C182 Stabilized Approach

In the 182RG I enter the pattern and slow to 130 knots on downwind then
gear, 10 degrees of flaps, and carb heat all come out 1/2 way down the
runway at about 20inches MP, this slows me to 100 knots
across from the numbers prop goes all the way in and reduce to 1500 RPMs
20 degrees of flaps on base now gives me 80knots indicated
turn final and bring flaps down to 30 degrees
hold it to 80 over the fence with touch down at around 65, adding just a
touch of power to arrest the sink if I'm heavy
I go through C.G.U.M.P.S. on each leg.

I rarely use 40 degrees of flaps because of the huge increase in drag with
little increase in lift requiring the increase in power you mention, I'd
rather fly a stabilized approach on the front side of the power curve than
run out of power and altitude both at the same time. Plus having to add
full power for a go around with 40 degrees of flaps hanging out provides for
an instant lesson in torque, P-factor, and asymmetrical thrust all happening
with very little altitude for slow reactions or improper trim settings.

For a short field landing I'll use the full 40 degrees of flaps and come in
carrying a small amount of extra power but I'll wait to put in that last
notch of flaps until on short final. This is a good point to remember your
slow flight training. The 182RG will fly at 37knots with gear and full
flaps out, but you're going to be very nose high, it requires nearly full
power and you'd better be on those rudder pedals. This doesn't leave you
much of an "out" when you're close to the ground.

If I need to loose altitude, I'd rather slip it down to where I need to be
as early as possible rather than throwing in all the flaps and chopping the
power. If you find yourself high after you're stabilized, then you slip to
loose the unwanted altitude once you take out the slip the airplane returns
to it's original stabilized decent.

If I'm dealing with a heavy crosswind component, I'll generally limit my
flaps to 20 degrees and keep the speed up.

The 182 will let you do a lot with it as far as landings go. I think the
most memorable landing I made with it was when advised by tower to keep my
pattern tight and landing short I was able to put in 40 degrees of flaps on
base, cut it to an 1/8 mile final slipping all the way down to 200 ft land
on the numbers and make the first taxi way. Inbound traffic had to ask the
tower where I had disappeared to.

Ok, now that I've opened up the whole slipping with flaps debate, read and
follow your POH, nothing in the 182RG's prohibiting it nor recommending
against it.

That's just the way I generally do it, or attempt to do it. YMMV.
--
Jim Burns III

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