RE: How to slow down plane while landing?
 

BUT you first must trim the elevator (or learn to hold the correct amount a back pressure) to establish the desired speed, just as you would with a glider. Then you manage your thrust to set the desired descent. The drag of a prop doesn't ALLOW the plane to fly slower - it opposes thrust. A properly trimmed (elevator for desired speed) plane will not fly faster with increased thrust or slower with increased drag/reduced thrust. Rather, it will climb with increased thrust and descend with increased drag/reduced thrust. Ask a glider guy how he slows down or speeds up his landing speed when on approach?

Kurt

RE: How to slow down plane while landing?
 

"Ask a glider guy how he slows down or speeds up his landing speed when on approach?"

He deploys (or not) his spoilers.

Les

RE: How to slow down plane while landing?
 

90% of todays sailplanes are not spoiler equipped. Spoilers real affect was to kill lift and did very little to slow down the airplane. Modern sailplanes drop the flaps and raise the ailerons however anything less then 35-40 degrees of flap has little affect on speed, it just increases lift.


Most issues with a fast landing airplane is CG too far forward and/or high wing loading.

RE: How to slow down plane while landing?
 

How about "he trims the elevator for speed." Just like in real ones, I used spoilers to adjust my glide slope, and elevator to control speed.

Kurt

RE: How to slow down plane while landing?
 

With a sailplane equipped with spoilers, elevator is all you have left to control speed so yes in that manner you are correct. I am quite against re-trimming an R/C airplane for different speeds, with correct CG it just isn't nesesary. Imagine if you did re- trim for landing and then forgot to reset? How exciting would the next ride up the winch be?

RE: How to slow down plane while landing?
 

Agreed. That is why I use a different switch to dial in the landing trim position.

Kurt

RE: How to slow down plane while landing?
 

Ok I see, pretty much the same as when I am in crow mode. I have a 3 position switch that is for normal flight, speed and crow. With crow the flaps are controled with the throttle stick and I get automatic elevator compensation, usually set for a slight dive. When in normal mode when I get into some lift, I dial in some camber with a side slider.

RE: How to slow down plane while landing?
 

OR...... at about 8 feet of altitude, full down elevator. It'll slow down real quick;) :D


Bad joke!!

Ken

RE: How to slow down plane while landing?
 

How to slow down an airplane for landing. First know your airplane. Get it up to altitude, throttle to idle, maintain altitude. If it cruises around without stalling or loosing altitude you have to much thrust, either too much engine, too high an idle, too much prop pitch, or any combination of these. If it just starts a decent at full up elevator and you have the recomended control throws then you are probably way too nose heavy. If it stalls at a too high a speed then is appropriate for that model then you are moderately nose heavy. Just remember that as you get closer to neutral stability the elevator becomes exponentialy more sensitive, so proceed carefully. If it slows down nicely before the stall then you just need practice. Before changing anything learn your airplane and fix any issues before continuing. Most landing issues start on the approach. If you don't have a good stable approach the landing will be much more difficult, especially for a less experienced flyer. Practice consecutively lower approaches at a safe slow speed and learn to maintain that speed all the way across the field. This stick position is what you want for your approach. Once you have mastered this learn to maintain a descent at this speed. You will find that as you make your turns for landing it will drop altitude quicker without gaining airspeed if you maintain that stick position and make less than 60% banks. Just remember that as you initiate the turn the nose will drop and it may accelerate a little, just don't increase the back pressure on the stick as you may stall. As you return to level flight the nose will resume its original attitude and your airspeed will be about the same as before. A steeper bank will drop the nose more but for a much shorter time than a shallower bank. If you need to descend steeper on approach throttle back more, if you want a shallower descent throttle up more. If you are throttled back as far as you can and still need to descend steeper then you must either make S turns or slip it in. I recommend practicing these and becoming comfortable with them before attempting them close to the ground. If you are well above stall and too high on your approach then bring the nose up more. This seems counter intuitive, but the speed will drop even more. If you maintain that lower speed you will find that the angle of descent will increase, sometimes dramatically.

RE: How to slow down plane while landing?
 

