Backcountry Pilot • Behind the power curve

Behind the power curve

Links to general aviation backcountry flying-oriented videos. It can be yours or stuff you find on the internet. Please no airline/military.
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Behind the power curve

motoadve offline
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Re: Behind the power curve

Very good video lesson.
Key points:
Slow, behind the power curve all the way to the ground.
Slowing on short final until sink requires continuous power, which allows power all the way down for the softest touchdown.
Because of high pitch behind the power curve, power does not increase airspeed.
Because of high pitch behind the power curve, the slowest touchdown is possible.
Because power is used to precisely direct descent and pitch is used to decelerate, no round out and hold off is necessary and touchdown spot is the most accurate possible.
Because of deceleration on short final, the desired touchdown spot appears to close with the airplane in a stabilized brisk walk. It does not appear to speed up as in the round out and hold off technique.
There is absolutely no confusion about pitch controlling airspeed and power controlling altitude. At least 1.3 Vso is required to allow pitch to increase altitude as in zoom climb.
contactflying offline
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Re: Behind the power curve

Good video. I do have some questions after watching this. I always heard of this type of flying as being on the back side of the lift/drag curve. I'm not sure what the power curve is. I do understand that flying on the back side of the lift/drag curve will take more power to keep the descent rate manageable. Is there a separate diagram that actually incorporates power settings? My POH has very little detailed performance information. Weight and balance info is certainly provided and all of the performance speeds are listed, but there is no lift/drag curve and there is no information on T/O or landing distances as a function of density altitude. I know other planes I've flown do have that information in their POH. Is there an accurate way to develop those graphs and tables through flight testing?
Flyhound offline
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Re: Behind the power curve

Different terminology but expresses the same thing. Either way we define this most efficient power pitch approach, using airspeed indications to fly it would not be most effective. Visually maintaining apparent brisk walk rate of closure, not allowing apparent rate to speed up, hearing proper power, feeling proper amount of buoyancy, and feeling the right amount of yoke pressure and position are more effective. Motoadve uses the heads up AOA display effectively, but is getting a feel for apparent rate of closure as well.

The airspeed is decelerating, the apparent rate of closure is stable, he is coming into ground effect as airspeed goes below Vso. Vso is of little use in ground effect on this approach. He is touching down softly on the desired touchdown spot at stall speed in low ground effect. There is nothing in any POH concerning stall speed in low, less than an inch at touchdown, ground effect.

This is absolutely not an instrument approach.
contactflying offline
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Re: Behind the power curve

Good video of short field landings. He clearly knows his stuff, and has a healthy maintenance budget. :)
PapernScissors offline
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