F33A Airspeeds

Module 2 · F33A Airspeeds · Lesson 1 of 3

Takeoff and Climb Speeds

Five numbers take you from the runway to cruise climb. Know them before you start the engine.

In a trainer you have time to glance at a speed card after liftoff. In the F33A you do not. The airplane accelerates quickly at full throttle and 2700 rpm, and the gear wants to come up within seconds of leaving the runway. Brief these speeds during the before-takeoff check so they are in your head, not on your kneeboard.

V_X gives the most altitude in the shortest distance over the ground. V_Y gives the most altitude in the shortest time. V_X comes with a high nose, little cooling air through the cowling and a poor view ahead, so lower the nose to V_Y as soon as the obstacle is cleared. Once you are safely above the ground, lower it again to the 107 kt cruise climb. The engine runs cooler, you can see traffic over the nose, and you still climb well. The POH pairs cruise climb with 25 in. Hg (or full throttle) and 2500 rpm; Module 4 covers that power setting.

Module 2 · F33A Airspeeds · Lesson 2 of 3

En Route and Approach Speeds

Slow down for the bumps, hold a steady 70 on approach, and know the crosswind the airplane has demonstrated.

Why Slow Down in Turbulence

A gust changes the wing's angle of attack suddenly. At a lower airspeed, a strong gust stalls the wing briefly before it can load the airframe past its limits. At a higher airspeed, the same gust can overstress the structure. That is the idea behind maneuvering speed in the PHAK, and it is why the POH gives a turbulent air penetration speed. Slow down before you enter forecast or reported turbulence, not after the first jolt.

Plan the Descent

The Airplane Flying Handbook's chapter on complex airplanes makes the point plainly: a clean, retractable-gear airplane picks up speed fast when the nose comes down. Start descents early and reduce power gradually so you arrive in the pattern at a manageable speed. Module 4 covers how to do this without cooling the engine too quickly.

Approach at 70

Fly a stabilized final at 70 kt. If you have to go around, you start from that same speed: full throttle and 2700 rpm, hold 70 kt until clear of obstacles, then clean up. Module 8 covers the full flow.

Crosswind Component

The 17 kt figure is the crosswind component the manufacturer demonstrated, not the total wind and not a legal limit. A more skilled pilot may land in more; a new Bonanza pilot should treat 17 kt as an upper limit for personal minimums, and lower it until their crosswind technique in this airplane is proven. Use the tower or ATIS wind, which is magnetic like the runway number.

Module 2 · F33A Airspeeds · Lesson 3 of 3

Limits and the Airspeed Indicator

Section IV gives you speeds to fly. Section II gives you speeds you must not exceed.

Every speed in the first two lessons is a recommended speed from Section IV, Normal Procedures. Fly them closely and the airplane performs as the POH describes. The limits are different. They are FAA-approved operating limitations in Section II, and exceeding one can damage the airplane. Some appear as colored arcs on the airspeed indicator. The ones that matter most in a complex airplane, the landing gear speeds, do not.

V_LO and V_LE can differ. While the gear is moving, it and its doors are most exposed to the airflow, so in many airplanes the operating speed is lower than the extended speed. Once the gear is down and locked, it can take the higher V_LE. Know which number applies before you move the gear handle, and never use the gear as a speed brake above V_LO.

Module 2 · F33A Airspeeds · Knowledge Check

Module 2 Knowledge Check

Eight questions in the style of your instructor's oral review, each tagged with its source. Pass mark: 80% (7 of 8).