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What approach speed to use floating

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PiperCruisin

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2017
Messages
637
Location
Idaho
I think my flying has gotten rusty. I'm trying to land near the numbers, but I like to hold off the plane, a Cherokee 140, so it settles on the runway and I get the nice "squeak, squeak". However, it floats a lot. So I'm a bit fast.

The POW says 85 minus 3 mph for each notch, which takes me to 76. If I use the rule of thumb of 1.3Vso, I get about 72. However, the Piper handbooks are a bit sparse. Ideally this would also factor in weight and cg. When I'm putzing around the pattern solo, the gross weight means my Vso is about 49 mph and 1.3Vso is 64. On top of that, I have Horner tips and gap seals, so maybe 1-3 mph improvement.

I figure pattern should be 1.3Vso at a 45 degree bank and final at 1.1Vso and 45 degree bank (for transition and flare). I'm just using some judgement (see table below). Thoughts and opinions?

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