When do you begin your descent?

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JohnWF

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John at Salida
Talking to local pilots I get different views on this: You are in the traffic pattern, say just entering downwind leg at pattern altitude. When do you began you descent to the runway? Only on final, when turning base, or somewhat when on downwind? I get various views.

Your view?
 
Most often, abeam of the runway threshold while on downwind, since it is usually windy here at home.
Really depends on how strong the wind is.
If winds are calm, I might delay until the runway threshold is about 45 deg over my shoulder.
 
When I begin my descent is different for pretty much every approach. I begin my approach abeam the numbers pretty much every time.
 
Abeam the numbers I start down and turn base when they are 45* behind me.

Works pretty good usually.

It depends on wind, DA, load, how cocky I am and unicorns. :crazy:
 
Two minutes prior to touching down, wherever that puts me. Just over two miles from the threshold.

I fly at a lot of towered airports, and abeam the numbers seldom works. Only in light traffic and when I make a downwind or 45 entry.
 
In the pattern, abeam the numbers normally.
 
Abeam the numbers in a standard pattern, unless tower is calling base. Sometimes you are cleared to land 10 miles out for a straight in approach. Then there isn't a standard pattern and you descend at your discretion.

The fun thing about landing is that they are all different.
 
MAKG1 said:
I fly at a lot of towered airports, and abeam the numbers seldom works. Only in light traffic and when I make a downwind or 45 entry.
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How does your entry have anything to do with it? Abeam the numbers on downwind is the same no matter how you got there.

If I'm flying the pattern I pull throttle and start down abeam the numbers, base at 45, assuming #1.

on a straight in I try to set up miles out and fly it like an ILS, steady descent from cruise all the way in to touchdown.
 
Abeam the numbers,makes for gentle turns and nice easy decent.
 
When the plane decides to start descending.

I go to idle abeam the numbers on downwind, hold altitude as the airspeed bleeds off, extend 10* of flaps once below 100mph, trim for 80mph. Where the plane begins descending is wholly dependent upon what my airspeed was when I started the process.

And, no, I don't try to be at a certain airspeed abeam the numbers. It can be anywhere from 80mph to 140mph. I like the approach to be different everytime...adjusting as necessary...that way I (hopefully) learn something every time instead of robotically going thru the motions.
 
With no one else in the pattern, in my 140 I would pull power for the descent abeam the numbers. However, at KBED we rarely have that situation.
 
Standard pattern abeam the numbers. Straight in about three miles out.
 
Bill Jennings said:
Standard pattern abeam the numbers. Straight in about three miles out.
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Why on earth three miles out? When you're right next to the runway, you do it at 1.5 miles (typical) but if you're outside the pattern you start down earlier?

The only time I'd start a descent that early is if I was on the ILS (or GPS) glideslope.
 
I was trained to reduce power abeam the numbers on downwind. Apply 10* of flaps and descend 300 feet before turning base. On base deploy 20* of flaps. Turn final when able to roll out aligned with the runway and then deploy 30* of flaps when the runway is made. Seems to work for me.
 
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flyingron said:
Why on earth three miles out? When you're right next to the runway, you do it at 1.5 miles (typical) but if you're outside the pattern you start down earlier?

The only time I'd start a descent that early is if I was on the ILS (or GPS) glideslope.
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Depends on your initial altitude, 3 miles is a good setup for a straight in.

Often on VMC days, if I'm going to a unfamiliar airport that happens to have a IAP, I'll just plan and go direct to the FAF (if it works with the flow of traffic etc), cross it at whatever altitude is on that plate typically sets me up well for the visual.
 
Power reduction first, approach speed next, descend last.

dtuuri
 
flyingron said:
Why on earth three miles out? When you're right next to the runway, you do it at 1.5 miles (typical) but if you're outside the pattern you start down earlier?

The only time I'd start a descent that early is if I was on the ILS (or GPS) glideslope.
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Do you ever start a straight in from TPA? I don't. It's always at least 500 feet higher, and it's only that low if constrained by neighboring airspace.

