LOW APPROACH
In my experience ( 12000 hours on RAF heavies ) - it is all too easy to get too low before touchdown when landing on very short runways .( ie Gibraltar)
Contributing factors could include:
Fear of overrunning - particularly if the overrun terrain is severe ie water or a cliff!
No PAPIs
No approach lighting ( over the sea )
Visual illusions - black hole / slope
Tailwinds
Lack of faith in ODM landing performance figures
No reverse thrust available
ETC ETC
Small fast jets ( with a 2 1/2 deg GP )regularly touch down on or near the piano keys!
Large ac should aim for the 50ft point to allow the main wheels a good safety clearance.
Whilst it is obvious that you should never risk landing short - ie Vulcan crash in Malta - it it is not good to end up high and hot and risk going off the end- ie Prince of Wales landing his BAe 146!
In an ideal world runways should be longer with better visual cues and airlines should encourage pilots to Go Around if in doubt !
With lots of dodgy airfields around the world it is only due to the pilots skills that there are not more incidents/accidents!
To overly criticise the pilots in this case( showboating !! ) is disingenuous !!
Last edited by mahogany bob; 11th Aug 2022 at 15:17.
Reason: Typo