Page 14 - March 25

= Power setting
The pilot should use a power setting appropriate
for the aircraft configuration and not below the
minimum power for approach as defined by the AFM.
= Briefings and checklists
Completing all briefings and checklists prior to
initiating the approach (except the landing checklist)
ensures the pilot can focus on the elements listed
above.
If the approach is no longer within the stabilized
approach criteria, a go-around should be initiated.
I’m sure the pilot of the B200 accident aircraft
mentioned earlier in this article would have gladly traded
the overrun for a go-around.
What is a best practice when facing an
unstable approach?
According to Advisory Circular 91-79B, paragraph
5.2.1 – Unstabilized Approach: Deviations in airspeed,
altitude, descent rate, glideslope, runway aim point and
localizer control place pilots in a position where recovery
to the desired flight path is unlikely. It is the pilot’s
responsibility to inform ATC when compliance with
an instruction will result in an unstabilized approach.
Going back to our earlier example when the controller
asks, “King Air XYZ, can you make a short approach
to runway xx?” The best practice would be to reply,
“Unable, we will need to continue downwind.”
I can hear the grumblings of some King Air pilots
after reading that last sentence. The controller may not
be happy with your response, and you are not getting a
shortcut to land early. However, you have now reduced
your overall risk for that approach. If more King Air
pilots said no to the types of requests that would result
in an unstable approach, the controllers would be less
likely to issue those requests. The controllers don’t push
the airliners into an unstable approach because those
pilots say “unable.”
We all know that the King Air can do some amazing
things. Every time we make a successful landing that is
not a result of a stabilized approach, it feels rewarding,
making it seem like unstable approaches are fun, normal
and not a problem. Not as obvious is the fact that an
unstabilized approach is taking us closer to the edge of
the safety target. We now have less of a buffer for recovery
if something unforeseen happens that may result in an
incident or accident. We can limit our overall risk if we
practice stabilized approaches. KA
Pete Marx has more than 30 years of experience in the aviation
industry, from flying as a captain and first officer on Beech 1900s,
Jetstream 42s and Dash 8s for commuter airlines to flying cargo as
a flight engineer and check airman in the Airbus 300 and DC-8 for
DHL. He has been instructing in King Airs for the past 13 years and is
currently an instructor at King Air Academy in Phoenix, Arizona.
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­ KING AIR MAGAZINE MARCH 2025