Van's Air Force
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Power settings for Airventure arrival
- Thread starter RNB
- Start date
I suppose that works when the wx is nice. Go shoot an approach with 40 kt winds and those memorized numbers mean very little. They greatly change grd speed and therefore actual decent rate as opposed to vertical speed. a set map/rpm that works with a 10 kt crosswind will not work with a 30 kt headwind. Of all the approaches that I have done, I don't think I have ever set a fixed power setting. It is always whatever it takes to achieve my desired airspeed & holding the GS or GP. I suppose there are many different ways to manage this though.
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I guess learning to fly Cubs I am more inclined to feel/listen to what the AIRPLANE is telling me than what the instruments are saying, for the most part. It is a matter of becoming familiar with your airplane and, as Jerry said: JUST FLY THE AIRPLANE! Ask me what airspeed I use landing in the Cub and I might say 'I'm not sure' as I rarely look at the ASI. Granted I have a few hours in the Cub but SuzieQ is similar. I was just talking to a good friend (who also volunteers there) about him flying his RV-6 and RV-3 and how often we look at airspeeds. He said if he looks, it's from downwind to base, then after what is the airplane saying. He said he looked the other day because someone asked him what his airspeed on final was, but looked and then forgot what he saw!
He has more hours in RVs than I, but I've accumulated a few as well. Flying often and getting to know your airplane in its many areas of the flight envelope is KEY! As I have said before: practice; PRACTICE; PRACTICE!Watching for us is from the West side of 18/36, and the base-to-final turn is the most......um.......attention-getting. I can tell you stories! A certain Beech Jet comes to mind (landed just East of where my VW had just been parked!
); a certain B-17 that still has a patch on the flap where it hit a runway light; a Diamond Twin Star da42 that didn't do well last year and, thanks to it being a hell-for-stout airplane, everyone walked out including the dog. The list goes on. THAT is the one you must practice as it is a TIGHT descending turn base to final and close to the ground. It is a left turn which is familiar to most but the rest is unfamiliar to most. At your airport, do a base aimed at the numbers (yes, really!) and turn final close-in from there, landing down the runway further than you are accustomed. Do that more than once. That would be a time you WILL want to monitor your airspeed and AOA if you have it. Do that at altitude to get used to it first.IMHO; YMMV. YOU are responsible for flying within your own personal limits. The above is just suggestions of what MIGHT work for you.........
I like 27 better than 18/36. You can request a different runway but no guarantee you will get it. Keep your speed up downwind to base and base to final. I use DMMS, 1.4 clean stall speed. Plan on making one continuous turn (carrier approach). Don't worry about hitting the dot, you can always keep it flying if you are a little short. If you get there on Friday before it starts it isn't usually very busy. Saturday morning was really crazy last year.
