Mary
I have never seen so many heavy metal pilots sprout out of one thread! Makes me feel quite insecure as a bottom of the pile biz jet pilot
As one who is not convinced with glide approaches I wish someone would explain the scientific benefits of such approaches!
I even had one in the Citation being held at 10 K for other traffic and then asked if I could make it for a straight in while 20 miles out.
Thrust to idle, air brakes out, flaps, Gear anything which could come out including willy waving
common in these threads
Went down like a train but still pulled it onto a conventional glide before landing!
All flying is about energy management it is in your gliders where on still days you only have potential energy trading altitude for airspeed.
But then you guys/ and gals are slippery with a good glide ratio.
Try a glide approach on some singles I can think of and you will have to be quick and accurate in the flare.
So the glide approach ??? I can understand instructors wanting to hammer out circuits and as many as possible by staying high and coming down closed throttle.
I can understand some low powered aircraft which are very draggy needing to tap into airframe potential energy.
I do not see it as an accurate on the dot landing method as there is more scope to get it wrong landing fast or long!
The other thing to consider is conflict! A guy recently posted a u tube clip of himself on final.
He was on a conventional glide to have a small aircraft drop from above in front of him literally feet in front of him.
We fly circuits to minimize collision potential and that should include glidepaths as much as possible.
One thing I would like to ask is the glide approach pilot who is asked to extend downwind for say two aircraft on finals! Does he descend to pick up a conventional glide path or maintain altitude on finals until picking up his steep glide?
I really would like a technical discussion of the glide approach and its benefits and not the will waving from last night?
Pace