Firefly Bob.
Your technique does not work!! I told myself how perfect my landing was going to be today, I visualised a nice stable approach, flaring, kicking off the drift and gently easing the into wind wheel onto the runway, quickly followed by the other main gear, and gentle flying the nose wheel onto the runway, all on the centre line and in the touchdown zone of course. Nowhere in my visualisation was the FIRM untidy landing that I managed to achieved!!
Air Rabbit, as a new 737 pilot I have to say your explanation is far too complex for me to try and think about at 50ft. I need it in very simple terms, and Pilot Pete’s explanation is easier for me to understand and remember when I'm landing.
PP and other 737NG pilots. My landings are sometimes (today for instance) a tad on the firm side and it seems it's because my speed decays in the flare, the aircraft runs out of energy and drops onto the runway. Should I be keeping my approach speed right up to the point that my wheels touch the runway and if so, should I be scanning the speed IN the flare? If that's the case should I also add thrust momentarily to maintain speed if it starts decaying before I touchdown? The FCTM does say that thrust should not be adjusted near to the ground. My guess is I shouldn’t get into that low speed situation in the first place, however all the time I’m scanning the speed up to the point when I’m looking completely outside, my speed is on target.
Obviously I’ll ask the pilots and trainers that I work with, but I'm off work for a few days and since I'm still sulking about my landing today it would be nice to hear 737NG pilots views.
Cheers.
SW