The tendency is to fly the Skylane too fast in the pattern, especially on short final. Since it tends to be nose heavy at slow speeds, proper trim is important for a good landing and flare.

It is worse to fly the 180 too fast on short final. If you have excess speed at touch down, you will not make a good landing.

I pay almost no attention to the airspeed indicator with either plane in the pattern. The airplane tells you so clearly what it needs that the AS is almost worthless to me. The one time I look at the AS indicator on the 180 is at about 200' AGL. I cannot be over 70 and make what I call a "good" landing.

About a month ago, I ferried a friend's Skylane to the shop for annual. The flap motor was out so I slipped it for the touchdown point I wanted. Another friend, and a very good pilot, was with me. As we taxied in, it dawned on me and I commented that I had, not once, on takeoff or landing even glanced the AS indicator.

I'm not advocating this and if I were giving instruction would not teach a student to do it. Just making a point. It is another reason the Cessna is my favorite airplane.

John Grady

Lots of time in a 182 towing gliders. You can make your own numbers for any airplane. Start by stalling the airplane in the common landing configurations (flaps up, 20 and 40 would work for the 182) then use 1.3 x for normal approaches and 1.2 times for short field. Then fly the airplane and note the pitch and power settings for climb, cruise, descent, etc. 90, 80, 70 on downwind base and final works for a 182.

If you fly the airplane with little baggge and no rear passengers, a case or two of oil in the back of the baggage compartment will make it flare nicer.

Larry,

Good question. You can learn to fly 182 by feel. I do not. By feel does not work on an ILS down to minimums.

I keep it simple. IO540 lycoming.

Approach IAF- 18 inches

FAF or downwind opposite touchdown. 13 inches, 10 degrees flap, dose down three spins. IAS 90 to 100. Base 20 degrees, nose down 2 turns 80-90 IAS, Final 30 degrees and trim for 55-65 kias.

On an approach -I touch nothing until well clear of clouds. Then throttle idle, flaps as needed trim for 65 kias.

My airplane has no problems with elevator authority. It does not like coming in too fast as you flare high. I will try to post a routine landing. You will see 55 kias on final. I still had more than enough energy to flare and should have held it off longer.


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Most pilots who fly well “by feel” are actually doing it “by the numbers” in the sense that they use the same power setting, pitch attitude and airspeed every time. They just arrive at those numbers with minimal use of the instruments. When flying by feel, pitch isn’t a number on the attitude indicator, it’s a picture of the cowl in relation to the horizon. Power isn’t a number on the tach or MP, it’s position of the throttle and sound of the engine. Airspeed isn’t a number on the ASI, it’s the sound of the air, the weight and responsiveness of the controls and the position of the yoke.

I fly my Bo, by feel plus numbers. To descend, I pull the power back “this much” and the engine sounds like “that.” I et the nose drop below the horizon to the picture I know will hold cruise airspeed and roll in “just a little” nose up trim. I look at the MP - it’s ususlly right on 19”. I look at the airspeed - it’s within a knot or so of cruise. I look at the VVI - it’s at 500 FPM. All is right with the world. IMC, I do it exactly the same way except I’m looking at the AI instead of out the windshield and I’m cross checking the instruments faster and more often because many of the feel cues will start lying to me if I don’t.

Did I mention I’m a “flows plus checklist” guy as well?

That's a good book!

I have a few hundred hours in a TR182, but once the wheels are down there was no difference. It's pretty straight forward:

Abeam midfield power bottom of the green- 110kts
Abeam touchdown - first notch of flaps - pull power (you'll see 500fpm descent)
On base - second notch of flaps
Turned final - full flaps and one handfull of nose up trim - 80kts
Short final - another handfull of nose up trim - 75kts

The nose up trim is optional but with it when you flare speed will bleed off quickly and it is very easy to land on the mains. Then just let the nose down easily and keep as much weight of the nose gear as possible through roll out to avoid the Cessna Shimmy Shimmy Shake.

75 knots on short final seems fast. I guess it depends on how short. Do you hear the stall warning before touchdown?

It is. I aim for 80 MPH on the downwind. Speed on final depends on how short I'm trying to get in, anywhere from 55-70 MPH.

Depends of the configuration. According to my POH, at 2950# with no flaps, 75 KIAS is spot-on. 65 KIAS with flaps down. With just me and half tanks, 60 KIAS is way too much. I can’t tell a number because I use mostly the AOA indicator.

Note my post above. You can see I am at 55kias with flaps 20 or 30. 75 kias a good number before you turn final. Way too fast on final. You can plan on landing about 1500-200 feet down runway depending on you aiming point if you come over the ground that fast.

It is. I aim for 80 MPH on the downwind. Speed on final depends on how short I'm trying to get in, anywhere from 55-70 MPH.

With the nose up trim, when you flare speed bleeds off very nicely. I prefer extra speed over the fence as an insurance policy since most of my flying is at high altitude airports with "interesting" afternoon winds/shear. These are not short field landings which is different altogether. (and of course I hear the stall horn)