At 03:32 PM 12/16/04 -0500, you wrote: >So, do you have use /have flaps or air brake? ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I don't know if you were asking Jeff or me but I have a speed brake, 9 X 30 inches, mounted on the belly at the rear spar location. My brake will lower to near 90 degrees and I run it full down every landing. I use it on every landing and would hate to be without it. It allows me to lower the nose a bit and gives me enough drag that I can carry a bit of power which seems to stabilize the approach. I have only made two approaches in the several hundred landings now with the speed brake not deployed. One was my first approach on my first flight and another at about the 50 hour mark to see how it landed. It lands (flare to touchdown) the same, with or without, but speed control with the brake deployed is much easier and I can have a pretty nose down approach for good over the nose visibility. The brake gives me an additional 300+ fpm decent with the same airspeed and helps to steepen the approach. The KR just seems a bit more stable on approach when I can carry a bit of power. I'm guessing here but I probably carry about 1200 to 1400 rpm on approach (0-200) , much the same as you would land a C-150 with about 20 degree flaps. I hold 80mph on final and with little or now wind, especially gusts, and try to slow to 70 over the numbers. If I didn't have the speed brake these numbers would probably be 5 to 10 mph too fast. On shorter grass runways I try to nail 70 on short final and then let it settle into the grass without holding it off too long. The grass slows it down pretty fast. What a hoot!!!! Larry Flesner
