Fl ight Testing Techniques
Knot
What You're Thinking Understanding airspeed
By: Ed Kolano
You're contemplating building, already building, or recently fi nished building an aircraft. Or maybe you're buying someone else's homebuilt airplane. It doesn't matter; sooner or later you'll get around to testing your aircraft's performance. Essentially, the FAA says the
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only performance numbers you must determine are your airplane's best climb rate speed, best climb angle speed, and landing confi guration stall speed. You'll want and need more performance information than that to fl y your plane safely and effi ciently, though.