Descend and Decelerate

Beech airplanes are aerodynamically slick and can pick up a lot of speed in descent, making it hard to manage airspeed. If you know your airplane, however, you can descend and decelerate at the same time. Here's how.

[@davidmangold1838]

As you mentioned, the older bonanzas hav low gear and flap speeds. My 1947 35 v-tail is 100 mph for both😮. It’s high workload, to slow to 100 mph for the gear. I throttle back to 13-14” mp (gear horn on), level at pattern altitude (several miles out to slow to 172 and Cherokee speeds), then I climb slightly 5:42 for several seconds, dissipate speed to 100 mph, then lower the gear and extend half flaps. Works well, but you have to manage all of this efficiently 👍🏻

[@johnmajane3731]

I guess I don't understand why this has to be even said. With my F35 if you push the nose over without a power reduction it goes into the yellow arc. Given the age of the plane I have a personal rule of always keeping it in the green arc. I exclusively use the throttle for decent and keep a constant airspeed usually 160 mph. If I encounter turbulence I reduce the throttle further and level off then continue the decent after I am slow enough. That gives me a quick reduction on speed. With the F35 I have a very low Vlo. So my plan is to be at the altitude I need for landing or approach about 5 miles out. Reduce to 16" and it will be down under Vlo by the time I need to drop the gear. Nce video well done as usual.

[@davidmangold1838]

As an aside to my above procedure; in my initial descent, I mostly just push over. I like the extra speed (to make up for headwind during my cruise or just go fast) and go somewhere into the yellow arc (knowing that it will be smooth or almost smooth). But, I begin slowing and going down miles from the airport pattern, otherwise I can easily overrun flight training-slower, airplanes. Yes, it’s a higher workload, but I have 1,000 hours in various bonanzas and barons, 55 years flying and 28,000 hours. Disclaimer; my technique isn’t for everyone. 😉

[@timmoles9259]

Nicely done.

[@lucysdad4199]

Very well done.

[@mytech6779]

Not sure what to think of this. It's all accurate and well presented, but it implies there are many pilots who don't know that they can descend or decelerate by reducing power.🧐

[@trilomann]

👍👍👍👍

[@davidfarmerracing]

what about full flaps? 500fpm?

[@AmericanBonanzaSociety]

From Tom - "Yes, extending full flaps, assuming you’re in the flap operating speed range, will result in about 500 feet per minute additional rate of descent.”