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Old 25th Oct 2014, 09:31
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JammedStab
 
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I'm not sure if this info helps but...the pilot enters the planned landing weight into the FMC on the Approach Ref page which will adjust the indicated flap maneuver speeds.

As you enter the landing weight(typically an hour or so before landing), you can see the Vref speeds for flaps 25 and 30 that have a default display for present weight on this FMC page adjust themselves(decrease) based on the newly entered planned landing weight. On occasion someone may make an adjustment to planned landing flap setting below 20,000 feet which is at a point that the minimum flap maneuver indications have come into view on the PFD airspeed tape. By simply changing the landing flap setting entered into the FMC, not only does the Vref change by about 5 knots which makes sense as there will be a greater landing flap setting, but so do all the other flap maneuver speeds even though the weight when they are to be selected will be the same. In other words using an example, you just saw flaps up maneuver speed just decrease by 5 knots but your weight is still the same(same thing will happen with all other of the initial flap setting min speeds).

I have seen someone do this temporarily from setting 25 to 30 and then later back to 25 in order to give a greater margin between our ATC assigned holding speed and the flaps up maneuver speed. Just a psychological thing of course.
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