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Old 20th Nov 2006, 06:13
  #19 (permalink)  
Captain Nomad
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Enroute from Dagobah to Tatooine...!
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Ultralights,

Are you sure you mean a 10 degree approach angle?

With a quick rough calculation I would figure that at being somewhere around an 18% approach gradient requiring something close to an 800fpm descent rate for a 45kt approach speed - seems a bit high for a 'nomal' approach in that category of aircraft?

However I do agree with the spirit of the questioning in this thread. I first started judging landings into a short grass strip paddock in a very minimal equipment tail dragging ultralight. Didn't have flaps and one of the machines didn't have brakes either - made things interesting as the grass strip wasn't flat... A good way to learn the basic skills and the extra ones like sideslipping that don't receive a lot of attention in GA. I once had a fellow instructor tell me that one shouldn't sideslip a C152 with full flap as it can overstress the flaps?! I could never find that limitation in the POH...

Since coming to PNG I have had a chuckle thinking about some of the competency 'sign offs' in training. Maintaining nosewheel on centreline and maintaining centreline until 500' for example. Not that this skill is not important and it has a place but up here with bent runways and terrain requiring a turn on takeoff at tree-top height you do just have to have a chuckle... Oh, and maximum 5kt tailwind T/O and landings...
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