Glide Approach and Landing
Practice the glide (power-off) approach and landing — essential for engine failure scenarios and precision flying.
Key Takeaways
Glide Approach Sequence
| Phase | Action | Key Point |
|---|---|---|
| Abeam numbers | Carb heat HOT, close throttle | Always carb heat before closing throttle |
| Downwind glide | Establish best glide speed, trim | Do not raise the nose to stretch the glide |
| Base turn | Assess height, consider flap | Too high = add flap; too low = go around |
| Final | Fine-tune with flap, maintain speed | Incremental flap changes only |
| Flare | Round out, hold off, touch down | Progressive round-out — not abrupt |
Critical Points to Remember
- Best glide speed is non-negotiable — flying faster or slower reduces your glide distance.
- Flaps steepen the approach — use them when high, withhold them when low.
- Never retract flaps at low altitude — the resulting sink can be unrecoverable close to the ground.
- Carburetor heat before throttle closure — idle power creates peak icing conditions.
- The base-to-final turn is your key judgment point — assess height and make your flap decision here.
- Go around if too low — there is no shame in adding power and going around.
Application to Engine Failure
The glide approach is not merely an exercise — it is the exact technique you would use in an engine failure scenario. Every glide approach you practice builds the judgment and muscle memory that could save your life in a real emergency.
Key Concept
In a real engine failure, you will not have the luxury of a perfectly positioned pattern. But the skills you build here — judging the glide, managing flaps, maintaining speed — transfer directly to emergency situations.
What's Next
In the next lesson — Short-Field & Soft-Field Operations — you will learn maximum-performance takeoff and landing techniques for use on runways near the aircraft's minimum required distance, and on unpaved or soft surfaces.
Simulator Tip
Schedule an AATD session at Aviator.NYC to practice glide approaches with varying wind conditions. Try closing the throttle at different points on the downwind leg to develop your judgment of what works and what does not.
These lesson plans are provided as supplementary training guidance only. They do not supersede FAA publications, aircraft manufacturer documentation, or your instructor's direction. Always refer to the FAA Instrument Flying Handbook, Airplane Flying Handbook, AIM, and applicable POH/AFM as the official sources.