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Stabilized Approaches

Plane and Pilot

Back in the early days of jet airliners, pilots long experienced in more forgiving two- and four-engine, piston-powered prop planes found themselves running out of airspeed, altitude, and ideas on the final approach to landing. Several of these unstabilized approaches resulted in major aircraft damage or worse.

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Voices from Combat: The Consolidated PB2Y Coronado Becomes a Bomber

Vintage Aviation News

A short 18 months later, on August 13, 1937, the XPB2Y-1 took to the skies for the first time, revealing plenty of room for improvement lateral instability was a major problem for the deep-hulled boat, so the single tail fin was augmented by two smaller fins on the horizontal stabilizers.

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The anatomy of a commercial flight – all you ever wanted to know:   Part two   

Aerotime

Having been cruising along at around 500 miles per hour (800 kph) or so, depending on aircraft type, the crew will need to reduce this to around 150 mph (240 kph) for the final approach, and even lower for the actual landing itself. At this point, the use of the aircraft’s flaps becomes critical.

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Top 10 Mistakes Student Pilots Make (And How to Avoid Them)

Inflight Pilot Training

This leads to unstable approaches, excessive pitch changes, and increased workload in the cockpit. Why It Happens: Nervousness and lack of trust in the aircrafts stability. How to Avoid It: Memorize and use your aircrafts Vref (final approach speed). Overreacting to small deviations in altitude or heading.

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Video tip: how to land an airplane

Flight Training Central

This week’s tip shows how to fly a stabilized final approach and help you visualize the steps necessary to transition from the roundout and flare to the touchdown. Landing an airplane is one of the most challenging, yet satisfying tasks you’ll learn to master on your path towards becoming a private pilot.

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How to Read an IFR Approach Chart

Pilot Institute

When you cross the IAF, you enter the initial approach phase. Some initial approaches lead directly to the final approach. Many approaches have fixes in between called Intermediate Fixes (IF). This view starts at the IAF and shows the same waypoints as the plan view down to the missed approach segment.

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Simulated Austria Is Wild, Wonderful

Flying Magazine

For the final approach, I calculated V REF of about 128 was fought with much shear, with airspeed variances of up to 20 to 30 knots, providing a wild ride. Older jets without winglets or shorter wingspans are much faster in roll and lack some stability in bank. There was no inherent stability.

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