Stability on final: CAPES
If you want a way to make sure you're stable on final and keep yourself honest, go with CAPES:
Centerline: are we aligned?
Airspeed: on target, no trend.
Profile: is our flight path vector pointing at our aim point?
Energy: is it set within a normal range to maintain profile and speed?
Setup: gear down, flaps as needed, no changes inside 400 AGL.
Make a callout on final as soon as you turn the corner. If you're still fixing one of these inside 300 AGL, go around. Our friends at the NTSB keep reminding us to get stable or go around, else we substantially increase our odds of becoming their next project.
Centerline: are we aligned?
Airspeed: on target, no trend.
Profile: is our flight path vector pointing at our aim point?
Energy: is it set within a normal range to maintain profile and speed?
Setup: gear down, flaps as needed, no changes inside 400 AGL.
Make a callout on final as soon as you turn the corner. If you're still fixing one of these inside 300 AGL, go around. Our friends at the NTSB keep reminding us to get stable or go around, else we substantially increase our odds of becoming their next project.