I don't particularly like flying at minimum altitude over the city. It's rude (noise) and leaves you little option in case of problems.
 
Abeam the numbers, make flaps and power adjustment, and reduce speed. DON'T start the descent until you've reached your target speed. "Slow down before you go down."
 
Exact technique depends a little on the airplane, but generally, I will reduce power and add flaps abeam the touchdown point and trim for the descent. I am typically 100-200 below TPA when I start the turn to base.
 
JohnWF said:
Talking to local pilots I get different views on this: You are in the traffic pattern, say just entering downwind leg at pattern altitude. When do you began you descent to the runway? Only on final, when turning base, or somewhat when on downwind? I get various views.

Your view?
Click to expand...

no sooner than when I'm abeam my touchdown point but no later than abeam the numbers.
 
JohnWF said:
Talking to local pilots I get different views on this: You are in the traffic pattern, say just entering downwind leg at pattern altitude. When do you began you descent to the runway? Only on final, when turning base, or somewhat when on downwind? I get various views.

Your view?
Click to expand...

I fly a Maule, so I start my descent about 500 yards from the end of the runway on final! :rofl:
 
Yep, reduce power abeam the numbers....slow the plane and start the descent, unless you have to extend the downwind to accommodate preceding traffic.
 
rwellner98 said:
I fly a Maule, so I start my descent about 500 yards from the end of the runway on final! :rofl:
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I fly a Cherokee so I start my descent when I'm closing the hangar door!

First liar never has a chance.
 
Keep trying for 10500 feet for a straight in... Not quite got the descent speeds right yet...
 
Well you didn't qualify what altitude you are starting from. I assumed TPA. For descent (either straight in or to enter the pattern), I plan a 500 fpm descent (i.e., 2 min for each 1000' I need to lose) to get me to pattern altitude with a couple of minutes to spare.

I rarely fly straight in VFR. IFR I usually follow ATCs lead unless I think I don't think they're giving me enough time to get down.
 
MAKG1 said:
Two minutes prior to touching down, wherever that puts me. Just over two miles from the threshold.
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That's a pretty good guideline. Take the normal abeam-base-final "box" and rearrange the "sides" as needed. Whether you use time or distance, the result is a pretty consistent descent from almost any position.
 
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JohnWF said:
Talking to local pilots I get different views on this: You are in the traffic pattern, say just entering downwind leg at pattern altitude. When do you began you descent to the runway? Only on final, when turning base, or somewhat when on downwind? I get various views.

Your view?
Click to expand...

Usually......the person who teaches you how to fly makes this Chrystal clear and makes you practice it over and over.....don't they?
 
When do I descend?.....when I'm in a position to land.

Sometimes that's base....and other times it's on final bout 1-2 miles out.
 
Descent to pattern altitude - 5 to 10 miles out depending on altitude

Descent to land, whenever conditions and judgement warrant. usually it ends up being base to final or just on final.
 
gitmo234 said:
Descent to pattern altitude - 5 to 10 miles out depending on altitude
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Three miles max for me, descending too soon makes it much harder to find the field if I'm unfamiliar with the area. Sure, I have GPS to help locate it but...

...there are also addl risks imposed by only being 1,000' AGL (assuming flatland) for 10 miles. Doesn't give one many options if the fan stops.

I prefer to wait until the last minute and only arrive at pattern altitude with just enough time to properly scan the pattern for NORDO traffic before entering it myself.

But, as always, to each his/her own...I just prefer to wait until the last minute...literally.
 
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^^These last 2 guys don't fly Mooneys :p

If I don't wanna hit Vne while descending I give it 3-5miles for every 1000' down to TPA.

There's no reason to be flying at 1000' AGL for 10 miles as Tim says, but for me it works well to do a little quick math and set up for a nice gentle descent all the way to the runway. If I'm at 10k+ that may mean starting down 50 miles out, but so be it.
 
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