Flying an ILS Approach by the Numbers

To demonstrate an important point about stable approaches, in this video, I fly an ILS approach in visual conditions to a landing at Bowerman Airport (KHQM) at Hoquiam on the Washington coast.
Pilots use many techniques to fly instrument approaches. Although the details vary, a key concept is establishing and maintaining a consistent profile-a pitch attitude, power setting, and aircraft configuration-that delivers predictable performance and reduces your workload during a challenging phase of flight. In other words, knowing and flying “the numbers” for your airplane is the foundation of flying a stabilized approach.
In the A36 Bonanza that I fly, I use the precision approach profile recommended by the American Bonanza Society, which in my airplane, calls for a pitch attitude of minus 2 to 3 degrees, with the throttle set at about 17 inches of MP and prop at 2500 RPM. Flaps are at the APR detent (12 degrees in my 1989 A36), and I extend the landing gear as I intercept an ILS GS or RNAV GP. This configuration consistently results in a descent that tracks the GS or GP at 110 knots indicated airspeed.
My stabilized approach technique also calls for not changing the aircraft configuration below 500 ft. If, based on the latest weather, I’m confident that I will break out above 500 ft, I can extend full flaps and make a normal, VFR-like landing. But if the reported ceiling and visibility suggest that I’ll have to continue on instruments below 500 ft and perhaps need to go missed, upon seeing the runway environment, I just reduce power, smoothly decelerate, and land without adding more flaps. As this video shows, I float a bit longer than when I land with full flaps, but with practice, the total landing distance isn’t significantly greater. And if I do need to climb away, the airplane is better set up for the initial climb.

[@robertbriggs5254]

Bruce Good Wednesday! It just does NOT get better than this!!! Thank YOU for creating and for addressing numbers for folks flying in 'lesser' training vehicles as well! KUDOS!

[@yauhenizakharankau]

Excellent tutorial Bruce!

[@jakew9887]

Excellent presentation. Thanks

[@jamesjobe4307]

Absolutely beautiful NW scenery! And the engine sound is very nice as well! Thanks for the great informative videos!

[@jefanell1]

Bruce do you highlight your approach plates yourself? I’d be curious as to your system.. seems helpful.

[@BruceAirFlying]

I use the annotation feature in ForeFlight. My video about annotating charts is here: ua-cam.com/video/FVjJUlzbK5E/v-deo.html

[@eds.173]

Great video! Thanks. In a 172 while still in IMC, how do teach making small corrections when the CDI is drifting slightly; with rudder only, or coordinated rudder/aileron? Similarly, if slightly above or below glide path do you teach correcting with pitch or power only, or a combination of both while maintaining IAS?

[@BruceAirFlying]

I teach the technique recommended by my friend Rod Machado. Watch his video here: ua-cam.com/video/QYvjS1SZsfA/v-deo.html. You can use a similar technique to maintain the GS/GP. The key is to be aware of your energy state. If you're fast and high, you can reduce power and apply a small nose-down elevator input. If you're low and slow, you need to add power to flatten the descent, and then make a pitch correction. Always have targets in mind when you change power/pitch. Most of the time, if you're keeping up and see only small deviations, you can recapture the course with 5-10 degree banks and power changes of about 100 RPM from "the numbers" that you know work for your airplane.

[@eds.173]

@@BruceAirFlying That really helps! Thanks.