Bomber-52

I spent some time this AM contemplating how to answer your question as concisely as possible. Trying to distill a complex process to a few lines is hard to do. These are my thoughts on how to do this.

First Rule - Airplanes have to have airspeed to fly. Its like Star Trek's "Prime Directive" - always maintain airspeed!

The principle of landing is that you want the lift to decrease below the pull of gravity but be present enough to continue controlled flight so that the plane settles gently to the desired landing site. The important concepts needed to do this is:

1. The throttle controls altitude and rate of descent. In order for a plane to go up, it must generate energy to create airspeed. The more thrust, the more airspeed, the more lift to overcome gravity and up goes the plane. The opposite is true to descend. Reduce the power, reduce the airspeed, reduce the lift and gravity pulls the plane back to earth.

2. Airspeed is controlled by elevator. Elevator does not make the plane go up. Back elevator (commonly called "up") increases angle of attack, increases lift at the sacrifice of airspeed, slows the airplane down and then lift is lost and the plane descends. Do it too much and a stall is created and the plane really falls fast. Foreward elevator (commonly called "down") increases airspeed in the reverse of the above sequence.

So the way to land is to reduce airspeed by throttling back but maintain enough airspeed to maintain control of the plane. I do this when the plane is at a low but comfortable altitude across from me from the landing zone. That's called "downwind". You should be landing into the wind. The plane will start to descend and when at the far corner of the runway I turn 90 degrees toward the runway - to the "base" leg. Continue to descend using throttle to control the rate of descent and elevator to maintain airspeed. If you are descending too fast, add power if not descending cut the power down. Foreward elevator to incease airspeed and back elevator to decrease airspeed. The trick (that needs practice) is to use this combination to get the plane to reach the ground at a low airspeed just as it is over the runway.

Then you make another 90 degree turn onto "final" and continue the descent process until is about a foot or so above the ground. At this point apply increasing "back" elevator to reduce lift and airspeed so that the wheels touch the ground when there is no lift left in the wings. That's called the "flare." The main wheels should touch first. Flare too high, and the plane stalls and the nose drops and the front will impacts first - that's not good. Flare too late and the nose hits first - that's not good. Its a timing thing.

Lastly as mentioned before - keep "flying the plane until it stops". That is just because the plane is on the ground doesn't mean to let go of the controls. The job's not done until the plane rolls out to a stop.

That's my insight on the matter. Hope it helps.

Roodester