Air Facts

MAY 14, 2025

Add half the gust factor to final approach and touchdown speeds. We flew with 1,500 pounds of JP-4 that day, so our pattern speeds were: 180 KIAS in the final turn 160 KIAS on final approach 135 KIAS at touchdown Touch-and-go landings use 60% flaps; full stops use full flaps. Gusty winds? I have 230 gallons times 6.5

AGL

Pilot Institute

MARCH 13, 2025

As the airflow approaches the wing, the flow splits above and below the leading edge. They adjust wing camber, thickness, and aspect ratio to balance lift, drag, and stall characteristics for different aircraft roles. Designing for Efficiency While increasing airspeed boosts lift (per Bernoulli), it also increases drag.

Pilot

Flying Magazine

MAY 7, 2025

Naval Academy, approached the problem by setting lift-drag ratio, L/D, as his metric of efficiency. Carsons approach was mathematically elegant but assumed that time and fuel were of equal value to a hypothetical pilot. READ MORE: The Gadget: Lets Stop the Beeping Noise Carson, a professor of aerospace engineering at the U.S.

True Airspeed

One Mile at a Time

MARCH 21, 2025

He was eventually dragged out of the bathroom. Theres a lot going on with this story Bottom line A man is suing United Airlines after a flight that he took several weeks back, while constipated. Long story short, he spent 30 or more minutes in the lavatory, and despite repeated requests to leave, he continued to say he needed more time.

Airlines

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 2, 2024

Key Takeaways Power-off stalls mimic a stall during the flight’s approach and landing phase. When the aircraft is in a high-drag configuration, a stall at a low altitude can be quite dangerous. On final approach, it can be the difference between recovering and crashing. Why Practice Power-off Stalls?

Descent

AV Web

DECEMBER 26, 2024

If theres a cold front approaching your departure airport, and you dont want to fly through it, stay on the ground. AIRCRAFT The old drag-racing sentimenttheres no replacement for displacementalso rings true in personal aviation. Itll soon pass overhead, and you can launch into clearing conditions.

Weather

Professional Pilot

NOVEMBER 13, 2024

The system is well-suited for aircraft of any size, and offers low power consumption and reduced drag from its low-profile antenna. Applications range from complementing existing Ku-/Ka-band service in large cabins to introducing cabin Internet to small and medium-size aircraft. “Our

Jet

Flying Magazine

JULY 3, 2025

As late afternoon approached, I was expecting a call about what hotel we would be in that night. I asked ATC to arrange for fire/rescue in case I messed up my approach/landing. I explained that I was flying a “cone” pattern that would make the approach path easy to manage and continued with that plan.

Knot

Pilot's Life Blog

JANUARY 12, 2025

Understanding the Basics of Flight Principles of Flight: Lift, Weight, Thrust, and Drag Flying a plane for the first time requires a basic understanding of the forces that make flight possible. Thrust, produced by the engines, moves the plane forward, while drag, or air resistance, slows it down.

Aileron

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 20, 2025

The problem is that the aileron can only be deflected to a point after which the drag becomes significant. Aileron Control In Stalls And Spins A wing stalls when the airflow approaches it at an angle greater than the Critical Angle of Attack. Adverse yaw is created due to the drag differential between the two sides of the aircraft.

Aileron

Pilot's Life Blog

JUNE 18, 2025

A power-off 180 is a critical maneuver that simulates an engine failure on final approach, requiring pilots to glide the aircraft and execute a precise 180-degree turn to a safe landing spot. Maintain the proper approach speed to maximize glide distance, typically the best glide speed for your aircraft.

Pilot

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 16, 2024

For instance, an aircraft maintaining a steady IAS at 30,000 feet will have a faster TAS than at sea level due to reduced drag from thinner air. Then, check the altimeter to confirm that you’re holding your altitude, or approaching the altitude you want. This means less drag and faster ground speed.

