From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!npoiv!alice!rabbit!ark
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Title: airspeed during ILS approaches
Article-I.D.: rabbit.994
Posted: Fri Dec 17 11:17:57 1982
Received: Wed Dec 22 05:55:38 1982

I traded some hood time with a friend last night in a Cessna 172.
He was shocked to discover that I normally fly ILS approaches at
about 105 knots -- he normally flies them at about 65 or 70,
with partial flaps.

His arguments: (1) it's better practice because it's harder to control
the airplane, and (2) by putting the airplane in its landing configuration
over the outer marker, you minimize configuration changes on short final.

My arguments: (1) A big advantage of flying over driving is that I can
get there sooner.  Flying an ILS approach quickly saves time.  It
seems best to do during practice whatever you would do for real.
(2) Sometimes ATC tells you to keep your speed up on final because
you have fast traffic on your tail.  (3) All I have to do over the
marker is reduce power to start the descent.  In a retractable, I
drop the gear over the marker and leave power alone. (4) An ILS always
has a long runway at the end, so there is plenty of time to bleed off
airspeed in the flare.

I also believe, and this should probably be #0, that there is no single
"right" way to do it, and each pilot should use the technique that
makes him the most comfortable.

I am posting this to the net so I can have the opportunity to hear,
and learn from, other people's comments.