737-800 Landing Speed
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
737-800 Landing Speed
Technically interested passenger question:
Every time I fly in a 737-800 series the landing speed always seems to be much faster than I would expect with consequent heavier breaking on the runway. Is there a special reason for this. I get the impression that the 800 series has a lower coefficient of drag than earlier series as descending from cruise level also almost always seems to be done with airbrakes now.
Anybody throw any light on this?
Many thanks, Bruce
Every time I fly in a 737-800 series the landing speed always seems to be much faster than I would expect with consequent heavier breaking on the runway. Is there a special reason for this. I get the impression that the 800 series has a lower coefficient of drag than earlier series as descending from cruise level also almost always seems to be done with airbrakes now.
Anybody throw any light on this?
Many thanks, Bruce
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: The Land of the leprechaun
Posts: 130
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Wait till you land at City of Derry Airport in Ireland with Ryanair, you should try it for a laugh,,, BREAKING isnt the word for it...
lol
Not sure about speeds but always felt it was fast myself to.
lol
Not sure about speeds but always felt it was fast myself to.
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: sweden
Age: 56
Posts: 103
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From a Boeing manual:
Depending on weight:
140 klbs (63 ton) Flaps 30, 146 kt Vref
120 (54 ton)....................135 kt
100 (45 ton)....................123 kt
Usually a few kt's are added to the Vref as I understand it. (+5)?
Depending on weight:
140 klbs (63 ton) Flaps 30, 146 kt Vref
120 (54 ton)....................135 kt
100 (45 ton)....................123 kt
Usually a few kt's are added to the Vref as I understand it. (+5)?
Usually a few kt's are added to the Vref as I understand it. (+5)?
Boeing recommend add half the steady headwind component and all of the gust factor. While Boeing also say the half the steady HW component should be bled off approaching touch-down, in reality that rarely occurs with the result that a good proportion of touch-downs occur faster than they should. No problem with a long runway but a flight safety problem on a short wet runway especially if the additives cause an unintentional float.
Yes the speeds are a lot faster than the "older" series (300/400/500).
I fly the -800 & -900 and I have a theory that the approach speed is more a function of body angle than stall speed (the normal criteria that dictates approach speed). By approaching faster, the pitch attitude is flatter and there is less likelihood of a tailstrike during the flare.
I note that the -900ER's are fitted with a number of aerodynamic improvements (slots, slats & flaps) as well as an extra tail skid to prevent fuselage damage in the event of a tailstrike.
As I say, just a theory and I could be wrong!
See:-
The Boeing 737 Technical Site
I fly the -800 & -900 and I have a theory that the approach speed is more a function of body angle than stall speed (the normal criteria that dictates approach speed). By approaching faster, the pitch attitude is flatter and there is less likelihood of a tailstrike during the flare.
I note that the -900ER's are fitted with a number of aerodynamic improvements (slots, slats & flaps) as well as an extra tail skid to prevent fuselage damage in the event of a tailstrike.
As I say, just a theory and I could be wrong!
See:-
The Boeing 737 Technical Site
Moderator
Caveat - I have little specific NG background to speak of.
I have a theory that the approach speed is more a function of body angle
I would be extremely surprised if this were to be the case due to the marketing penalties for the OEM .. ?
I have a theory that the approach speed is more a function of body angle
I would be extremely surprised if this were to be the case due to the marketing penalties for the OEM .. ?
Some weeks ago I flew a 737-900 with a final approach speed of 169kt. Around max. landing weight, flaps 30, max. wind + gust additives. Needed to inform ATC in advance, or we would have gained on the preceding 777 that was doing 140kt.
Max. landing weight for a -900 (not an ER) is about 66,000 kg. VREF30 for a landing weight of 65,000 kg is 151kt, and the total of wind, gust, shear, or ice formation additives may not exceed 20kt or flap placard speed minus 5kt. The flaps 30 limit speed is 175kt, so we were operating on the limit. Not every landing is like that, but a fully loaded -900 does land pretty fast in comparison with a lighty loaded classic.
And although the 737 is a cat C aircraft, we use cat D limits under such circumstances.
And although the 737 is a cat C aircraft, we use cat D limits under such circumstances.
Last edited by xetroV; 19th Sep 2008 at 03:12.
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Bucharest
Age: 38
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
No. Only the touchdown speed (if too low) affects the probability of a tail strike or a hard landing, not the approach speed. As the guys said before, the adage of knots above Vref is a wind correction.
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Bucharest
Age: 38
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Does anyone have a correct manual (I say this because I've seen wrong data in some pdf articles where the vrefs for no LE/TE devices were abnormally low) with the stall speed (or Vref which is stall speed * 1.3) tables for zero flaps/slats? I've only seen correct Vref speeds for flaps between 15 and 40 vs weight, so in order to have a clue of the corresponding stall speeds, I simply divided the Vrefs to 1.3. Someone might say: why do you need stall speeds for no flaps/slats? Well, there have been occasions when cannot extend the flaps/slats from neutral (ex: flaps skew, asymmetry, other system failures), so you must land with no slats/flaps at all. I know for sure that there must be a table of stall speeds vs weight for flaps and slats retracted.
Regards,
Mav.
Regards,
Mav.
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Nearer home than before!
Posts: 524
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The -800SFP2 has a landing speed set 7kts slower than normal. I see mto recall the -800 originally had the same landing speeds but it was re-scheduled +7kts fairly quickly after entering service due to, well, interesting tendencies to resemble a sack of potatoes....... Certainly the SFP2 landed a lot better if you were 7kts faster...
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: FL410
Posts: 860
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
E.g.: -700 vs -300, -400 vs -800
You will find in general that the NG is a heavier aircraft than Classic [faster speed requirement] but has a better wing [lower speed requirement[, which more or less is won in favour of better wing, therefore slower approach speed, with comparable model used.
You [u]cannot compare the -300 (149Y) to the -800 (189Y) or even longer/heavier -900 (189Y) as the models, payload, and therefore landing weight, are completely incomparable.
Great addition to the NG line, enabling with same weight a lower speed and LDR, or increase payload on same LDR.
Similarly for departure, add payload for same TORA, or add range for same payload, or depart slightly slower making use of more ATM.
Anything on offer now will feel pedestrian compared to what will be coming in the Max 10. The MTOW is 92T with the same wing so you can only imagine what an average Vref will be.
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Ireland
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I doubt to be honest. The A321 for example is not known for very high approach speeds, despite higher overall weights. Flap design (with multiple slots as on the A321) can make a difference. MTOW is not really an indicator here. The maximum landing weight needs to be known.
Last edited by Kakaru; 5th Sep 2018 at 12:02.