Planes don't actually increase their speed right before landing; they maintain a necessary speed for safe touchdown. The following explains why maintaining this speed is critical during the landing process:
Planes are designed to fly at a certain speed to maintain lift. As a plane prepares to land, several factors come into play that can increase drag and reduce lift:
- Landing Gear Deployment: Lowering the landing gear significantly increases drag, acting like a brake in the air.
- Flap Extension: Flaps are extended from the wings to increase lift at slower speeds. However, while they increase lift, they also increase drag. According to the reference, "when landing gear and flaps are set to landing position, they create a lot of aerodynamic drag."
To counteract this increased drag and maintain the necessary lift for a controlled approach and landing, pilots increase engine power to maintain the approach speed. This means the plane isn't necessarily going "fast" in an absolute sense, but it's going at the correct speed relative to the increased drag forces acting upon it. Without that speed, the plane could stall and become difficult to control.