True Airspeed

Fear of Landing

FEBRUARY 7, 2025

The approach controller gave them the current wind as 070 gusting 33 knots and let them know that a Boeing 737-800 had just landed. They began the approach, ready to go around if needed. Aircraft ground track As they approached the runway edge, the captain remembers reaching for the tiller, trying to keep them on the runway.

Crosswind

Pilot Institute

APRIL 12, 2025

The reaction in the form of increased thrust allows the aircraft to overcome drag and accelerate or climb. Its very useful if youre too high on approach. A sideslip is one method to counter crosswinds while on approach. Spoilers are panels on the top of wings that pilots can raise to spoil lift and increase drag.

Torque

Flight Training Central

FEBRUARY 28, 2025

Contingency planning is even more important for IFR pilots on cross-country flights where a cloud ceiling shift of 100 or visibility change of a mile can mean the difference between seeing the runway at the end of an instrument approach or having to go around and find another place to land.

Ceiling

Pilot's Life Blog

JANUARY 5, 2025

When learning how to land a Piper Seminole, it is crucial to understand the role of each engine in the approach and landing phases. Pilots must be proficient in managing engine power, especially during the approach, where power settings and speed management are critical to a smooth and safe landing.

Descent

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 15, 2025

Detecting them is difficult, which makes final approach and landing especially dangerous. When you fly into a microburst on approach or departure, youll first encounter a strong headwind, which will give you a brief lift. This can fool anyone easily, and could lead to disaster during approach. Within seconds, everything changes.

Wind Shear

CFI Academy

MAY 12, 2025

That’s why at CFI Academy , we rely on a proven teaching method known as the Power–Pitch–Patience Framework — a structured approach that simplifies slow flight instruction and builds pilot confidence from the very first attempt. It’s where control precision, aircraft handling, and situational awareness meet.

Drag

Vintage Aviation News

APRIL 2, 2025

The origins of the P-51 Mustang trace back to a request from the Royal Air Force, which approached North American Aviation to produce P-40 Warhawks under license from Curtiss. Remarkably, the airframe was completed in just 102 days. The first production models were delivered to the RAF in October 1942.

Hangar

CFI Academy

MAY 12, 2025

Thats why at CFI Academy , we rely on a proven teaching method known as the PowerPitchPatience Framework a structured approach that simplifies slow flight instruction and builds pilot confidence from the very first attempt. Its where control precision, aircraft handling, and situational awareness meet. What Happens Without the Framework?

Drag

Flying Magazine

JULY 22, 2025

The batteries provided so much cranking power that both cold and hot starts never even approached engine temperature limits. Walkaround Approaching the E1000 AX one gets a sense of its true size—it is 35 feet, 10 inches long and 12 feet, 10 inches tall, with a 43-foot wingspan.

Rudder

Plane and Pilot

APRIL 14, 2025

Drawing on Jons experience at the Skunk Works, which over the years had developed everything from the original P-80 jet fighter to the SR 71 Blackbird, this new design features a long, tapered fuselage, crescent-shaped wings, and elegant nose section designed to decrease cooling drag and increase induction pressure.

Airfoil

Aerotime

MARCH 27, 2025

Yeager managed to catch a German Messerschmitt 262 just as it approached to land, shooting it down in the process. These helped to minimize drag and ensure aerodynamic efficiency at high speeds. One notable shootdown accredited to Yeager was one of historys very first air-to-air victories against a jet-powered fighter aircraft.

Pilot

Fear of Landing

JANUARY 24, 2025

They were approaching Bankstown when the first call was made on Bankstown Tower frequency. Pilot of VH-MYW : Bankstown Tower, MYW is approaching the [undecipherable]. Instead he aimed for the closest taxiway, leaving the flap retracted and gear up in order to reduce drag and gain maximum glide range. The reservoir.

Runway

Pilot Institute

MAY 8, 2025

You’re on your final approach and suddenly realize your landing gear isnt down. During certain phases of flight, you may retract the landing gear to reduce drag and improve climb performance. Later, as you approach your destination, you’ll need to extend the gear again for landing. But how does this happen?

