PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Flat landings/PPL examiners
View Single Post
Old 4th Sep 2002, 12:52
  #44 (permalink)  
Charlie Foxtrot India
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,131
Received 28 Likes on 10 Posts
Glad to hear it went better on your last flight!

s_s is right about lowering the nosewheel onto the runway; if you remember back to the straight and level brief, there is a nose-down turning moment caused by the lift-weight couple, which is why we have a tailplane (or stabilator in the case of the Warrior). As the lift decreases in the landing, and the lower airspeed causes less effectiveness in the stabilator to counteract this, the nose will come down on it's own. No need to release the back pressure, doing so could cause damage to the noswheel and lead to "wheelbarrowing". As you apply power in the touch and go, increasing airspeed and the slipstream effect makes the tailplane more effective, only then should you adjust the back pressure for the correct attitude for take off.

While keeping "eyes up" and centreline under the nose of course!

And I agree that doing a few approaches in a tailwheel will really improve your landing skills!

As for the threshold speed...well that's not a great time to be looking at the ASI, this is the stage where you should be focussing "up". An approach at 75 kts is all very well, and may increase controllability in gusty winds, but just means you will float further while washing off the speed. Fine if you have oodles of runway, not fine if you are trying to land on a short strip say <600m. Have a look at the performance tables in the POH, then see if you can land in those distances with a faster approach speed than recommended.

Good luck!
Charlie Foxtrot India is offline