Well, in the case of an Arrow, they make a very distinctive whistling noise with the wheels down :-)
:-) True, although it probably just “changes” the noise, but doesn’t make it much lowder.
LOC moving / established on FAT = flaps 1
GS moving / before starting final descent = gear down
Personally, it is beyond me why one would add so much drag so early in the approach. With flaps 1 and gear down, that contrains the pilot (in most SEPs) to flying the entire ten-mile instrument approach at less than 100 knots.
I understand that when you teach a newbie IFR approaches, one tends to use conservative procedures, which gives the student time and and keeps the workload at a minimum during final approach… but as a somwhat experienced pilot, I think we should occupy instrument approaches for as little time as safely possible, and also minimize noise and fuel consumption…
IFR – I drop the gear (and go Flap 1) a moment before GS intercept. That gives me -500fpm and maintains the existing speed; say 100-120kt. One “purist” view is that one should intercept the GS at Vlo and that is fine too. If you are above Vlo at GS intercept then you have a big problem (in a TB20, and I think most IFR RG SEPs) in slowing down to Vlo.
VFR – I drop the gear (and go Flap 1) late downwind. However in some places (e.g. Elba) I will get fully configured early downwind.
I drop my gear in thé Middle of downwind, so I can also set flaps 1 after the slow down. Prop full fine is in short final.
On ILS I drop gear and set flaps one before capturing the GS, Prefer to have a 2 nm between them, but not a must.
If I want to land gear down I lower it on downwind, or turning in a long final. I do at least three checks if the gear is in or out, usually then turning base and turning final. Leaving the gear in isn’t that much of a problem but I am afraid getting the gear down will hurt me sometime, so I train myself to be extra-bitchy about these checks. Prop comes usually foreward on short final, if ever. When flying FG/VP light loaded you usually have ample time to advance the prop when you need to go around. I am flying strictly VFR.
RG pilots divide into two groups (a) those, who already had a gear-up landing; (b) those who did not have it – yet. I still belong into the second group and this is in part due to handling the gear always the same and “automated” manner. In my view, there is no space for liberal approach when it comes to checks in aviation and this is how it should be tought to students (sadly, not always is):
IFR – just before FAF
VFR – downdind (in case of straight-in, I still do the “downwinds checks” before leaving / descending through the pattern altitude.)
Many anwers…
IFR (normal flight): Gear down where the outer marker used to be (4…5NM).
Instructing IFR: as per current training manual. The one we use now calls for gear down at the final approach fix.
IFR (on checkrides): As per current SOPs
VFR: As taught to me and as I have been teaching myself for decades, the “standard CPL pattern”. Works for every aircraft from Pa28R to A380 (I am told…):
On downwind, midfield: First stage of flaps
On downwind runway end: Start timing – 15 seconds per 500ft AGL +/- wind correction, turn base
On base: gear down, commence descent
Turning final: Establish on centreline and PAPI
When established: Flaps in landing position, complete landing configuration (e.g. props), speed Vtgt, final checklist
After my third “gear not down” warning, I seriously wondered whether I should even bother retracting it in the first place.
mh wrote:
If I want to land gear down
I had a share in a YAK50 for a few years, and entering the downwind, the deal to slow it down, was drop the gear. In the Bonanza, the gear acts like a large air brake, 140kts is gear limiting, so the earlier Yak habit works well in the Bonanza. Traffic and pattern dependent, third of way into downwind drop the gear. 10 flap on base, with full flap if required on final. Short final, prop fine. That is VFR.
I generally like to get things set up reasonably early on IFR, 500 feet descent rate, in line with, or just before, G/S capture suits.
