I look at S-turns on final as a way to increase your time aloft (at
minimum sink speed), perhaps to wait for an obstruction to be cleared
off the runway (like a takeoff or a short landing). To lose altitude on
final, I'll do a slip (almost) every time. And yes, I can fly at
minimum sink and below without stalling...

But what about a gust or gradient or blah, blah... Training and practice.

On 2/19/2017 1:53 PM, krasw wrote:
On Sunday, 19 February 2017 13:33:25 UTC+2, Martin Gregorie wrote:
On Sun, 19 Feb 2017 02:11:37 -0800, krasw wrote:

The irony of reading this, and then discovering link to something called
"soaringsafety" below.

No irony: there's nothing dangerous about using brakes to scrub off
excess height - its easy-peasy in a Discus 1 or K21: just follow Eric's
excellent directions if you haven't done it before. Just make sure that
you're not trying it for the first time on a short runway. You shouldn't
need the extra length but it makes a nice comfort blanket.

I haven't tried it yet in my Libelle because I haven't needed to:
slipping one brings it down like a sack of anvils what with all the extra
drag from pushing its razor-back tail boom sideways.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |
Sorry, speed control in approach has been ironed to my skull. Sure you can do anything you want, land inverted if you like, but what is the point? We have brakes and slip which both get you you down with safe approach speed.

--
Dan, 5J