Originally Posted by Pace
Quote:
The most important thing is to keep flying the aircraft until it's below minimum flying speed.
Why would you want to be flying an aircraft above the runway waiting for the speed to drop below its minimum flying speed in strong, gusty winds with shear?
Originally Posted by BackPacker
Pace, i don't think that's what he meant. What I understood from the post is simple: After the plane has touched down (at whatever speed) the landing is not over. You should still apply proper control inputs until the aircraft has slowed down to well below minimum flying speed.
This.^^
Sorry for the confusion. That is exactly what I meant.
Originally Posted by Pace
I totally agree with what you say but am slightly concerned with some of the above?
Firstly one pilots impression of strong winds might not be anothers.
I have landed at Gatwick with winds 40 gusting 65 kts and the wind 20-30 degrees off.
In very high winds the biggest danger is shear and huge variations on the ASI
OK that was in a Citation! The 737 landing behind was one foot over planting his one wing into the runway.
Not the sort of conditions you would want to be holding ANYTHING OFF.
I have had similar sort of conditions at brize, Manchester and Dundee.
Ok not the sort of conditions that Joe Bloggs is likely to be flying around in a 172 but even that is possible!
There are occasions in light aircraft where you will want to plant it down, Where you wont want full flap if for nothing else than you dont want drag should you need instant speed.
I am purely highlighting the point that landing has nothing to do with stall and on occasions you may want to land quite a lot above the stall.
If I have misread the above my apologies to the Author.
True. The comment was intended to be taken in the context of landing a light a/c, esp the 172, in light crosswinds, as per the OP. Personally I've flown a 172 in 50+ kt winds. Was able to come to zero g/s on final. (It was smooth; no shear.) The most difficult part of operating this a/c in that wind is, of course, ground handling. The most crosswind I recall landing the 172 in was about 24. That was a zero-flap landing, and the nose was allowed down with the elevator in a slightly aft of neutral position, rather than the normal full aft. It was certainly a higher touchdown speed than normal; required because a higher rudder authority was needed than that available at normal landing speed.