Simviation Forums

I just started playing around with autopilot my flights are getting longer so auto's nice but my question is the actual hold is no problem but what role does flaps play if the airplane is holding the glideslope for you just to bleed off speed. My first attempt went a little well I messed up  I hit approach hold when the localizer started centering but I got closer I noticed my airspeed was 240 knots and it was supposed to be 160 knots so i hit flaps one notch but the thing went flying upward So do I start hitting flaps when I turn on final, to get my airspeed right and let the plane stay on approach for me.  I had landing nailed pretty much then I had to go and try something diffrent Now I'm confused again.

sonic - this should cover most of it for you:-

http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb/ ... 1111322151

240 kts is probably too much to be lowering the flaps, depending on the plane. I usually don't start lowering the flaps until I am below 200 kts......If you have a manual for the plane you might check the reference speed for lowering the flaps. that might help  ;D

Flaps are used to Increase the amount of lift produced by the wing. More lift means you can fly slower without stalling and falling out of the sky. Thats why flaps are extended on Takeoff and landing, and thats why you experienced the climb when you extended your flaps at 240 kias. As a general rule I usually dont begin to extend flaps when I am landing until my airspeed falls below 200 kias and then I only extend them far enough to be able to maintain lift at 160. This usually translates to 25-30 degrees of flaps when landing.

If you want to slow down use your spoilers. They are effective for that. Just rember to retract them  when you reach your desired speed or you could end up with not enough airspeed to fly, even with your flaps fuly extended.


Hope this helps

thanks papa I use flaps but never really new what they did back to school for me
Nav I'm stupid I read that some time ago but forgot it was there really helped thanks.