Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 15, 2025

Detecting them is difficult, which makes final approach and landing especially dangerous. Keep wings level to prevent unnecessary drag or instability. The FAA advises pilots to initiate a missed approach at the first sign of a microburst. This weather phenomenon is called a microburst , one of aviations deadliest threats.

Wind Shear

Flight Training Central

MAY 13, 2025

A forward slip creates high drag which produces a high rate of descent. A forward slip creates high drag which produces a lower rate of descent. A forward slip lowers drag which produces a high rate of descent. When on final approach with a strong headwind your groundspeed will be lower than in a zero wind condition.

Approach

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

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

Pilot's Life Blog

JUNE 18, 2025

Landing gear is also retracted as the aircraft gains altitude to reduce drag and improve climb performance. Pilots must be ready to initiate a go-around if the conditions deteriorate below safe limits during final approach. Pilots must comply promptly to ensure the orderly flow of traffic.

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 pilot’s failure to maintain the proper glidepath during final approach, which resulted in a collision with the approach lights short of the runway.

Density Altitude

AV Web

DECEMBER 11, 2024

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. Youll have to turn away from the runwaybrieflyto get some distance and perspective for your approach. I was reluctant to reduce power in my little episode.

Runway

Plane and Pilot

AUGUST 27, 2024

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. Simple as that.

Stability

Flying Magazine

APRIL 26, 2024

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. As is often the case with swept-wing jets, sometimes extra drag is required beyond gear and flaps. Also visible was green grass and flowering trees.

Crosswind

Jetwhine

MAY 21, 2025

Silence Speaks Oscar Munoz United Airlines (Early Tenure) When a passenger was forcibly dragged from a United Express flight in 2017 and captured on video, the incident quickly became an international PR disaster. Final Approach In an industry where a split-second error can cost millions or lives trust is a companys most valuable asset.

Final Approach

Chess In the Air

JULY 4, 2022

In certain conditions blowing dust (a “ haboob “) can make an approaching front easily visible. Imagine being on final approach right when a small-scale thermal breaks off the ground that can even send a 300 pound porta-potty flying high into the air. (Btw Btw – notice the blue sky in the video.)

Wind Shear

Photographic Logbook

JULY 7, 2024

She had the students flying left handed patterns and directed me to enter on a right downwind where she expertly sequenced us into the conga line of piston aircraft queued up on final approach. Bear Skin Neck is not a Great Place Name: Postcards from Rockport Our house rental was right in town, a mere two blocks from the main drag.

Approach

Pilot Institute

JULY 12, 2024

How to Improve the Final Approach After lining up with the extended centerline, assess if the aircraft is above or below the glidepath. Add any more pressure, and the wheel will stop rotating and drag along the runway instead. Similarly, avoid deploying the flaps while turning. Use the PAPIs if they’re available.

Descent

Charles Ryan's Flying Adventure

MARCH 10, 2024

Having to drag your baggage across the carpeted area is not fun. On final approach to LHR runway 27 Left. This is the first time for me, I had enter the airside longer than this and had no issues at all. We waited for about 15 minutes before being cleared, this was strange. As you can see, my flight was re-timed.

Cabin Crew

Charles Ryan's Flying Adventure

MARCH 28, 2024

On the day of departure Even though we had plenty of time before our flight departure, we decided to head to the airport early as dragging our cabin baggage across the footpath was not ideal. Below) We were on final approach to runway 27L. Although the weather looks good, it was also another windy day. Can you spot the Eye?

Turbulence

Photographic Logbook

OCTOBER 11, 2024

No wonder I got bounced around so much on final approach this morning , I thought. With one final look at Put-In-Bay's refuge harbor, my stomach rumbled and I left the observation deck in search of lunch. With a drag strip next door, at least noise complaints about airplanes seem unlikely.

Runway

Fear of Landing

JUNE 14, 2024

The aircraft was filled to full fuel and the pilot’s departure and flight to Murwillumbah was uneventful until the final approach to Murwillumbah. This means that if you decide to abort a landing, you need to retract the flaps to reduce drag so you can quickly climb away. That day, the weather was clear with light wind.

Threshold

Pilot Institute

JUNE 26, 2024

A go-around is a maneuver performed to abort or reject a landing on the final approach or once the aircraft has already touched down. A common situation is if an aircraft is on final approach, and another holding on the runway cannot take off in time. Go-arounds have little margin for error. What Is a Go-Around?

Wind Shear

Pilot Institute

APRIL 5, 2024

Preparing Your Approach Decide if you want to use the crab or the sideslip approach. The crab method is the most comfortable way to fly the approach. A sideslip approach creates excess drag and requires more control inputs. We recommend learning to use the crab method during most of the approach.

Crosswind

Photographic Logbook

AUGUST 5, 2023

I mentally directed a silent apology to the apartment dwellers below the final approach course as our shadow traversed their rooflines. The hungry bear actually dragged the garbage can partway up the mountain before abandoning it. With such a flimsy enclosure, I wondered if our trash was singled out by the bear as easy pickens.

Weather

Air Facts

DECEMBER 11, 2024

Perhaps, prior to any departure, repeat the mantra (your emergency checklist) I will push the nose down, center the ball (to remove drag) and glide at required glide speed for the weight of the aircraft. Follow the checklist like your life depends on it.

Groundspeed