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Old 2nd Jul 2010, 08:09
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Fuji Abound
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: UK
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180 hrs on type would give you a CPL. And you should be on the way to an Instructors rating by now also.
Your question indicates to me that maybe flying is not for you.
Don't mean to be hard on you but if you don't know the answer to your question after 180 hrs, you probably never will.
What a complete load of rubbish.

There is nothing more satisfying that the perfect landing; The ability to hold the aircraft just above the runway until it finally settles, and if it is a nose wheel, to hold off the nose wheel for as long as possible until that too has no choice but to land.

This translates into having a sense of where the aircraft "is" in the final phase of the approach. After a few thousand hours I still dont have any idea (in terms of precise feet and inches) but I know when it is right and I know when it is not. I have got a pretty good feel if it is going to be a greaser and I aim for maybe 90% to meet this criteria.

It is subtle. Fly a different type or take a few months off and you can still make a good landing but you know it isnt a perfect landing.

If you have never done so fly with someone who can consistantly land really well to set a bench mark. After that you will just know when you have performed a greaser. To start with it may not happen every time but you will get better and you will know you are getting better.

I am not sure you will ever know how many feet and inches you are off the runway, but you will know if the height and speed is correct which is all that matters.

Hope that helps.

(Just seen your post and edited to add: one of the best ways I have found of improving your landing is go find a really long runway, and spend a happy hour in the circuit; make sure you try really hard each landing to nail the approach speed, have a look at flying a few different approach speeds as well (obvioulsy within the limits of the POH), bearing in mind if it is just you in the aircraft with fuel say to tabs you will be very light, then make sure you resist landing for as long as possible. You may find the first few times you float for what seems like ever (make sure the runway really is long enough) but it is surprising how much that will develop your feel for where the aircraft is relative to the runway.)

Last edited by Fuji Abound; 2nd Jul 2010 at 08:22.
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