While being vectored to FAF, say from about 40 to the FAF, what should my target speeds be?I fly the Falcon 50 exclusively in FS2002.I'm estimating around 220-210ias, then at the FAF or within 10nm of airport, slowing to under 200 to get the leading edges out in preparation for slow flight. Is it ectched in stone or dependednt on pilot feel or is there a standard speed for the phase of flight.It seems the big jets try for like 220ias but I hear them often getting slowed to 180ias by ATC.Thanks all.

When approaching FAF and being practically on top of one you should already have first notch of flaps extended out and perhaps not being too far from extending another notch. So for some bigger jet aircraft it means you will already be below 200 kts, 180 kts sounds even better.Michael J.http://www.reality-xp.com/community/nr/rsc/rxp-higher.jpg

Even before being vectored, I like to get out a notch or two of flaps (or extend the slats, depending on the aircraft) so that I'm not nose-high while at about 210KIAS. On the intercept to final, though, I'd slow to 180KIAS. By the time I reach the FAF, I like to have my landing configuration in (gear down, flaps to landing position, etc.) and be in a stable glide. I try to plan my approach so that I don't have to change speed or configuration inside of the FAF. (In a jet, that is. See below.)For me, I like to think of three phases: "in range," "approach" and "final," and I setup my aircraft configuration accordingly. "In range" is when I'm at the end of a STAR and getting ready for the approach controller to connect the dots by vectoring me to the final approach course. (Often a STAR has speed requirements that take care of my planning for this phase.) "Approach" covers vectors to final approach intercept. "Final" is, obviously, from FAF to landing.Depending on the situation, however, I plan for different transition points. If there's no STAR, I might judge the "in range" phase to begin once I've reached a feeder facility and the "approach" phase to begin once I've reached the IAF. Or, if I can see that the approach controller's going to slam me onto final right on top of the outer marker, I'd get setup for the "final" phase early.All of this planning has to take into consideration the aircraft I'm flying. Jets take a lot more planning and require more step-downs to get to landing speed/configuration. In a Cessna 172, however, I might wait until I'm inside the FAF before making a speed/configuration change to make a safe landing.Sincerely,Rob [email protected]