Chuck,
I don’t think instructors bother teaching students where to look ahead during the final approach and round-out. Cessna tail-draggers probably blocked more of the view than most others from their stable. I was always taught to look to the left of the nose, not over it. I teach the same technique and find that it encourages the full round-out rather than the level pitch attitude I find common with some students.
During final the student should be encouraged to scan height, direction and speed. Achieved by scanning the aiming point, far end of the runway and of course the ASI. Once over the fence the ASI can be ignored. By scanning the aim point and the far end a better appreciation of height and direction is achieved. A student who scans only the aiming point will almost certainly round-out too high when confronted with a wide runway if he/she has trained solely on narrow strips! That student will also have difficulty with drift in crosswind landings.
DFC,
I agree. Accurate speed control will precede a good landing and 1.3 Vso (adjusted for gusts) is the only approach speed that works. Below fifty feet speed should be reduced to the stall. Ground effect will come into play and assist with the reduction in ROD. If not, power always works.
Tacpot,
As you suggest: Golden rule #1 never, ever, release back-pressure during the round-out!
Elsewhere in this forum is a thread on ‘point and power’ technique that deals with controlling airspeed with power and aim point with elevator. This technique works fine on the front side of the drag curve or the ‘area of positive command’. However once the aircraft is established at a speed below VminD or the back side of the drag curve the aircraft is in an ‘area of reverse command’ and airspeed should be controlled with elevator and ROD with power. Perhaps the ‘point and power’ technique is a factor in these accidents.