article thumbnail

Mastering Short Field Landings (A Step-by-Step Guide)

Pilot Institute

In the Cessna 172S Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH), the landing distance decreases by 10% for every 9 knots of headwind. For the Cessna 172, landing distance increases by 10% for every 2 knots of tailwind. Aircraft Weight and Limitations An aircraft’s weight affects inertia and stopping distance.

article thumbnail

There’s Something Essential in the Bank

Flying Magazine

The ability to bank is essential to controlled flight. Otto Lilienthal did it by shifting his weight, but for the much larger Wright Flyer the solution was to make one wing produce more lift than the other by twisting them in opposite directions. But it cannot have been quite so obvious then. The T-38 scores around 0.26.

Aileron 108
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Trending Sources

article thumbnail

How to Improve Your Landings

Pilot Institute

Watch out for some common mistakes, such as over-controlling and reacting incorrectly to visual cues. Flying at 60 knots? Approach Path Control Energy Management How to Improve Approach Path Control Using Ground References Your pattern work will improve the more you standardize it. Two key aspects make good approaches.

Descent 52
article thumbnail

A History of the Warbird Heritage Foundation’s Great Lakes Corsair for Sale

Vintage Aviation News

Aerodynamic mods include sealed cowl flaps, metalized control surfaces, and wingtips that were clipped three feet eight inches on each side. To reduce weight, the gear retraction mechanism was removed. So, during that time, they would work on the Corsair part time, but when winter arrived, his crew would shift to restoration projects.

article thumbnail

COMBAT VIETNAM: The Threat Inside My Aircraft

Vintage Aviation News

Otherwise, our maintenance guys’ corrosion control team would rip me a new one. Besides, we had our hands full, fighting to maintain control of the airplane. Landing on a short field required full flaps and the slowest possible safe airspeed, a couple of knots above stall. That was about 89 knots, as I recall.