Continental-520
Smooth landings aren't all that hard
just need an understanding of what's happening.
My 2 cents worth.
The Cessna twins have a zero or even slight negative angle of attack when standing on their legs and very efficient wings.
Thus when taking off unless you actually rotate the aircraft you will generally drive off the end before it flies off on it's own.
Thats why it is a good idea to leave it in that mode until you ARE ready to rotate, as due to the lack of lift until you put on angle of attack and therefore associated drag it accelerates faster and according to the book.
Likewise on landing, (mostly too fast) if you unload the wing prematurely by lowering the nose to get it on to the runway it will quit and dump you.
Angle of attack is the answer, you control that.
My observations are that most pilots leave the rotation too late beyond the book speed in the assumption that extra speed is their friend in the event of an engine failure.
Fly the aircraft off rotate on the numbers and hold blue line to 400 ft.
And land too fast beyond the book speed
after a landing is assured and wonder why they get dumped.
Get the book out, have a look, calculate the speeds, fly it by the numbers and how the book recommends and it will be kind to you. Roll on landings are then a cinch.
You're the boss of as long as you do it the way the aircrafts' most happy.
BTW I've got some spare periscopes and free chiropractic vouchers left over from the Barons I've flown if anyone is interested.
