The Landings Workshop's coming to an end, and we've spent the last few days organizing all of your feedback. Here are seven items you've said made an immediate difference - tactics you've tried that have improved your landings. Some have been around as long as aviation (#3), and some are most useful when you have 2,500 hours under your belt (#6). And, at the bottom of this list, we've added a PDF you can download so that you can look back at these anytime.
Have you ever found yourself flying down final, perfectly set up, only to end up ballooning through the flare and bouncing onto the runway? Try counting it out...
Count out four seconds in your head (or out loud) as you flare - "one one thousand, two one thousand..." It slows you down. Reach your landing pitch attitude as you finish "four one thousand."
What's that landing attitude look like? It's hard to hold a pitch attitude when you don't what it is...
Practice slow flight in your landing attitude, at your flare speed. Measure your nose's position above (or below) the horizon with your fingers - note it down. Now you know what to pitch for as you flare.
Do you find yourself flaring late... Or early... Or just simply uncomfortable with the timing?
Start to flare when you pass below the tops of the hangars (or the barn if that's your field). Sometimes the old techniques are the best!
Do you end up low on final, but your power setting seems right and you're not fighting headwinds? Check your trim.
If you're trimmed too nose down, the aircraft will dive when you let off back pressure. And that often shows up in your pattern turns - it magnifies the nose's tendency to drop. Pitch to hold pattern airspeed during the turns. And make sure the nose is trimmed to hold airspeed in level flight - that way you should only need a little back pressure in the turn.
Do you ever feel that your seat's not right - the controls don't feel right and the nose doesn't look right? It sounds trivial - but your seat position is as important to your flare as your timing. If it's off - your touchdown will be, as well.
Check your seat height with your fingers. Place them on the dash and make sure the horizon cuts through at the right point. And - use your hand or forearm to measure the seat's forward position. If you have a flight where everything feels dialed in, make a note of your position so you can repeat it.
You have thousands of hours in your favorite plane. And then another model comes along. Everything's off. So - why can't a high-time pilot land anymore? You have to break the habit.
When you consistently grease landings, you've developed a perfect sight picture. But your new airplane has a different one. Go back to the basics and practice slow flight in the landing configuration. Get used to the cowl's position against the horizon and the feel of the controls. And then set that on landing.
You're flying with a control stick, like a DA-40 or a Cirrus, and you keep rolling left as you flare. What's happening?
If you're sitting in the left seat, it's natural to pull left as you add back pressure. And the more strength you use, the more the stick wants to go left. So, keep the aircraft trimmed for light back pressure in the flare, and consciously hold the stick straight back. Knowing is half the battle!
You're tense, abrupt and frustrated. You've looked up to the end of the runway, watched for the barns, and trimmed for landing. But you're still jerky - nothing's smooth.
You have to breathe. Exhale out as you flare. It slows you down and helps you relax. Lean back in your seat, breath out, and watch the horizon. Your kung fu grip will lighten up.
We've had a lot of energy from the group this week - and that keeps going next week for everyone in the Mastering Takeoffs and Landings course. Whether you're learning to land in a crosswind, or heading out to your first upslope runway - you'll feel comfortable with the conditions.
If every landing was standard, flying would be easy. But of course, that's never the case. It's your knowledge that helps you keep all of your landings and takeoffs smooth.
If you're not in the course, sign up now so you take advantage of the workshop discount and the bonus study group. The promotion ends tonight, Thursday November 16th at 11:59pm Pacific Time. And we're already starting on the first study group video now... See you in the course!
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