Speedbrakes are for maintaining pressurization on descent while out of the yellow arc, additionally they can assist in emergency descents- I think these scenarios are all covered in the training

Using them to clean up a sloppy approach is frowned upon for a lot of the reasons above

Did you really make the statement that you're ready to give instruction in the IVP? Forgoing insurance is a fortunate circumstance to be in?

In my Bonanza, deploying the speed brakes caused a pretty dramatic slowing....like "putting on the brakes." There was almost a shudder. I only used them for descents, but they were approved for deployment all the way through landing.

I would not try deploying them on short final -- not because I was afraid of asymmetric deployment, but rather because I wouldn't want a stabilized approach interrupted by the speed brakes and then having to try to become stabilized again..

Shawn is on target about deploying the speed brakes in the flare i would think not. Michael have you tested what the speed brakes do in straight and level flight at altitude in the landing configuration and speed? For reference only speed brakes, in a long body Mooney, have minimal affect below 120KTS. Probably more effect in IVP.

Altitude is our friend when checking out the flying characteristics of our birds. Be careful.

Lurker here. I fly a Lancair ESP, a pressurized fixed gear IV-P having large wings and horizontal. Not nearly as fast as yours, only 200-210 kts conservatively LOP at altitude. Very docile plane.

Nevertheless I would never deploy the PreciseFlight brakes on short final. Just two weeks ago I had split deployment and had to send the cartridges in for repair. They both deployed as usual, then one slapped down after about 3 seconds. Impressive yaw! One cartridge also had an occasional problem with staying deployed if cold. I suspect you have the same brakes.

As for the AoA, it's your best friend if properly calibrated. I would certainly check the calibration prior to relying on it as some folks never bothered and/or were scared to do it. If it's the usual kind, no stall is required to calibrate.

Isaac
N7842K

You seem incredibly antagonistic in your posts for reasons I do not understand. Did you have a lot of trouble learning to fly your airplane or getting checked out? You obviously don't like or agree with my decision to purchase a Lancair and forgo the formal training which was denied by LOBO due to the fact that I self insure it. Yes, I think forgoing insurance is a fortunate situation to be in. It's not financed and I can afford for it to be destroyed along with covering any liability concerns. That's my decision.

You are obviously making huge assumptions in assuming I make sloppy approaches. I'm an ATP and fly all my airplanes to ATP standards. I am intentionally flying the airplane slightly faster on final and am slowly working towards my target VREF speed. Guess what, because this is an experimental airplane and each one is different from the next, there are no published VREF speeds for various weight configurations. Flying slightly above whatever the VREF is, is good practice until I learn what that speed is in my airplane is. I did the exact same thing flying the P Baron and Eclipse Jet; same number VREF+10 until I felt comfortable flying it slower....and, these aircraft have published REF speeds. I'm not running off the runway and am stopping with at least 1,500 feet to spare so there is no harm in holding a little extra airspeed as I learn the totally unique VREF speed for my airframe.

I have been using the speedbrakes to bleed off this VREF?? + 10 speed until I learned what VREF is for my airframe. Obviously this is NOT a preferred technique but it has been a valuable tool in allowing me to discover VREF for for my particular airframe. Now that I understand the cons of speedbrake deployment prior to touchdown; I am a better pilot and wiser for having posted this question and received feedback. Discovering VREF for my airplane has been a scientific process and I believe it is 90kts and can now abandon the speedbrake practice when I am 100% confident this is the right number for my airframe.

I am a continuous student of all airplanes and flying them is a continuous educational journey. I haven't broken or bent one yet.

I've done some more reading on speed-brakes. I forgot I used to fly gliders and I remember using them religiously on final approach popping them in and out. Almost impossible to precisely land a glider without using this tool.

A few benefits of them that I believe are real are the following:

1) Allows flying a higher approach speed that may provide an extra cushion if the engine quit
2) Steeper approach for obstacle clearance/engine failure
3) Allows a lower angle of attack.

Cons:

1) One could fail to extend of stow when you're close to the ground
2) Brian thinks this is sloppy flying and an unstable approach.

Speedbrakes are a tool that can be used just as a slip in a lower performance airplane. After reading more, I don't think they can be completely condemned.

Good article: http://www.planeandpilotmag.com/article ... 6ZpNyMrIzU

Speed brakes on a glider are used religiously because a glider produces so much excess lift. Your Lancair wing does not produce excess lift. An airplane can be mastered without the use of airbrakes. We almost never use the airbrake on the Falcon in flight (lots of vibration that passengers don't like). Upon landing we deploy them.

I keep referring to things we do in the falcon because you have to fly that Lancair like a jet.

Michael,

I think practicing with speed brakes is great. This could save your bacon engine out.

Routine use may not be the best idea due to reasons mentioned.

Fly on.

Heck, I fly an airplane that puts the speed brakes out automatically if I'm a little high on the GS on approach. I don't even know when it happens. That's how far we've come, lol. In modern, clean-wing aircraft, the speed brakes are far removed from the old-timey description... "poor planning lever." We use them a lot during RNAV arrivals and on approach. There's just no way these planes come down on the profiles most of the time without help, especially when ATC throws some speed change in the mix. So, I certainly don't see using that tool as anything negative. Normal ops in an aircraft as clean as a IV-P, I'd guess.

Mr. Tarver, I really like your approach to learning this aircraft. It's bizarre the Lanceair group turned you away, but in this lawyered up society, I'm not surprised. Safety and common sense reigns, obviously. Ha. Good grief.

Like you no doubt, I've flown some airplanes attached to reputations I found were seriously not deserved. That high wing-loaded, small tail hot-rod is no exception. Fly it in its envelope, like you do, and it delivers as advertised.

I have speed brakes on a chancellor that I find very useful. I reduce MP one inch per minute on decent and on those times when ATC changes routing close in or gives you a dunk you can keep speed stabilized without worrying about shock cooling on a turbo charged plane. Mine do not shudder or rumble like some I have heard.

Rawl overstreet

Did you use the phrase shock cooling? UH OH!

I usually cruise about t 32" LOP. When they give me a descent I just push over and run down hill like that. My cruise CHT rarely excess 320f. TAS down hill usually 280-300.

I've never needed them on final. Full flaps, fence at about 100 slowing to 92-95 at threshold.
Keep that till entering flare. Touchs down upper 80s. Same as I take off at. As Michael can attest it doesn't jump off the ground. Nice smooth rotation like a jet. 2300' runways no problem. For landing that is. TO hot and heavy would be a really bad idea.

On normal desents I just run down hill also leaving the power in but for landing I don't like to reduce power any more than one inch per minute until I reach about 23 inches or so. Sometimes ATC may want a short cut, that is where speed brakes are handy.
Rawl overstreet

How do you handle power increase for takeoff? Same rate, 1" per min ?

I used to do the same thing, until I had good engine monitors. Shock cooling is an OWT, in my observation.

Don't you think if you can avoid shard temp. changes 50 percent of the time that would be beneficial ?