landing technique
05-11-2009 | 11:57 AM
#1
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From: Nashville, TN
landing technique
it seems that every time i try to land nowadays i end up flairing too early and slamming the plane down on the runway on all three wheels, just narrowly avoiding a tip stall. i do hold a little back pressure on final, then begin increasing it when getting close to the runway. anyone have any suggestions for greasing the landings? maybe i just dont have the 'feel' for it yet...
05-11-2009 | 12:03 PM
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From: Oklahoma City,
OK
RE: landing technique
Sounds like maybe you need to get lower sooner. When I landed my trike geared plane, I would fly it to the runway and pull the flair just above the runway when it was slow enough that it wouldn't climb. Mine would roll the down the runway on the 2 rear wheels, and eventually the nose would come down. It's super pretty!
05-11-2009 | 12:03 PM
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From: Poolesville, MD
RE: landing technique
First practice flying the plane so that it flies level above the runway at your eye height the entire length of your runway.
Get a feel for flying it at this level and what throttle setting you need to maintain to keep it there.
Once you've got this mastered ( it will only take you a half dozen attempts ), fly it down like this to about 1-2 feet high as it crosses the runway.
Hold the plane at this altitude for a second, then cut the thottle to idle and let the plane settle in by itself, while you keep flying it as if you were trying to keep it 1-2 feet high.
That's pretty much it.
Get a feel for flying it at this level and what throttle setting you need to maintain to keep it there.
Once you've got this mastered ( it will only take you a half dozen attempts ), fly it down like this to about 1-2 feet high as it crosses the runway.
Hold the plane at this altitude for a second, then cut the thottle to idle and let the plane settle in by itself, while you keep flying it as if you were trying to keep it 1-2 feet high.
That's pretty much it.
05-11-2009 | 12:16 PM
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From: Jacksonville, FL
RE: landing technique
on approach speed is controled by the elevator.....so you're giving an up in put which slows the plane and you stall on to the deck....altitude is controlled by throttle....next time try and add a couple of clicks of throttle and take those clicks right back off again..watch how the descent rate slows and makes a slammer landing into a smooth one...once again its throttle up and then throttle right back to idle.....you don't have to hold the power on....
next time you're on approach...don't make any other corrections except throttle add say 1/2 throttle and watch the plane climb......then set up again if your sink rate gets to be to much add power not elevator....Good Luck
next time you're on approach...don't make any other corrections except throttle add say 1/2 throttle and watch the plane climb......then set up again if your sink rate gets to be to much add power not elevator....Good Luck
05-11-2009 | 01:47 PM
#5
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RE: landing technique
FLY YOUR PLANE DOWN UNTIL THE WHEELS ARE ABOUT 3" OFF THE GROUND, then flair the plane.
You will most likely be somewhere between 1/8 and 1/4 throttle. When the wheels are about 3" off the ground, cut the throttle to idle and GENTLY feed in up elevator. I suggest making your approach so that the plane is about 2 1/2 - 3 feet off the ground AS YOU CROSS ONTO THE END OF THE RUNWAY.
With a little practice you will be setting the plane down in the middle of the runway, and you will look like a pro every time.
You will most likely be somewhere between 1/8 and 1/4 throttle. When the wheels are about 3" off the ground, cut the throttle to idle and GENTLY feed in up elevator. I suggest making your approach so that the plane is about 2 1/2 - 3 feet off the ground AS YOU CROSS ONTO THE END OF THE RUNWAY.
With a little practice you will be setting the plane down in the middle of the runway, and you will look like a pro every time.
05-11-2009 | 04:06 PM
#6
RE: landing technique
All the above is good, but also when you are just a few inches off the ground start flying the main gear. Watch your wheels and keep them a constant 1" - 3" off the runway and you'll find your plane will start making some very nice nose-high landings.
Landing is probably the hardest maneuver to perform, and you can really tell a good pilot by how smooth the landings are. All it takes is lots of practice.........
Hogflyer
Landing is probably the hardest maneuver to perform, and you can really tell a good pilot by how smooth the landings are. All it takes is lots of practice.........
Hogflyer
05-11-2009 | 06:56 PM
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From: polson, MT
RE: landing technique
Try a click or 2 of up elevator on final instead of holding back pressure on the elevator. It's called trimming for landings. Works very well.
Good luck,
Darrolair
Good luck,
Darrolair
05-12-2009 | 07:07 AM
#9
RE: landing technique
I don't know about you,i get very nervous sometimes flying out in front of our club "peanut gallery" when my concentration level is low.I don't favor trim changes in the landing pattern,better to be able to feel how much back stick you have on while looking at the aeroplanes actual speed and not what i think it may be doing!
05-12-2009 | 09:53 AM
#10
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RE: landing technique
Practice "slow flight". Flight at very low power settings.
Making good landings just requires that you are more aware of the small visual cues from the airplane, and the effects of small power and control changes.
Far too many fliers zip through the air at full throttle, then chop power to land. Slow flight is the key to better landings and all stunts that require rudder action to be effective.
Making good landings just requires that you are more aware of the small visual cues from the airplane, and the effects of small power and control changes.
Far too many fliers zip through the air at full throttle, then chop power to land. Slow flight is the key to better landings and all stunts that require rudder action to be effective.
