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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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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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35 years ago: How a United Airlines crew landed an ‘unflyable’ DC-10

Aerotime

Upon his return, he reported that both right-hand and left-hand rear stabilizers had sustained damage. With the landing gear down but without the use of the wing leading-edge slats and trailing-edge flaps, there was little the crew could do to control the stricken aircraft’s approach speed, other than through variable engine power settings.

Runway 301
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How to fly a perfect soft field approach and landing

Flight Training Central

The final approach speed for a soft field approach and landing should be the same as is used for a short field technique to minimuze float once you enter ground effect. If gusty conditions are present, increase final approach airspeed by one half the gust factor.

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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.

Crosswind 105
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How to Improve Your Landings

Pilot Institute

The easiest way to achieve this is by flying a stabilized approach. So, what is a stabilized approach? A stabilized approach requires the pilot to establish and maintain a constant angle glidepath towards an aiming point. Most approaches use a 3:1 glidepath. Use the PAPIs if they’re available.

Descent 52
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Unstable approaches

Professional Pilot

Challenger 604, G-IV Contributing Writer Pilatus PC-12 on approach at ORL. Air traffic control instructions often lead to unstable approaches. The request to make a short approach or maintain a higher-than-normal speed to the final approach fix is the most common reason pilots don’t meet stable approach criteria.

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