What are the airspeeds from IAF to FAF?

What are the airspeeds from IAF to FAF?

• A. 120-150 KIAS
• B. 130-170 KIAS
• C. 100-120 KIAS
• D. 110-140 KIAS

Answer: (A)

The question is about the airspeed you should fly during the initial approach segment from the IAF to the FAF. On instrument approaches, you want a stable, controllable speed that lets you follow the published path, manage turns smoothly, and maintain good energy for the rest of the approach. The typical range for this portion of the approach is 120 to 150 KIAS. Staying within this band gives a comfortable balance: you’re fast enough to preserve efficient progress toward the FAF and to make the required course maneuvers, but not so fast that turns become too wide or you lose maneuverability for obstacle clearance and descent management. Speeds above ~150 KIAS can reduce maneuverability and accurate path tracking, while speeds below ~120 KIAS can waste energy and make it harder to meet the intended descent and timing into the next segment. In practice, you’ll follow the charted speed restrictions, and if none are specified, this 120–150 KIAS range is the commonly expected guideline for IAF-to-FAF.

The question is about the airspeed you should fly during the initial approach segment from the IAF to the FAF. On instrument approaches, you want a stable, controllable speed that lets you follow the published path, manage turns smoothly, and maintain good energy for the rest of the approach. The typical range for this portion of the approach is 120 to 150 KIAS. Staying within this band gives a comfortable balance: you’re fast enough to preserve efficient progress toward the FAF and to make the required course maneuvers, but not so fast that turns become too wide or you lose maneuverability for obstacle clearance and descent management. Speeds above ~150 KIAS can reduce maneuverability and accurate path tracking, while speeds below ~120 KIAS can waste energy and make it harder to meet the intended descent and timing into the next segment. In practice, you’ll follow the charted speed restrictions, and if none are specified, this 120–150 KIAS range is the commonly expected guideline for IAF-to-FAF.