Power setting for slow pass, crosswind practise

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hogges

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hogges
Hi all,
I am a student pilot, just past solo, and have a question regarding the execution of a slow pass as demonstrated by John King in their free crosswind training video (youtube has it, also of course on the Kingschools website). John is demonstrating the effects of rudder and ailerons as he is staying some 20 feet or so off the ground for most of the length of the runway and then executes a go-around. From the looks in the video he has quite a bit of flaps down while doing so.

My question is: How do you turn a normal landing final approach into such a slow and low pass, without risk of accidental touch down or bouncing? I would think that quite a bit of power would need to be added just before what would normally be the final flare?

It seems like a risky maneuver if you don't know what you are doing. I plan on practicing it up high next time I fly before attempting it at a runway.

Thanks,
Wolfgang
 
Have you discussed this with your instructor? Might want to do that if you haven't. Your CFI should be willing to demonstrate or guide you thru it.
 
mscard88: I plan on doing so. My CFI was busy teaching other people these past few days, and too much crosswind for me to go solo, hence my attempt to think this through while grounded.
 
Enough power to keep your speed at Vy in level flight just above the runway, but not enough power to cause you to climb. Keep the hand on the throttle and try it. If you start coming down, more throttle. If you start climbing, less throttle. Keep an eye on the airspeed. Fly the airplane. Don't get too slow.
 
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Fly to the infinity point and eyes on the infinity point, pitch for airspeed, power for altitude, feel the plane, power as required. If your mains chirp, just add a little power to get them back off, or pull power and land, ain't not thang ;)
 
mscard88 said:
But it could be for a student who just did his first solo recently. You, as a CFI, wouldn't want to review this with him vs him dong it on his own?
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Ofcourse!

Actually for most of my students, who leaned from the ghetgo in tailwheel, we did low slow passes before they even started to do touch and goes pre solo, always thought it was a great intro before you started to do landings, they'd have to be able to do low and slow passes right over the centerline, occasionally accidentally (well so they thought) chirping the mains before I'd let them pull the power back and actually land. Worked great.
 
A good friend and CFI at 100 hrs taught me to do slow flight, barely above stall, at 2-3' agl, full length. I would not go that slow at 20' in gusty or xw conditions though. Teaches us not to be so nervous when getting close to the ground and you will learn more about your plane and your flying skills. Up high, our over-controlling is barely noticed. Down low, especially in a sensitive aircraft will definitely change the way you fly. It does not require as much power in ground effect, compared to the same speed as up high.
 
Holding the aircraft a few feet off the runway is a fairly common training technique I think. There is no real concern with touching the runway since the aircraft should be aligned with and on centerline.

Ya prolly wanna avoid getting really slow so you stay out of the back side of the power curve. Get it down in ground effect and it shouldn't be a problem.

As suggested, do the exercise with your instructor onboard first. Then you can also do things like fly along the runway with one wheel touching...smooth air helps...gusty wind makes it challenging
 
Clark1961 said:
Then you can also do things like fly along the runway with one wheel touching...smooth air helps...gusty wind makes it challenging
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Then I have to do a 180 and equalize the wear on the other tire.
 
mulligan said:
So how many bounces does it take before you decide to go around? Apparently one too many for this guy.
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One off of the nose wheel. If plenty of runway, just re-flare and touch down at the proper airspeed.
 
I absolutely agree with those who say this is something to review with a CFI. But here's a clue and perhaps an introduction to realizing that we can simulate certain things far from the ground that we do close to the ground. For example, I wonder how many pilots ever figure out that ground reference maneuvers and slow flight are about traffic patterns and aircraft control during landing.

So let's say you are flying a 172 and want to maintain that 65 KTS final approach speed after leveling off at about 20' (a bit higher than ground effect). How about going to 3,000', setting up for level slow flight but, instead of the horn blaring or the horn just not blaring, you target 65 KTS? Don't you think the power setting that keeps you at 65 KTS in level flight at 3,000 AGL won't at least get you very close to the ballpark at 20 AGL?
 
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