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Date: Thu, 29 Oct 1998 14:58:15 -0500
From: Victoria Deaton <vdeaton@explornet.org>
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Subject: Re: I'm afraid to solo
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Sam wrote:
>  My previous CFI told me to
> maintain cruise--~2500 RPM--up  to the numbers. This typically results
> in Vfe--95 knots--at the numbers. My current CFI suggested 2250 RPM,
> which should result in an indicated of about 90 knots--but doesn't,
> more like 80--feels too slow. I've never had success with recommended
> figures, so I've been experimenting. .......2350--2400 RPM is feeling
> like the truth, giving 85-90+ knots at the numbers. The wind changes
> everything, of course.

IMHO maintaining cruise to the numbers at this stage of the game can put
you in a hurry to set up the airplane, unless you are in some sort of
situation where you *have* to maintain cruise. I find it more relaxing
to set it up earlier on downwind, so that when I'm at the numbers I've
got it configured for the right descent rate and airspeed with flaps
set. Getting it set up a bit earlier makes a considerable difference
IMHO.  I've got more of an attention budget for looking for traffic and
keeping my airspeed where it needs to be while turning base and final,
instead of having to slow it down, GUMP, radio, traffic, fiddle
w/airspeed & descent, watch the deer on the runway, etc. 

See if your CFI will let you set one up starting midfield on your
downwind so that you're comfortably at the descent rate and airspeed by
the time you're at the numbers. Sometimes you're gonna have to
"expedite" (and that's fun...nothing to dread) but IMHO that at this
point it'll do some good to slow it down a bit earlier.  

Cheers,
Victoria
PP-ASEL
