N
ORMAL
O
PERATING
P
ROCEDURES
R
EVISION
:
-
D
ATE
:
12/29/04
P
AGE
:
33
Copyright
2004 Glasair Aviation, LLC Arlington, Washington All rights reserved
You should be at about 60 kts. (69 m.p.h.) over the threshold under
normal conditions. Carry a little more airspeed if you are heavily
loaded or in gusty or strong wind conditions.
WARNING
If you don’t like the way you’re set up for landing, don’t be
ashamed or too proud to go around and try it again. It is much
better to go around than to damage the plane or yourself.
WARNING
When the Sportsman is flown at a normal approach speed of
60–65 kts. (69–75 m.p.h.) as described above, the airplane
glides nicely to a gentle landing at a minimum descent rate and
with plenty of elevator power for the flare. At slower
airspeeds, the power-off sink rate increases rapidly, and
considerable engine power is required to arrest the descent
sufficiently to flare for landing.
4-13.3 L
ANDING
Landing the Sportsman taildragger is similar to landing any other
tailwheel airplane. Either wheel landings or three-point, full-stall
landings can be made. Unlike many light airplanes, however, the
Sportsman has very little tendency to float in ground effect. Spot
landing tasks are therefore quite easy to accomplish in the Sportsman,
but pilots accustomed to skimming the runway end lights and touching
down a third of the way down the runway must be prepared for a
somewhat different experience.