Flight Training - December 2011 - 15

BY ROD MACHADO

Greetings Kate: Here’s how to think about sink. It’s not uncommon to experience downdrafts on short final given the contrast between a dark runway (where you’ll find relatively more warm, rising air) and lighter ground on the periphery (where air cools and sinks). Based on what you’ve written, it appears you are making power-on approaches. Therefore, when you encounter sink, if you only lower the nose to maintain your airspeed without adding power, you will descend below your previous glidepath. If you want to maintain your previous glidepath, you must simultaneously add power and raise the nose slightly. Doing this allows you to maintain the descent rate and airspeed you had before the sink began. On the other hand, if you encountered lift (the opposite of sink), you must simultaneously reduce power and lower the nose slightly to maintain the previous descent rate, airspeed, and glidepath. Think of it as getting in sink with your airplane. Of course, once you’re out of the sink zone (often found just before the runway
BY DAN NAMOWITZ

threshold), you should return the attitude and throttle position to what you had before you sank. Sink about it, but don’t sink too much.

Rod Machado is a flight instructor, author, educator, and speaker. He has been a pilot since 1970 and a CFI since 1973. Visit his blog (www. rodmachado.com).

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DECEMBER 2011 FLIGHT TRAINING

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Flight Training - December 2011

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