate gives us a greater altitude gain over time. Among other factors, the airspeed we want to fly depends on our operational objective, which can be as simple as getting to our destination as quickly as possible. Ultimately, though, the airspeed we want to fly often is dictated by the power settings we use.