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  • How It Works

    LANDING A PLANE

    Jan 21, 2021 5 minutes

    Landing a plane is the most delicate part of a flight. It involves turning a flying craft into a ground vehicle, bringing hundreds of tonnes of mass to the ground without incident while shedding speed along the way. Aircraft will naturally fly: so long as they have sufficient fuel, their aerodynamics are designed to keep them moving. To change this, pilots not only have to reduce engine power, they also must slowly adopt a ‘dirty configuration’, using aerodynamic drag to reduce speed.

    The landing procedure begins miles away from the airport. During this time, many changes in altitude, speed, direction and overall aircraft set-up must be completed. This is mainly conducted in dedicated ‘step down airspace’, defined by air-traffic control. Passengers are told the landing procedure is due

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