PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Why is landing the bloody plane so hard?!
Old 5th Mar 2015, 16:48
  #68 (permalink)  
Pace
 
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In a funny sort of way any landing is a powered approach !
In a single engine aircraft you have two sources of energy the on tap energy from the engine but also the potential energy in the airframe!
I like to think of it as two power levers the throttle but also the column which gives access to the potential energy in the airframe
Pitch forward and you tap into that energy pitch further forward and you tap into even more of that energy so it's as much as a throttle as the engine throttle!
So even in a glide approach in reality it's a powered approach but just using a different source of energy

Whether a glider or an aircraft with its own piwer unit flying is all about energy management and hence why it's important to be able to play between one and the other as needs be

Hence why I never like the pitch for speed or power for speed debates as really it's energy management

Pace
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