05-12-2009 | 12:12 PM
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From: Jacksonville, FL
RE: landing technique
You can pratice all you wish.....but if you're at a low power setting and slow flight and give an up input in the elevators you're going to stall and smash the deck.....I always tell my students that you just can't cheat on the elevators to land...not enough elevator and you bounce down the runway collecting lots and lots of flights that last about 4 seconds...too much elevator and you only get one landing...but you have to straighten out the gear......
throttle management along with elevator is the key.....good luck and let us know how you do
throttle management along with elevator is the key.....good luck and let us know how you do
05-12-2009 | 09:40 PM
#13
RE: landing technique
Flying the airplane all the way to the ground is also crucial. It's common for new flyers to just stop paying attention about a foot off the ground, expecting the airplane to just settle in on its own. You have to be guiding the plane until the wheels stop rolling.
05-13-2009 | 07:23 AM
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From: Jacksonville, FL
RE: landing technique
Jester you reminded me of a student I had once.....he would shoot a beautiful approach.....start to flair and as the mains just started to tickle the grass he'd let go of the sticks.....I finally had to tell him that I wouldn't solo him until he stopped dropping the airplane.....the day he soloed was a nasty crosswind 90 degrees...he made three of the most beautiful landings......
05-13-2009 | 08:27 AM
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From: FrederickMD
RE: landing technique
Just keep saying to ourself - nose up, wings level.....nose up, wings level. Get it into that attitude and let it settle onto the runway. Trying to flair just before touchdown looks fancy, but for most beginners it results in an approach thats too fast and the plane goes long.
Brad
Brad
05-13-2009 | 04:20 PM
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From: FrederickMD
RE: landing technique
nose up wings level is a flair
Brad
05-14-2009 | 09:20 AM
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From: Lucama,
NC
RE: landing technique
Try this, always use the same landing approach,the same speed,chop the throttle at the same time. Once this is pre-set in your mind you can concentrate on the landing, and remember to jockey the throttle to land perfect every time. I've had people tell me all my landings look the same no matter what I fly. I did this as a newbie and never deleted from it. I land on the field at the same spot almost every time and I stand at the same place. Most of the above I don't try to do they just happen because of lots of flight time and thats what you need. Good luck!
05-16-2009 | 09:49 AM
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From: Mansfield,
TX
RE: landing technique
There's lots of good advice for you here, but many beginners also forget to factor in the wind speed. Remember, you plane needs to stay above a certain AIR speed to continue flying so this means landing with little to no head wind will require a faster GROUND speed. Like someone else here said, you need to watch your plane closely when flying slow to see the cues of an impending stall situation. </p>
Don't worry about it too much. After awhile you will get the "feel" for it and it"ll become more natural.
</p>
05-16-2009 | 01:53 PM
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From: Jacksonville, FL
RE: landing technique
ground speed is ground speed and air speed is air speed...the two have nothing to do with one another....look at it this way...if you bring an aircraft into the wind strong enough that the airplane comes to a stop....ground speed is zero....but airspeed is what it is to remain airborne ...now turn the airplane down wind...don't increase power and your airspeed remained the same, but ground speed increased and you see the airplane rocket across the field...</p>
last year I came out of Memphis heading for Boston in a 727 made a turn to the east and ground speed shot up to over 600 MPH..airspeed remained the same....an airplane on approach will stall due to a lack of airspeed...not ground speed</p>
05-16-2009 | 02:10 PM
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From: Nashville, TN
RE: landing technique
thanks again for the tips. i got two flights in today, and both my landings looked better than last week. if i can solo the pz corsair, do you guys think i can handle my pts mustang with all the training aids installed?
05-18-2009 | 09:26 AM
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From: Mansfield,
TX
RE: landing technique
ORIGINAL: jetmech05
ground speed is ground speed and air speed is air speed...the two have nothing to do with one another....look at it this way...if you bring an aircraft into the wind strong enough that the airplane comes to a stop....ground speed is zero....but airspeed is what it is to remain airborne ...now turn the airplane down wind...don't increase power and your airspeed remained the same, but ground speed increased and you see the airplane rocket across the field...</p>
last year I came out of Memphis heading for Boston in a 727 made a turn to the east and ground speed shot up to over 600 MPH..airspeed remained the same....an airplane on approach will stall due to a lack of airspeed...not ground speed</p>
ground speed is ground speed and air speed is air speed...the two have nothing to do with one another....look at it this way...if you bring an aircraft into the wind strong enough that the airplane comes to a stop....ground speed is zero....but airspeed is what it is to remain airborne ...now turn the airplane down wind...don't increase power and your airspeed remained the same, but ground speed increased and you see the airplane rocket across the field...</p>
last year I came out of Memphis heading for Boston in a 727 made a turn to the east and ground speed shot up to over 600 MPH..airspeed remained the same....an airplane on approach will stall due to a lack of airspeed...not ground speed</p>
05-19-2009 | 09:12 AM
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From: Nashville, TN
RE: landing technique
the weather was so nice yesterday, i made it out in time to get two flights in. there was no wind, just about perfect and i had the field to myself. the first landing was as smooth as glass, probably my best one ever. the last one left a little to be desired, but my corsair is still in one piece. i really enjoy the corsair. it's so easy to pack up and take to the field compared to my glow mustang pts.
