Pilot's Life Blog

JANUARY 5, 2025

Approach speeds typically range from 80 to 90 knots depending on weight and flap settings, while full flaps are often used to provide the necessary lift during landing. The aircrafts landing gear is retractable, which must be extended during the final approach. The final approach is a delicate balance of power, pitch, and speed.

Descent 52

Descent Final Approach Approach Runway 52

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 22, 2025

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). Flying at MSA guarantees at least 1,000 feet of obstacle clearance. If present, the plan view will label them as IF.

Approach 52

Approach Descent Runway Final Approach 52

Air Facts

MAY 10, 2024

If you depart MDA on the downwind or base leg, you’re on your own as far as obstacle clearance. What speed on final approach? Be fully configured and on speed prior to receiving landing clearance. FAA parameters are no lower than 500’ AGL for stabilized criteria What specific runway lighting do we expect to see?

Approach 97

Approach AGL Descent Runway 97

Air Facts

MAY 7, 2025

With our diminished flight controllability and heavy ice load, we received vectors to swing out over Long Island Sound and turn carefully to approach straight in from the south on the north/south runway. Terrain clearance became my biggest concern with only an estimate of his distance to the east.

Weight-Shift-Control 52

Weight-Shift-Control VOR Runway Distance Measuring Equipment 52

Air Facts

MAY 5, 2025

I filed my IFR flight plan, received a clearance and took off into the gray winter sky. We entered the holding pattern over Jeff City, flew two circuits and finally received our approach clearance. The ice was simultaneously adding weight while destroying the shape of the wing and stabilizer air foils.

VOR 52

VOR Weather Approach Runway 52

Photographic Logbook

JULY 9, 2024

Exactly like NYC, downtown Boston is encircled by restrictive Class Bravo airspace down to the surface that requires explicit clearance to enter. November Four Eight One, continue inbound, you'll get your Bravo clearance from Tower." Continuing our orbit of the city, we approached the Inner Harbor. I was a little nervous.

Clearance 52

Clearance Runway Approach Stability 52

Professional Pilot

AUGUST 8, 2024

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.

Approach 105

Approach Descent Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) Runway 105