172 Approach Speed

dmspilot said:
So book knowledge is not important?
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Actually, not as much as you think. The "book" gives you various V speeds you should adhere to stay safe. They give you boundaries to operate within not hard and fast rules to apply.

This is particularly true when it comes to landing: You need to KNOW HOW TO LAND and adapt to different speeds. Your cite picture is a big part of that process.

A correct cite picture allows you to adjust to different wind conditions which will result in a good to great landing.
 
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Trogdor said:
Actually, not as much as you think. The "book" gives you various V speeds you should adhere to stay safe. They give you boundaries to operate within not hard and fast rules to apply.
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That's not the kind of book knowledge I'm talking about.
 
Gray Ghost said:
I am a student pilot, so please excuse my ignorance.

The Airplane Flying Handbook repeatedly says that you should fly final approach at 1.3 x Vs0. Vs0 in the 172R I am mostly flying is 33 kts. 1.3 times that is 43 kts. Nobody flies the approach that slowly in the 172, and I have been instructed to fly it at 65 kts, which works well.

Can someone explain the discrepancy to me? Does the 1.3 x Vs0 formula just not apply to a 172?

Thanks in advance.
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Our old F-model had an approach speed of 60-65 mph! If you came in at 60, you'd better be riding the throttle, because you could develop an amazing sink rate, and it was quite a yank to keep that front wheel off the deck. Even 65 mph made a huge difference. And 120 mph over the numbers would let you float for a few thousand feet.
 
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