Lands are all about controlling speed, the right speed. 1.3
Vs(x) for the weight you're actually flying. You didn't say
what model Bonanza, but an A36 can be 800 pounds under
certificated GW, or 25% under. You must reduce your
approach speed by the proper amount or you will float
forever. Beech does publish excellent TO and Landing graphs
with speed adjustments.
You can fly a few knots, not more than 5, faster which will
give you a steeper descent and then you can use the extra
speed to slow down to get a better glide. If you are using
best glide speed there is nothing you can do to improve your
approach without adding power.

You are likely flying too fast and too wide on downwind.
You are also probably watching your gauges and airspeed as
you configure the Bonanza for the approach, do it by sound
and feel and watch the runway for relative motion (drift and
glide path) and you should do fine.

Remember, you will get a landing gear failure and it may
come in the pattern with a simulated engine failure. Make
sure you know the procedure and have checked during the
pre-flight that the gear handle can be un-stowed [sometimes
the spar cover is installed over the handle]. But also
remember that it take 50 turns to get the gear down and you
only have so much time. If he gives you a simulated engine
failure and then the gear fails, exercise your judgment,
tell him that in a real case you'd land gear up rather than
risk a crash while trying to crank the gear. Then add power
and go-around, crank the gear on downwind to show him you
know how. Sometimes an examiner will give you a task to see
if you have fixated on the checkride and not the safety of
the flight.


--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P


wrote in message
oups.com...
| I'm taking my 2nd stab at my commercial checkride in a
couple days.
| Last week, I got through the Oral exam fine. We first flew
my
| instructor's Bonanza for the complex pattern work. Didn't
do too bad on
| the soft-field stuff, but I sailed right past my
short-field mark by
| about 300 feet. We then tried a short approach. Not even
the 180 deg
| accuracy landing. Just make the runway. Well, after
several laps of
| dropping the gear abeam the numbers, I did it again & came
up well
| short of the runway.
| Pink slip.
| I've gone up with my instructor to work on both accuracy
landings, but
| can't seem to hit them consistently. Any advice? Any
examiners care to
| tell how much "fudge" factor they may allow if I'm a
little short or
| long? If I am, can I request another try at it?
| I haven't even had the chance to demonstrate the airwork
in my Cherokee
| yet (which I think will go much better). I'm hoping the DE
will let me
| do that stuff first & save the complex for last. But,
since the complex
| is what I failed the first time, I don't know if we have
to complete
| that first.
| My CFI says I fly just fine, and I'm starting to feel more
comfortable
| in the Bo (only 7 hours so far). I've got 160+ in the
Cherokee & 450
| total. I'm just psyching myself out over 2 little
landings.
| Ugh.
|