Comanche traffic pattern speeds
- Thread starter Archimago
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catmandu
Pattern Altitude
It is so kind that every aircraft designer keeps the time honored tradition of pattern speeds that end with a zero. 
midlifeflyer
Touchdown! Greaser!
Yep. Definitely works.
Pattern speeds for singles tend to be pretty uniform, within maybe 5-10 KIAS, with the biggest variation being on final. Final is based on stall speed (1.3 Vso). Base is a step-down between downwind and final. Downwind is simply to mix with other traffic* so long as some safety limit is not exceeded.
(* a certain pilot we've been discussing notwithstanding.)
EdFred
Taxi to Parking
Those numbers above are my suggestion until you know the plane. I'm generally around 150+mph on the 1st half of downwind (assuming I'm not doing circuits). Get slowed to below 150 (Vgear) at midfield, drop gear, reduce power further, trim trim trim trim trim to maintain TPA and bleed speed and then by the time I hit the downwind/base corner I'm middle of the white arc with 1 notch of flaps in. But after flying it for 12 years, I honestly don't look at the ASI much if it's a calm day. You just know by sight and sound.
Chip Sylverne
Final Approach
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Quit with the negative waves, man.
150mph downwind? Must not be much pattern traffic at your place. I use 90kts downwind, drop gear, 80 mph final, 70mph over the fence full flaps. I think dropping the gear a little slower is easier on the equipment.
EdFred
Taxi to Parking
Nope. Maybe about once every 15 times I come back home do I have to coordinate with traffic. Most of our tenants are destination flyers and it's odd we all come home at the same time. I don't drop at 150, but I'm usually just finishing my descent from cruise about a mile out, so from 1 mile out to midfield it's slow it down from yellow arc to 150 and then slow it to about 120ish/top of white arc before dropping gear, flaps come in soon after.