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Old 05-21-2008 | 05:43 AM
  #12  
da Rock
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From: Near Pfafftown NC
Default RE: Landing under power...

Landing under power really is just landing with a bit of elevator. The power isn't the trick, the elevator is the trick. Almost every plane can do both. Not every pilot can do both with almost every airplane.

Safe landing really requires the pilot pay attention to the airplane's AOA. Keep the speed adequate, but mostly it's all about AOA. The pilot has to keep the airplane from getting too much AOA and too slow. Nowhere does it say the pilot has to land with any specific elevator deflection. So pull a bit of deflection and click the throttle up a bit to bring the speed back that the elevator trim just cost ya'. And what happens? The airplane often winds up with a nice steady, slightly nose up, shallow rate of descent.

It's easier to hit a landing spot with a shallow rate of descent than with almost no descent. And when the angle of descent can very easily be controlled with a little throttle work, it's even easier to hit that spot. If you're going to come in short, a couple of clicks more throttle angles that descent out longer. Hold the elevator steady and work the descent angle with the throttle.

Lot's of flyers setup their radios with a landing trim setting on one of the switches. It often does nothing more than throw a few clicks of elevator trim on. The trim amount is whatever gives you the landing speed that works best for a shallow rate of descent.