What is the approach speed?
Approach Speed is the speed at which an aircraft travels while it is on the final straight to land at a runway, and is also shortened to Vref. Generally, most aircraft are certified for approach speeds that are within 30 percent of the Stall speed, or the speed at which the wings no longer create lift.
Are approach categories based on ground speed?
Aircraft Approach Category Certification According to FAR 97.3, an aircraft’s approach category is based on a published speed called Vref. When Vref is not specified for an airplane (which is the case for most light aircraft), Vref equals 1.3 X Vso, or the stalling speed of the aircraft in a landing configuration.
How do you calculate landing approach speed?
VREF usually is defined by the aircraft operating manual (AOM) and/or the quick reference handbook (QRH) as: 1.3 x stall speed with full landing flaps or with selected landing flaps. Final approach speed is defined as: VREF + corrections.
What is the approach speed of a 747?
Examples
| Aircraft | Code | Approach Speed |
|---|---|---|
| Boeing 777 | C/D | 138–150 kn (256–278 km/h) |
| Boeing 747 | D | 142–152 kn (263–282 km/h) |
| Boeing 787 | D | 145–153 kn (269–283 km/h) |
| 747-400 | D | 146–158 kn (270–293 km/h) |
Is stall speed landing speed?
Stall speed or minimum flight speed in landing configuration. Stall speed or minimum steady flight speed for which the aircraft is still controllable in a specific configuration.
What should the approach speed of an airplane be?
Slight adjustments in pitch and power may be necessary to maintain the descent attitude and the desired approach airspeed. In the absence of the manufacturer’s recommended airspeed, a speed equal to 1.3 VSO should be used. If VSO is 60 knots, the speed should be 78 knots.
Is it bad to fly at normal approach speed?
There’s nothing more frustrating than getting stuck flying along a 10 or 20 mile long ILS course at approach speed in a light, single-engine airplane. It can feel like you’re hovering, and the long wait results in many pilots flying much faster than the “normal” approach speed for their light airplane.
How much does a 10% change in airspeed affect your landing distance?
A 10% change in airspeed will cause a 20% change in stopping distance. A narrow runway may give the appearance of being longer, a wide runway may give the appearance of being short. A slippery or wet runway may increase your landing distance by 50%. Use Vso x 1.3 (Vref) for approach speed over the threshold.
Why is ATC not allowed to ask you to fly faster?
It’s the same reason why ATC isn’t allowed to ask you to change your speed on the final approach segment in IMC. When you’re in the final stages of an instrument approach in the clouds, ATC can’t request that you fly faster. Again, this is to ensure that you can get configured and stabilized well before you reach approach minimums.