Enter and Recover from a Power off Descent in a Cessna 150

A power-off descent is typically used on landing approach in warm weather, as well as simulated engine failure forced-landings. In situations calling for a drop in altitude with the least amount of fuel consumption and/or horizontal distance covered, the power-off descent is particularly useful. Special consideration must be paid to not over-cooling the engine during this manoeuvre.

Steps

Entry

1. Conduct cockpit check (Seatbelts and doors secure, fuel on both, mixture rich, carburettor heat on, primer locked, magnetos on both, master on, oil pressure/temp green, note altitude).
2. Conduct lookout for other traffic (S-turn).
3. Close throttle smoothly to bring power to idle.
4. Hold plane in straight and level flight, keeping nose at cruise attitude to bleed-off airspeed.
5. Once optimal glide speed is attained (70kts in C150), pitch nose slightly down to maintain airspeed. Trim away any control pressure.
6. Continue descending at a steady rate by adjusting pitch to maintain airspeed.

Recovery

1. Visually check for traffic ahead and above current position.
2. Begin recovery to straight and level flight at 10% of indicated vertical speed (ie. If descending at 500ft/min, begin to level off 50' above target altitude).
3. Open throttle to cruise power setting (2300-2400RPM in C150), simultaneously turning off carburettor heat, keeping in mind the removal of carburettor heat will add approx. 100RPM engine performance.
4. Use slight right rudder input to counteract the adverse yaw associated with high RPM operation.
5. Re-establish cruise attitude, letting airspeed build up to cruise speed (approx. 95kts in C150).
6. Trim the aircraft to relieve control pressures in maintaining cruise attitude.

Tips

• The rudder input necessary in the recovery procedure is very slight: just enough to prevent the aircraft from yawing to the left.

Warnings

• The lookout prior to entry is extremely vital because cruise attitude does not afford a view of the airspace in your intended descent path.
• Although a nose down attitude does afford better forward visibility, it is still necessary to momentarily level off and conduct an s-turn lookout every 500' of descent. This is to ensure no planes have entered the airspace below and in front of you since your last lookout.

Things You'll Need

• A working, certified aircraft (Cessna 150)

Related Articles

• Enter and Recover from a Power off Stall in a Cessna 150
• Fly a Cessna 182
• Fly a Cessna
• Shut Down a Cessna 150 Engine

See also

• Prepare for and Exit a Cessna 172 in the Event of a Crash Landing
• Fly a Cessna 182
• Perform a Forward Slip in a Cessna 152 to Descend Rapidly
• Start the Cessna 337 Engines
• Deal With an Engine Fire on a Cessna 150
• Enter and Recover from Slow Flight on a Cessna 150
• Enter and Recover from a Power off Stall in a Cessna 150
• Perform a Forced Approach in a Cessna 150
• Perform a Walk Around on a Cessna 150
• Do a Crosswind Landing in a Cessna 150

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• Do a Crosswind Landing in a Cessna 150