There is more than one way to skin a cat. But before we go on to skin another cat, answer this one, was the landing OK? If it was just firm, that will do just fine as long as it was in the right place at the right speed.
For a 172, I used to muck about a fair but on crosswinds but eventually settled for a standard, drift corrected approach and shortly before landing used to apply aileron onto wind and a squeeze of rudder to maintain the centreline. This should mean that the aircraft is banked slightly into wind. Then when flaring, keep bank the applied as you land the first wheel and the aircraft tracking correctly with the rudder. Eventually the other main wheel will land followed by the nose. Just take your time and fly the speeds. From recollection a typical approach speed was something like (43 x 1.3 + 1/2 wind) which would have given you a speed of just under 65 kts. But the the secret is to look out of the window. That will give you all the clues you need for tracking and flaring.
Don't mess about with flaps and throwing the nosewheel on the ground. If you have allowed the aircraft to land properly and hold the ailerons into wind you'll find it just won't want to fly.
PM
Last edited by Piltdown Man; 20th September 2011 at 18:46.
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