On Mon, 06 Nov 2006 04:30:14 GMT, Don Tuite
wrote:

On 5 Nov 2006 19:26:57 -0800, "M" wrote:

Andrew Gideon wrote:


Someone on UNICOM described the problem with the runway: it's small, at
25' width and 1800' length.

That's a problem?


The reason is simple. There're plenty of pilots out there, for every
single year since they passed their checkride, they increase their
approach speed by about a knot, "just to be on the safe side". So 10
years later, short field approach speed in a 172 would be done at 70
KIAS.

One of the cues you use for flying a pattern is the aspect ratio of
the runway. At 500 feet, 25 x 1800' runway looks the same as a 50
by 3600' runway at 1000'. (Or something like that; my trig is rusty.)

I normally use the altimeter so I don't even notice the aspect ratio
although I hear many talk about it.


So, while you're concentrating on the spot on the ground that doesn't
move, your brain is processing other data that says "weird." It can
be distracting.

Again whether it's a long skinny runway or short fat one, if the spot
doesn't move my brain seems to be happy. OTOH I've been acused of
being simple before.


Don
Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com