Flight Operations Briefing Notes
Approach Techniques
Aircraft Energy Management during Approach
Introduction

Inability to assess or manage the aircraft energy level during the approach often is cited as a causal factor in unstabilized approaches.
Either a deficit of energy (being low and/or slow) or an excess of energy (being high and/or fast) may result in approach-and-landing accidents, such as:
Loss of control;

Landing short;

Hard landing;

Tail strike;

Runway excursion; and/or,

Runway overrun.

This Flight Operations Briefing Note provides background information and operational guidelines for a better understanding of:
Energy management during intermediate approach:

How fast can you fly down to the FAF or outer marker?

Energy management during final approach:

Hazards associated with flying on the backside of the power curve (as defined by Figure 2).

Refer also to the Flight Operations Briefing Note Factors Affecting the Final Approach Speed (V  APP).
Statistical Data

Approximately 70 % of rushed and unstable approaches involve an incorrect management of the aircraft energy level, resulting in an excess or deficit of energy, as follows:
Being slow and/or low on approach : 40 % of events;

Being fast and/or high on approach: 30 % of events.

Aircraft Energy Level

The level of energy of an aircraft is a function of the following primary flight parameters and of their rate of change (trend):
Airspeed and speed trend;

Altitude and vertical speed (or flight path angle);

Aircraft configuration (i.e., drag caused by speed brakes, slats/flaps and/or landing gear); and,

Thrust level.

One of the tasks of the pilot is to control and monitor the energy level of the aircraft (using all available cues) in order to:
　
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