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Old 22nd Jun 2008, 12:44
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Well, an aircraft will only land once it's done flying. That means that a good landing is a stalled one and a perfect landing is one where the wheels touch just before or right at the point where the stall happens.

So it sounds to me like you need to overcome your fear of flying and stalling with your wheels 1 feet or less above the ground. You've already acknowledged that problem so you're halfway there.

I'm not an instructor but here's a suggestion. With an instructor on board, obviously, and a long, into-the-wind runway fly as low above the runway as you dare, without touching. When running out of runway, add power and fly away. When this goes well, do it with landing flaps but again, don't touch. Keep plenty speed (80-90 knots should do in an average spamcan) but go as low as you dare without touching. Then, do the same thing. Keep plenty speed but as soon as you are established inches above the runway, let the instructor gradually pull the power while you keep the aircraft from touching the deck for as long as you can. Disregard the stall warner and at some point you'll notice that the aircraft is done flying and will put its wheels on the tarmac. You don't have to help it at all: during this exercise you never move the control column forward, only back. Once the main wheels touch, hold the control column where it is and you will see that the nosewheel will eventually lower itself too.

Do this a few times to get the proper feel, and only then start lowering your approach speed to POH values. With a lower approach speed the technique is exactly the same, only the flare will be shorter.
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