All aircraft have operating limitations, even if they're simple and easily understood. Exceeding them might not bite you today, but easily can over the long term.
Many of the limitations we use to safely operate an aircraft are based on indicated airspeed. A typical personal airplane will have at least one flap deployment speed, a maximum landing-gear extension/extended speed, maneuvering speed (which decreases as weight decreases) the yellow arc and, of course, the red-lined never-exceed speed.
It’s important to remember that an airspeed indicator’s markings may be specific to that airplane. Only the approved manufacturer’s data can be used, as amended by service bulletins, etc., and/or supplemental type certificates.
Others, like weight and balance requirements , engine power limits and those related to specific systems—like those for electrical or fuel—use different metrics, but most are expressed in numbers. — J.B.
An aviation’s early days, there were few if any regulatory criteria on designs and operations. Pilots and maintenance personnel were up to their own on deciding what limits they would adhere to. Accidents were plentiful and often unnecessary. The public demanded that safety be improved, and government, engineers and the military stepped in to establish […]
To continue reading this article or issue you must be a paid subscriber. Sign in
