dear original poster...first, get a new instructor.
someone just wrote that the PAPIs were for instrument flying...wow...I'm shaking my head on that one.
second...go out and buy the book, ''stick and rudder'' and read it...esp on landings and stalls.
and 1.3vso is just fine for approaches and landings assuming you have an operating engine.
on final, you should be at published approach speeds/vref plus gust factor and that should be 1.3vso.
You won't stall if you are being attentive.
A normal landing/approach with engine operating normally should be on VASI/PAPI and at target approach speed. As you are crossing the fence (old term) you may reduce power and speed to end up touching down at vref minus 5 knots (not miles perhour) in the touchdown zone (frist third of the runway).
I'm not talking about a situation in which you are avoiding wake turbulence, I'm not talking about landing over a 50' obstacle, or higher than average or allowable winds.
(former CFIIMEI)
oh, and just so you know, if you aren't looking to go to an airline, that doesn't AUTOMATICALLY make you a better instructor.
Listen my new airplane friend, over 30 years ago I was getting checked out in a tomahawk...the instructor (mind you I had a CFI at the time) was WOEFULLY AWFUL. SHE said she wouldn't fly at published approach speeds for the plane...she insisted on being over 13 knots too fast (no wind). I asked her about it and she was terribly worried about stalling.
She was an awful instructor. She was so bad (how bad was she?) that another time she brought a plane back to the flight line saying the flight controls were broken...actually she had the autopilot turned on!!!!!
So...find another instructor...get that book and read it.
yes, be concerned about stalling...be alert, be ready to recover...but if you come in too fast there can be many problems including, but not limited to : wheelbarrowing, porposing, breaking off the nose landing gear, floating most of the runway away, going off the end of the runway.
I had just checked out someone in a Cessna 177, he had done a fine job. Just as we were parking the plane I reminded him to never go too fast on landing and then I pointed to a C152 coming in way too fast...I said: WATCH THIS>>>HE WILL LAND on the nosewheel, break it off and wreck the plane.
AND IT HAPPENED...just like I said. I ran to the plane and helped th epilot out.
There are rotten instructors out there...i don't know the person you have, but something aint right