I learned about flying from that: "Automatic Rough"

Boy did I ever mess up. I was flying from El Mirage L69 to Southern California Logistics about 15 miles away. I was trying to fly 1000' AGL but not doing a good job of holding altitude. I got clearance to land but forgot to go to full rich. The engine ran fine 1000' feet up because I'd leaned it, but right before landing the nose pitched down and I didn't hear the engine if it slowed down (concentrating and trying to land softly, I guess). But it probably did, and I found myself sinking towards the runway and pulling up instinctively. The stall warning horn went off and then: CRASH!. It appeard that the front landing gear on the C172 folded up and said "no more of this abuse!"

Well, one great thing about FS is that it's a lot cheaper :)

Sean

Not only that, but every issue of "Flying" magazine is available through Google - so you can read every single "I learned about flying from that" article that was ever published.

DJ

I found myself sinking towards the runway and pulling up instinctively. The stall warning horn went off and then: CRASH!. It appeard that the front landing gear on the C172 folded up and said "no more of this abuse!"

I forgot to say that I had been thinking that you are supposed to call for full rich before landing in case you have to go around. Throwing extra fuel into the mix that the engine can't burn causes a cooling effect because the fuel warms up and carries the heat back out through the exhaust.

But for take-offs in the Cessna 152 and possibly the Skyhawk, you are supposed to do a run-up and lean for maximum...either power or RPM, with a fixed-pitch propeller they are the same.

But yeah, going to full rich prevents loosing engine power when the air pressure increases during the descent.

Sean

But yeah, going to full rich prevents loosing engine power when the air pressure increases during the descent.

Sounds fine when you're near sea level. But flying out of the high country, you don't go full rich on landing. So you need to be aware of differences in different areas, rather than a blanket rule.

But for where you were, full rich is good for approach and landing.