Originally Posted by
Pace
I don't know who your instructor is but to preach the use of reduction of flaps to control drag under normal operations is a very risk potential practice.
I don't think anyone is suggesting this is an appropriate technique for normal operations. The two applications where it might be useful are the obvious one of a forced landing without power, and in achieving a better score in a spot landing competition (no points for landing short
).
Pace, my two principal instructors were two of the most experienced chaps you could hope to learn from. They had at least 50,000 hrs between them; one had previously flown spitfires in combat. To say I was in awe of their abilities, both as pilots and as instructors, is a gross understatement.
They may not have taught everything strictly 'by the book', but I remain forever grateful for the tiny part of their combined skill and experience which I somehow managed to assimilate.
I'd suggest they had an excellent handle on the PA-38's capabilities and limitations, whether documented or otherwise; from personal experience I can say the technique works for that type. I can't believe I'd have been taught this at such an early stage if it were inherently unsafe
on that aircraft. The only real danger I can see is if there were a problem with the flap operating mechanism; asymmetric flap deployment at such a low level would certainly be an additional difficulty you wouldn't want.
Another interesting memory from the past is they limited me to using one stage of flap for the hour before being sent solo (with clear instructions to deploy full flap for the big event); apparently they'd worked out that the performance two-up on half flap was similar to the performance solo with full flap, so that my first solo approach would be as similar as possible to what I'd just flown.
They certainly pushed the boundaries and I'm sure they broke a few rules, but I believe my training was the better for it.
The statistics for off-airport landings have never made for comforting reading; achieving proficiency in any skill which increases your options should you find yourself in such a situation will, IMO, only improve safety.
I'd also say it's something you need to practice, given the right a/c and situation; just having something demonstrated won't give you either the skill or the confidence to do it for yourself, especially when under pressure.