Hey all,

I hope this is the right place to post, I just am seeking some advice and input to help me with my landings. I have quite a few hours now, in the 30s. I wasn't allowed to solo b/c I did not have my medical yet, so a lot of that time was doing touch and goes while waiting for the letter from the FAA. I recently received it, and now am trying to prepare to solo, finally. Basically, I do fine flying the pattern and approach, right down to the numbers. When i comes time to settle the aircraft down however, nothing seems to go right. My flares are ok, but I think I am over-reacting on the controls or something. The planes just thrusts around and usually a hard landing follows. On the other hand, if I'm too light on the controls, I just come down hard, plain and simple. Is there something I am missing or not getting here? My CFI isn't even sure what the problem is. I want to solo soo bad, but I can't seem to get past this. I am flying with a different CFI next week to see if he can help, but I figured I'd ask on here as well. Thanks a lot!

 

approach, round out (how high are you on the round out?) hopefully less than 10 feet. at this point, you should be looking at the very far end of the runway, as your airspeed decreases, you will sink!!!! as you sink, slightly raise the nose to barely, and i mean barely cover the end of the runway, you will have to continue doing this as the airspeed bleeds off, and you sink, remember, very slight movements of control wheel aft... prior to touchdown, you should hear the stall warning going off, if not dont worry, and then slight touch of mains, slowly lower nose gear then apply brakes.
just remember very slight movement of yoke, constantly adjust to barely cover the end of the runway. good luck, remember to enjoy the experience

 

I feel your pain! I took a very very long time to learn landings...the flare just never clicked. My problem was I didn't even realize that I was somewhat scared of being proactive on the yoke. I felt like something bad would happen I guess. I didn't think or feel "scared" I just never really committed and took the plane over myself.

You sound like you have a different problem though. To me it sounds like you're trying to time it. You have some descent rate, and you get to a certain height above the ground and you feel like you're trying to move the yoke at the right speed and the right distance to your chest to get the plane at the right attitude to touch down (remember this is me trying to picture what's going on in your head, I'm not your CFI, I'm really guessing here). You really need to feel and see the plane and make it do what you want it to do. The technique mentioned above is exactly right. It's incredibly important to be looking down the runway, all the way to the other threshold and beyond. You need to see that relation of the nose to the horizon. Bring the spinner up to the horizon and then slightly above and hold it...and hold it. Every landing is different so you can not be in the mindset that you're doing a set procedure during that landing flare. You're making the airplane DO something!

One technique I've been taught (maybe run it by your CFI?) is this, and it helped me out: Get a long runway (>5,000ft maybe) and come in on final fast on purpose (maybe 80kts in a 172?). carry that speed as you approach the numbers. Roll out for the "flare" at the appropriate height above the pavement. Hold that plane off the runway. hold it off, hold it off, looking down the runway. It really makes you get used to taking control of the plane and seeing just how much input it takes to flare the plane as that A/S dies off. (caution: Always be ready for the go around-stay aware of your float distance: i go around about 1/2 way down the runway, hand on the throttle, calm winds, safety first!!). It helped me, it might help you??

 

I will add to my post above that you may or may not be comfortable with trying that little experiment. You're close to solo, I wouldn't want to form bad habits or anything. It's important to start backing off that A/S on final after a few goes at it (75 kts, 70..etc)

 

GrUpGrDn said exactly what I wanted to say to start off. Look further away, too many people fixate on what's right infront of them. Do you do this in a car? I doubt it, so don't do it in a plane.

Also, maybe you should go out and just do a fun lesson, practice different manuevers, etc.. Get your mind off the landings and it might just help you out.

 

another method is to ask your instructor if you can perform slow flight above the runway. of course make sure it is at an uncontrolled airfield. as stated above by other poster, each approach and landing is different, however being on speed, and on procedures, will always help

 

try adjusting the trim to obtain the attitude you want so you don't have to strong arm a flare. if you can get the airplane trimmed to hold your desired speed (65 kts in a cessna??? it's been awhile), while coming down the glidepath on final with no yoke input to the elevator, the roundout and flare will be incredibly smooth. keep that held until you start the roundout, slowly pull power to idle, add a touch of backpressure, and hold it.

an airplane never overcontrols itself. use trim as much as f'in possible.

 

+1

You're probably overthinking - and over controlling during the landing... it really comes down to cognitively controlling your relation of the aircraft to the runway (descent rate, etc) - easy ways are to nail your final approach airspeed and understand that raising the nose at a slower airspeed will increase your descent rate - keep the nose down until the flare (think ground effect)

If you going to focus on anything, try smooth control inputs... feel the airplane down to the ground effect... steadily hold the nose off until the mains squeek on.

Keep practicing - it may just click one of these times, don't give up.

 

Another answer to aircraft control ..."Operates under the assumption of PFM"

 

The key to a perfect landing is to not land the airplane. When you are over the runway, don't try to land the airplane. Try to keep the airplane off the runway for as long as you can and the airplane will eventually settle down and you will flare without any abnormal control inputs.

P.s. If the CFIs that you fly with can't figure it out, find one with 1000+ hours of dual given.