Air Traffic Control

Vintage Aviation News

FEBRUARY 28, 2025

Just off the California coast, they tried to jettison the two outboard drop tanks, but only the one on the left wing broke free, with the mounts on the right wing having failed to release the now empty tank, which caused parasitic drag that kept Betty Jo below the desired 400 mph.

Drag

Pilot Institute

MAY 21, 2025

Imagine this fiasco on a busy frequency in crowded airspace while approaching for landing. Your jingle doesnt need to be flawless; it just needs to be catchy enough that repetition becomes less of a drag. Conclusion Learning the NATO phonetic alphabet is entirely possible with the right approach. The solution?

Air Traffic Control

Flying Magazine

JUNE 30, 2025

Ailerons are actuated by pushrods that run through the wing struts, reducing aerodynamic drag and giving the responsive ailerons a solid feel. On takeoff, the NX fuselage is already level rather than in the high-drag, nose high position. The manual flaps have four positions, up, 16 degrees, 33 degrees, and 46 degrees.

Gross Weight

Flying Magazine

JULY 8, 2025

They include: Proper flight preparation procedures, including preflight planning and preparation, powerplant operation, and aircraft systems Taxiing or surface operations, including runups Takeoffs and landings, including normal and crosswind Straight and level flight and turns in both directions Climbs and climbing turns Airport traffic patterns, (..)

Wind Shear

Flying Magazine

JUNE 2, 2025

Approaching and passing through Mach 1, however, an airplane acquires, in addition to the drag it already has, a new kind of drag, called wave drag. READ MORE: Boom Goes Supersonic, Makes Civil Aviation History Wave drag is part of what made the speed of sound a barrier in the 1950s.

Drag

AV Web

JANUARY 22, 2025

Most accounts point outcorrectlyhow decisions about spacing and glide path management, and even whether it was wise to hold the pick-up game contest in winds that caused cancellation of a larger, planned STOL Drag event, may have contributed to this crash. Yet all indications are he succumbed to a simple stall on final approach.

Final Approach

Vintage Aviation News

DECEMBER 27, 2024

Despite some engine troubles, the FJ-3 gained greater acceptance with the fleet than the FJ-2 and was later modified to carry the AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile as the FJ-3M and in 1956, the Navy retrofitted all its FJ-3s with refueling probes under the left wing to couple to a drogue dragged behind an aerial refueling tanker.

Jet

Vintage Aviation News

JUNE 18, 2025

Unlike the fuselage, the wings were constructed from wood to save weight and get the best contours to reduce drag, which was achieved through meticulously shaping, sanding, and varnishing the airfoil of the wings. As he approached the Union Air Terminal, the main landing gear failed to extend on approach.

Cockpit

Vintage Aviation News

JANUARY 14, 2025

By this point, however, the vibration issues on takeoff and landing were not resolved, and in the air the design exhibited high transonic drag, greatly reducing its intended performance. It was also hoped that a seaplane fighter could also operate from remote areas that had no airbases but enough water for seaplane operations.

Cockpit

Pilot's Life Blog

JUNE 18, 2025

An aircraft go-around is when a pilot decides to abort a landing and climb back to a safe altitude for another approach. Whether it’s due to runway obstacles, unstable approaches, or weather changes, the aircraft go-around is a pilot’s best tool to avoid accidents and ensure a smooth, safe flight every time.

Air Traffic Control

Plane and Pilot

JULY 1, 2025

The student turned early onto the base leg of the airport traffic pattern, then turned onto final approach, resulting in the airplane being high and fast. Probable cause(s): The flight instructor’s inadequate supervision of the landing approach and go-around, and his delayed remedial action.

Density Altitude

AV Web

DECEMBER 11, 2024

From that perch, you can eyeball the airport and then execute a circling descent to both lose altitude and set up for the approach and landing. But if you have enough altitude, you have the energy and flexibility to plan and execute a traffic pattern that puts you on final approach in a position from which to land. Are You Nuts?

Runway