Emergency Airspeeds and Glide

The speeds you fly when something has gone wrong, and how far the SR20 glides with the engine stopped. These sit beside the checklists because there is no time to look them up.

At a glance

• Maneuvering speed, 3150 lb133 KIAS
• Maneuvering speed, 2700 lb123 KIAS
• Maneuvering speed, 2300 lb114 KIAS
• Best glide, flaps UP, 3150 lb100 KIAS
• Best glide, flaps UP, 2600 lb92 KIAS
• Emergency landing, flaps UP89 KIAS
• Emergency landing, flaps 50%83 KIAS
• Emergency landing, flaps 100%78 KIAS
• Maximum glide ratioabout 9 : 1

Maneuvering speed

Maneuvering speed falls with weight: 133 KIAS at 3150 lb (1429 kg), 123 KIAS at 2700 lb (1225 kg) and 114 KIAS at 2300 lb (1043 kg).

Best glide

With the flaps UP, best glide is 100 KIAS at 3150 lb (1429 kg) and 92 KIAS at 2600 lb (1179 kg).

The maximum glide ratio is about 9 : 1. The manual's worked example: power off, propeller windmilling, best glide speed, flaps 0% (UP) and zero wind, from 8,000 ft AGL the airplane glides 12 NM.

Emergency landing speeds

Emergency landing

• Flaps UP: 89 KIAS

• Flaps 50%: 83 KIAS

• Flaps 100%: 78 KIAS

Check yourself

• What is the maneuvering speed at 3150 lb, and at 2300 lb?

• What is the best glide speed at maximum weight, and at 2600 lb?

• What is the maximum glide ratio, and how far does the airplane glide from 8,000 ft AGL in the worked example?

• What are the emergency landing speeds for each flap setting?

Study aid — always fly your aircraft's current AFM/POH.