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IMPORTANT POINTS TO REMEMBER AND PRACTICE
FLY A NORMAL APPROACH angle (glidepath) to the runway (300 feet for each mile) at the correct target speed while “aiming” your approach to cross the threshold at the desired height. Never aim to begin your flare at a point short of the threshold—someday you’ll accidentally hit your target. STABILIZE YOUR APPROACH EARLY and correct promptly for any glidepath, airspeed or runway alignment deviations without over-correcting. Besides being more precise, smaller and timelier inputs to the throttle and flight controls create a smoother ride by eliminating pilot-induced turbulence. DO NOT ALLOW YOUR AIRSPEED TO DECAY as you approach the runway; actively adjust power to maintain Vbest until the flare has begun. Power hint: The more rapidly the airspeed is changing, the greater the power change necessary to stabilize the speed. Resist the temptation to “cut” or “chop” the power before beginning your flare. Cutting the power early results in approach destabilization. IF A CROSSWIND EXISTS, begin side-slip corrections early enough to be fully correcting by the time you begin the landing flare, anticipating the need for a power increase. And remember, you will need more aileron deflection after touchdown than you needed during the approach and flare—not less. Just because you’re on the ground does not mean the wings are finished flying.

ONCE BEGUN, IF A DRIFT TO THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY IS ALLOWED TO CONTINUE UNCHECKED, IT'S JUST THE GRACE OF GOD THAT DETERMINES WHERE YOU WILL END UP.
pilot begins pushing forward on the control yoke, or releasing too much back-pressure, in an attempt to force the airplane onto the ground before running out of runway. The result is a nosewheel-first touchdown that quickly evolves from “wheel-barrowing” into a severe porpoising encounter, and ends with a loss of directional control or a collapsed nosegear if allowed to develop beyond two or three push-pull phugoid oscillations. Resist that urge to push on the yoke. Instead, go around! And on the next approach, maintain a slower Vbest approach speed that results in less floating. Another critical detail that must occur while in the flare is to ensure that the airplane continues to track the centerline of the runway; no side drift. This task is made more challenging in crosswind conditions by the fact that as the airplane’s speed diminishes in the flare, the ailerons become gradually less effective, thus requiring a greater deflection to track the runway centerline to the touchdown point. Once begun, if a drift to the side of the runway is allowed to continue unchecked, it’s just the grace of God that determines where you will end up. Remember, God may be a great co-pilot, but you’re the PIC!
THE ROLLOUT. The final element of every landing is the rollout. As obvious from frequent checkride failures and accident reports, many pilots let down their guard the moment the tires (or a tire) touches the ground. Apparently believing the landing maneuver is completed, they act as if making any further flight control inputs is unnecessary. This is so not true. Similar to the flare maneuver, the flight controls become less effective at touchdown, making greater control deflections necessary to maintain control throughout the rollout. Remember: Fly the wing until it is safely in the hangar or tied down on the ramp. This will require the pilot to increase the upwind aileron deflection—not reduce it, as so many pilots instinctively do. Neutralizing the flight controls immediately upon landing in a strong crosswind is evil. It’s also a very bad habit and a surefire way to bend some metal. Don’t do it! The last essential ingredient to making consistently-better landings is practice. And with that final element, I guarantee, your landings will improve, too.
Bob Schmelzer is a Chicago-area designated pilot examiner and a United Airlines Boeing 777 captain. and line check airman. He has been an active flight instructor since 1972.

JUNE 2011 FLIGHT TRAINING

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Flight Training - June 2011

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