5 Tips to a Better Landing
1. Stabilized Approach – you would be surprised how much emphasis we put on stabilized approaches in the airline. We will send a jet around for being 10kts fast. The same idea should apply to general aviation.
These cockpit posters are a great tool for practicing at home. You can find them in our pilot shop for your aircraft.
2. Chair Fly the Pattern – lading is easy but remembering all the steps and sequence to land is usually where people stumble, this leads to a bad approach and landing. Chair fly the pattern multiple times. Its like flying for free. Either purchase a paper cockpit form a local pilot shop or sit in the airplane when its not flying. I can still remember sweating inside the Cessna 150 trying imagining going around the pattern.
3. PIT or Pilot Induced Turbulence – is very common. Pilots tend to overcorrect in turn just making everything worse. Do not pump the yoke or stick. Set the attitude and maintain it in the flair. In the Cessna fleet this will require continues back pressure, in the Diamonds set it and forget it. I also commonly advise to use 3 big nose up trims in the Cessna and fight the pressure until the flare, it helps butter them in. When power is reduced less air flows over the elevator requiring more back pressure, hence the nose up trim.
4. Looking at the Right Place – you go where your eyes look and where your fingers point. Many students have the tendency to look over the nose to land the plane. Usually immediately follow by a hard landing or a bounce on the nose gear. Once you round out and transition to the flare look out far to the end of the runway. Using your peripheral vision to judge high (will come with practice). Looking out straight ahead will also help with maintaining center line.
5. When in Doubt Go Around – this can’t be stressed enough. You can always have a second attempt at your landing, all you must do is go around. Don’t try to fix the ugly ones, the best option is to fly away. Remember the 3rd bounce is a prop strike!
