When do you put the gear down?

[midlifeflyer]

15 minutes ago, Kris_Adams said:

to the OP sorry for he thread creep.  As far as putting gear down, (generally speaking):

VFR pattern: midfield downwind

Non-precision approach: FAF

Precision approach: glideslope intercept.

I never quite understood the "midfield downwind" as a gear SOP. Maybe that's because a flew for 20 years out of a towered airport where entering a downwind at all was, depending on the direction you were coming from and the direction of landing, in a small minority. Straight-ins and base entries were more common. 

Edited May 30, 2018 by midlifeflyer

[kris_adams]

8 hours ago, midlifeflyer said:

I never quite understood the "midfield downwind" as a gear SOP. Maybe that's because a flew for 20 years out of a towered airport where entering a downwind at all was, depending on the direction you were coming from and the direction of landing, in a small minority. Straight-ins and base entries were more common. 

That's why I said "generally speaking."  If I'm flying the entire pattern this is what I do.  I too have been based out of a controlled field for 29 out of my 30 years of flying so if I get a left base entry or straight in final I have to adjust.  I would guess the midfield downwind comes from everyone doing pattern work-it's a logical time to do it.  I don't think it matters when you put it down.  I just try to be consistent.

[Oscar Avalle]

The other day I was flying an approach into St Louis Lambert International. Marginal VFR (ceiling 1200 and vs 4 miles). I was given the LPV approach and asked to keep up the speed. I kept up the speed until glide slop intetercet and lowered speed to gear down speed and flaps white arch. I keep the speed at close to the maximum flaps and gear speeds and once I was over the threshold and I had the huge runway in front of me I lowered my speed and flared. After I landed I kept up my roll out speed and turned into the first available taxiway. Tower thank me for my help... So my conclusion is they know what the reasonable limits of a single engine plane are. They expect you to be proficient and show that you are trying to help. But they don't want you to do anything crazy.

Generally speaking, when I enter on a downwind I do my first GUMP check midfield, that gives me time to get establish adjust trim, etc. Second GUMPS check on base on last on final. When I enter on a base or on a long final I lower the gear as soon as I reach pattern altitude (no specific reason why). 

On IFR approach Non precision FAF and precision Glide slop intercept.

[gsxrpilot]

I put the gear down when I've got the runway made which is usually on base. But it's all depending on conditions and the situation. I figure as long as the gear is down prior to touchdown its perfect.

[midlifeflyer]

13 hours ago, Kris_Adams said:

That's why I said "generally speaking."  If I'm flying the entire pattern this is what I do.  I too have been based out of a controlled field for 29 out of my 30 years of flying so if I get a left base entry or straight in final I have to adjust.  I would guess the midfield downwind comes from everyone doing pattern work-it's a logical time to do it.  I don't think it matters when you put it down.  I just try to be consistent.

Oh, I agree with you on the bottom line. When I do complex transition training I make a point of mentioning that they have already heard and will hear about a number of gear timing techniques. I do push the standard IFR "gear down, go down," but for VFR, I only insist they choose one and use it so consistently it becomes a habit. Consistency is absolutely essential. 

But that's exactly why I question the focus on the downwind. I don't see, "but I have to choose a different place a lot" as a hallmark of consistency. Seems more like an opportunity for an interfering distraction.

Just to clarify, I have no problem at all with the gear down action taking place on downwind. I know many who do that who are actually or even subconsciously thinking in terms of distance and/or altitude, which gives them gear down locations on any approach, but results in gear down on downwind in the "standard" pattern.

[midlifeflyer]

10 hours ago, gsxrpilot said:

I put the gear down when I've got the runway made which is usually on base. But it's all depending on conditions and the situation. I figure as long as the gear is down prior to touchdown its perfect.

That's an example of what I mean. "Runway made, gear down" done consistently is a solution which doesn't depend on being on a specific pattern leg.