"90% of todays sailplanes are not spoiler equipped. Spoilers real affect was to kill lift and did very little to slow down the airplane"

Used to camp alongside a valley where I watched the birds slope soaring. I decided that if they could, I could, the only problem was that I could not land on a limb like they. I put spoilers on, made my approach at the top of the hill; hit the spoilers; kiiled the lift, and let the airplane fall out of the sky into my hand. Slowed down the airplane just fine.

Les

RE: How to slow down plane while landing?
 

Les, you are blending two concepts - speed and lift.

Kurt

RE: How to slow down plane while landing?
 

"Les, you are blending two concepts - speed and lift. "

My understanding is that the two are directly related; ie no speed=no lift.

On second thought, no speed=no lift; unless you are flying off Torrey Pines in a fair West wind. You CAN stand still with respect to the ground:-)))))))))

Les

RE: How to slow down plane while landing?
 

The airplane thinks it's moving

RE: How to slow down plane while landing?
 

I know what you mean, I flew an electric Robbe Curtis Robin at Torrey Pines with the motor and prop removed. It flew great. On a good day you could fly a .40 sized trainer power off with no problem.

P.S. i'm from San Diego, I just live in Iowa now, and I miss slope soaring. It's way too flat out here.[:o]

RE: How to slow down plane while landing?
 

"i'm from San Diego, I just live in Iowa now, and I miss slope soaring."

You wouldn't miss what Torrey Pines has turned into. The hang gliders have taken over, and flying is virually impossible. They drove me out.

Les

RE: How to slow down plane while landing?
 

"i'm from San Diego, I just live in Iowa now, and I miss slope soaring."

You wouldn't miss what Torrey Pines has turned into. The hang gliders have taken over, and flying is virually impossible. They drove me out.

Les

sorry for the double post. still fighting new system, new format, etc,etc.

RE: How to slow down plane while landing?
 

Back in the late 80's early 90's they were trying to get rid of us saying how dangerous we were. If I remember correctly there was only one incident between full scale and models and quite a few of full scale to full scale. Funniest thing I ever saw there was a guy with a full leg cast trying to teach a guy on the small hill they use for instruction. He heard me say to my friend that it didn't give a lot of confidence in his abilities, and he went ballistic, I guess I hit a nerve.

RE: How to slow down plane while landing?
 

Would you like to fly a aerobatic airplane 80 inch wingspan 60cc twin gas engine 23 x 10 prop , my 80 inch patty wagstaff , my 27% extra 260 , aero works ?
:D

RE: How to slow down plane while landing?
 

I agree slow idle makes a world of difference. Radios generally have Trim Steps and Exponential to help you get a slow idle. Idling above 3000 rpm makes it difficult to land. Idle speed is easy to miss and difficult to correct in other ways.

Bill

RE: How to slow down plane while landing?
 

I like the "NET" idea.

RE: How to slow down plane while landing?
 

Lower idle should get it done, but if that doesn't work then cross it up with a side slip until right before touchdown...;)

Bob

RE: How to slow down plane while landing?
 

Bring it in HOT like a Navy jet!  that and  a tail hook and rope should do the trick! :) <div>
</div><div>I wonder how many tail sections would get ripped off trying this approach to landing. hmmmm</div>

RE: How to slow down plane while landing?
 

Hi!
You are right!
Glad to hear from somebody that knows his stuff!

RE: How to slow down plane while landing?
 

That's right! Navy pilots are the best! Throttle = altitude, elevator = speed. Spoilers on a sailplane are kinda like a throttle...

RE: How to slow down plane while landing?
 

Sometimes we have an old airplane that flies very well but has become overweight (to much repair epoxy). So add more engine. Which requires a bigger prop. Which idles too fast. So add even more prop with more pitch for slower landings. Soon the idle is much too fast (well over 3000 rpm, maybe over 4000 rpm). Sometimes prop clearance sets the diameter and the pitch becomes very large.

Now the d**n thing will really not slow down for landing. The airplane lands much too fast and rollout is much too long. It has happened to me multiple times. Rollout can be controlled with snubber brakes.

Bill