Comments on: Stability is tough to achieve in these times

By: Daniel Arthur-Jones

Daniel Arthur-Jones — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 14:46:09 +0000

Could not agree more with your last statement: “Let’s leave instability to the rest of the world!”

Spot on!

By: Lee Gilbert

Lee Gilbert — Sun, 08 May 2011 14:29:30 +0000

Rotating speed brakes make slipping twin turbine aircraft redundant and therefore unnecessary. Because of the great approach speed versatility of jet prop aircraft (approach speeds can vary in any one aircraft from 180 to 100 KIAS), it seems important for pilots of those aircraft to become familiar and comfortable in that range of operation. Powerful engines and the rotating speed brakes of a jet prop simply may make establishing a stable approach a more dramatic manuever because the pilot has so much control over a wide range of speed and altitude. The key here being that the pilot should be familiar and comfortable with that range of gift.

By: Gerard

Gerard — Fri, 06 May 2011 20:12:45 +0000

Yes people still practice slips and occasionally use them, but I know a few who seem to slip on every landing they make. I wonder are they practicing or just getting lazy about making a stabilized approach.

Exploring the envelope and practicing the skills we need to deal with flying’s little challenges is definitely good thing, but we should make just as much effort to practice flying precisely and making stable approaches, especially under challenging conditions.

By: Bruce Liddel

Bruce Liddel — Fri, 06 May 2011 18:54:10 +0000

I’ll agree that in complex aircraft, there’s not much that’s more important on approach than stability (and or course, GUMPS).

However, in SE fixed conventional-gear airplanes, after about 300-400 landings, I think there’s a whole lot to learn by gently pushing the stability envelope. I eventually got to the point where I could consistently convert a diving approach at 110mph to a safe landing at 45mph, or abort a departure at any altitude (over sufficient runway), and over 300′ I could land on adjacent runway, because I had practiced enough that I could generate a fairly stable approach in very short order.

I guess my point was that practice is beneficial. Hmmph, no big revelation there.

By: Michael J.Carroll

Michael J.Carroll — Fri, 06 May 2011 13:52:28 +0000

Does anybody practice slips anymore? As in sideslips to lose altitude and compensate for wind and forward slips to lose altitude when landing. I used to fly into a narrow,short grass runway completely surrounded by tall trees. Some flyers used to say,”It was like landing in a bathtub”. But since I learned to fly there it was just normal for me. With a good headwind over the trees on final, It was impossible to land there without a full rudder forwardslip due to the updraft caused by the trees over the approach end of the runway. Then you would abruptly run out of excess lift once past the treeline and proceed to “drop like the proverbial rock”. It was a great test of your airmanship and reflexes and reminded me of a Coney Island thrill ride. Sadly, this little field is now become a Suffolk County small park. Mike AOPA00893089