PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Short field landing problems- anyone help?
Old 16th September 1999 | 16:33
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BANGRATTLERATTLERATTLETHUMP !!!!!!!!! Don't you love airfields with the deckchairs out on the grass set up facing the runway ??

The basis of consistent good short field landings is being able to do consistent normal distance ones and adapting the technique. Its good to practise SF ones during the low TT stage of learning to become aware of the principles involved, just don't hammer the aircraft trying to get the distance less and less. Get real good at normal ones first before trying to stop in 200m.

You can use the low and slow drive in, or the steep angle low power technique; it depends on the aircraft and your experience level.

I use a constant airspeed (throttle) and constant aimpoint (stick); constant = stabilised, for any type of landing, including both kinds of short fielder, although you get a better aimpoint perspective with a steep approach.
If you nail IAS and aimpoint control on any approach you won't bounce or float, but remember all speeds are gross weight dependant. A bounce or float means too much speed = energy, so if you nail IAS at 500' you'll be ok all the way to where you stop. The key is "the correct speed" not "any slow speed" (The slow speed -> stall/thump is more of a ricochet rather than a true bounce).
Make small quick corrections to airspeed and aimpoint, not big ones which cause damped pitch oscillations and an unstable approach with the acft feeling constantly out of trim. When its set the acft will just sit relatively stable all the way down final.
Shears, crosswind and gusts you ask ??? That's what the pilot's for..
In any case, pick an practise aimpoint 200m into the runway.

Doing a low slow one with a high lift/high drag wing and a low experience level and gusty conditions can get you in a low IAS, low height, up the wrong side of the drag curve situation and a real short heavy landing. If you do these types of approach then practise slow flight at height and get and stay very current on approach configuration full flap power on stalls. They are a means to get very short field landings but at the risk of having to hide the dead sheep or guide dog wrapped around a mainwheel. When you get a couple of hundred hours on type and a calm day have a go.
Some commercial aircraft at MGW would be nogo with these.

For a steep approach, set approach IAS at min drag (the bottom of the drag curve) +5kts, for the GW at the time (book min drag speed is usually quoted at MGW), reducing power to get rid of the 5 kts by flare height. A steep approach can mean too high a IAS, so next time a tad less power and/or less steep, till you like it. Remember power + attitude = performance. This technique takes more time to get used to so seems harder but is much better in the long run.
This technique can be limited in some aircraft that run out of backstick with full flap and forward CG.

What you want at the end of either approach is entering the flare with IAS reducing up the left side of the drag curve from min drag speed, power reducing to idle, height decreasing without float as you enter ground effect, and the aircraft feeling "dead" not ready to do a bounce or float, and all at the same time. (The true conasewers will hear the prop make a funny little sound too..) Boomp. Then throttle check closed, get directional control, stick back and brakes on.

On a dirt strip the rough stuff starts where the RWY surface stops - if you land 2m short you'll get bent gear and spars and bits of your reputation will stay there. You have some excuse if you fall into a new hole ON the runway !