View Poll Results: How do you maintain a glideslope
I use changes in power to maintain glideslope
38
33.04%
I use changes in pitch to maintain glideslope
77
66.96%
Voters: 115. You may not vote on this poll
To all pilots: Flying the glide slope
12-25-2009 | 07:18 AM
#43
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 593
Likes: 0
From: Left Seat, Toyota Tacoma
The USN/USMC guys, perhaps some of the figher USAF guys, are going to say power for descent rate (altitude) and pitch for airspeed. This is because they have an Angle of Attack indicator and are trying to fly the green donut, a constant angle of attack approach. The C-17 guys (correct me if I am wrong), are flying on the backside of the power curve during their approach and landings and the AP also maintains a constant angle of approach -- they control the descent with power and "flare" the aircraft by increasing power.
When you aren't trying to land on an aircraft carrier, in the box on the runway, or flying an assault landing; like most have said, you will use a little of both pitch and power -- they are related to one another.
Once you get stabilized on the approach, you will notice a certain power and certain pitch will maintain the aircraft on speed on the glideslope "hands off" all the way down until the flare.
Learn those pitch and power settings.
When you aren't trying to land on an aircraft carrier, in the box on the runway, or flying an assault landing; like most have said, you will use a little of both pitch and power -- they are related to one another.
Once you get stabilized on the approach, you will notice a certain power and certain pitch will maintain the aircraft on speed on the glideslope "hands off" all the way down until the flare.
Learn those pitch and power settings.
12-25-2009 | 08:40 AM
#44
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 13,843
Likes: 1
From: FAA 'Flight Check'
The USN/USMC guys, perhaps some of the figher USAF guys, are going to say power for descent rate (altitude) and pitch for airspeed. This is because they have an Angle of Attack indicator and are trying to fly the green donut, a constant angle of attack approach. The C-17 guys (correct me if I am wrong), are flying on the backside of the power curve during their approach and landings and the AP also maintains a constant angle of approach -- they control the descent with power and "flare" the aircraft by increasing power.
When you aren't trying to land on an aircraft carrier, in the box on the runway, or flying an assault landing; like most have said, you will use a little of both pitch and power -- they are related to one another.
Once you get stabilized on the approach, you will notice a certain power and certain pitch will maintain the aircraft on speed on the glideslope "hands off" all the way down until the flare.
Learn those pitch and power settings.
When you aren't trying to land on an aircraft carrier, in the box on the runway, or flying an assault landing; like most have said, you will use a little of both pitch and power -- they are related to one another.
Once you get stabilized on the approach, you will notice a certain power and certain pitch will maintain the aircraft on speed on the glideslope "hands off" all the way down until the flare.
Learn those pitch and power settings.
One correction to your post above that I just caught this morning. USN/USMC type guys are trying to maintain the AMBER DOUGHNUT. The red and green are chevrons - red being too little AoA (fast) and green being the dreaded too much AoA (slow). Everything else you said is right on
Here is a clip to illustrate. You can hear a guy standing by the runway saying power on, more power on, etc.... and you can see a little bit of smoke coming from the engines. That is the pilot maintaining the centered ball (glideslope) with power while holding the proper AoA (8.1).http://www.flickr.com/photo_embed.gne?id=4211495887
Note - this is a particular way of landing and does not fit every situation. In other words - in general - there are other ways to skin a cat (though not in carrier naval aviation
)USMCFLYR
12-25-2009 | 11:05 PM
#45
Tuk er jerbs!
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,342
Likes: 0
From: B747 Left
Anyway, I'm not correcting you...I know you knew that...just using your post as a step-off to make a point.
01-23-2010 | 03:55 PM
#46
New Hire
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
What controls what?
For me its a combination of both two, but aerodinamically, the thrust required versus the actual thrust being produced gives de rate of climb/descent.
If you need to reduce your rate of descent you´ll add a little thrust, followed immediatly with a small change in pitch ( pitch up 1/4 - 1/2 deg) to control speed for the new thrust setting. When you´re on the correct path, you´ll do just the opposite, reduce thrust a little and then reset you pitch attitude to maintain speed.
Is a combination but if you use thrust as the primary control for rate of desc/clb, you´ll be in accordance with the engineers, jejejej
I fly CRJ-900 for Pluna (Uruguay)
Regards
If you need to reduce your rate of descent you´ll add a little thrust, followed immediatly with a small change in pitch ( pitch up 1/4 - 1/2 deg) to control speed for the new thrust setting. When you´re on the correct path, you´ll do just the opposite, reduce thrust a little and then reset you pitch attitude to maintain speed.
Is a combination but if you use thrust as the primary control for rate of desc/clb, you´ll be in accordance with the engineers, jejejej
I fly CRJ-900 for Pluna (Uruguay)
Regards
01-24-2010 | 12:50 AM
#47
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 320
Likes: 0
From: missionary
Every airplane I've flown: Cessnas, Pipers, Mooneys, T-37, T-38, C-5, DC-9, 757, 767, 747, have ALL been pitch for path and power for airspeed.
The only time pitch controls airspeed is when the power is fixed, such as in a climb or idle descent.
The only time pitch controls airspeed is when the power is fixed, such as in a climb or idle descent.
01-24-2010 | 05:52 AM
#48
Line Holder
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 275
Likes: 4
From: Supine
What hasn't been mentioned in this thread is that in most light airplanes, the thrust vector is below the center of gravity of the airplane. Reduce thrust, and the aircraft pitches down. Add thrust and it pitches up. If you are flying an aircraft where the thrust vector is at or above the center of gravity, you can add all the thrust you want and you will never recapture the glideslope if you are low. Imagine you are flying a lake amphibian with the engine above the wings. What will happen if you add power when you are low on the glideslope? You will pitch down even more.
The best answer for all aircraft is the answer found in the FAA flight training handbook. Pitch for glideslope and power for airspeed.
01-24-2010 | 02:28 PM
#49
Line Holder
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
From: None
Try flying a V-command bar flight director coupled to the ILS with power.
02-03-2010 | 02:59 AM
#50
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
If I may make one minor correction....SMALL corrections on both!
Ive seen students nail the GS and LOC all the way down then @1/4 mile decide they need a 30deg heading change to snag a needle thats a whisker off. If I could rig up some sort of battery to induce a shock when they stray outside of the "funnel" I'd be a happy if not sadistic guy.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
