Mark wrote:

I remember reading somewhere on the internet, a long time ago, that the approach speed should be as I stated I do it. I wrote it down so I would remember what to do, and it did not say VREF+5+1/2 the headwind speed if it is gusting. So if the headwind is, for example, 20 knots, I add 10 knots to the equation. Embarrassed

I take it you fly like you did as a pilot, which means you only add the 1/2 the headwind speed if it's gusting?

The idea of landing (and taking off) into the wind is to shorten the landing or takeoff roll as you well know. The VREF will be the same whether there is no wind or 20 knots. The only thing that changes is the ground speed. If your VREF is 135 knots and the wind is calm the ground speed is also 135. If you have a killer side wind like 90 degrees off to one side at a steady 30 knots you would look at a crosswind chart and see what the resultant wind component would be. With that kind of wind you might want to add a few knots to the VREF since you will be either crabbing or slipping to the landing. We would fly VREF+5 knots for every landing unless there was a gusty wind.

This is a quote from the 767 flight handbook: Example - VREF is 130 and the wind is reported as 10 knots gusting to 30. We add 1/2 the gust so the approach speed would be: 130 + 5 + 10 = 145

130 VREF + 5 knots standard for all approaches, then 1/2 the gust which = 10 ( 10 gusting to 30 )

Remember, for every extra knot on approach it takes at least 50 feet of extra runway to stop. If your 10 knots fast at touchdown that's 500 extra feet!

There is a big difference in the 727 vs the big wing planes like the 767 & 777. The 727 had a very swept wing and high wing loading so a few extra knots on landing made a big difference in flare whereas the 767 and the 747 were much more civilized and we never added very much extra speed.

I am still thinking about getting P3D v2  :-/
I like you do not like WIN-8.1, but I'm stuck with it for now.
I seldom get a CTD anymore and FSX is running pretty well.

Thanks again for all your wonderful help on this forum.

Lou