Originally Posted by
VikNZ
Anyone have any tips on getting the flare right?
There are many posts and articles about the best way to land and there is no absolutely foolproof method that works every time. However the following (usually) works for me (tricycle gear by the way):-
1. Make sure the approach is set up properly - i.e on the correct glide slope at the right speed (Vref) with (any) flaps set - so the aircraft will fly "hands off" down the glide slope. This is vital to a good flare and landing.
2. Keep you eyes on the landing point until just short of the threshold (altitude about 50 feet) and then raise your eyes to the far end of the runway - from now on look forward to an aiming point on the centre line but in the far distance.
3. As you raise your eyes is about the time to close the throttle (depends on aircraft) completely, and gently round out so that you are flying the aircraft towards where you are looking - i.e.horizontally a foot or so above the surface.
4. From now on all you are trying to do is keep the aircraft in level flight - to do this you will need to increase the angle of attack as speed (and hence lift) bleed off - by pulling back on the yoke (or stick) - gently.
5. Keep pulling back (smoothly) as the aircraft tries to touchdown - if you overdo it then sightly relax the pressure on the yoke - the nose will keep rising and the visual cues come from your peripheral vision - but do not look sideways - keep looking at the far distance. You will get the feeling of the ground rising up around you.
6. Eventually your efforts will be in vain (as lift is lost) and the aircraft will settle onto the ground (with stall warner starting to wail).
A good way of getting the right landing "picture" is to sit in the aircraft whilst someone else pushes the tail own to lift the nose (if possible in your a/c) into the touchdown attitude. This is the picture you want when landing.
Hope this helps