You're right, it is a combination of both......with no conscious transition between the two. That makes it hard to explain and teach,
I teach accurate height judgement by using three methods.
(1) I explain exactly what we are going to do before each lesson and the first part of the lesson I fly the airplane and have the student observe while I verbalize exactly what I am seeing during the latter part of the aproach, flare , hold off and touch down.
(2) I then have the student fly the approach and landing and verbalize the exact height above the surface from 100 feet to the flare....at flare height I say flare....then during the hold off period I verbalize the exact height to touch down.
(3) To ensure the student really is getting the picture I video these lessons and after the flight put the video on a TV and play it back...I give the student a laser pen and at various stages of the approach and landing I freeze the picture and ask them to put the laser dot where they were looking and ask them what they were seeing.
It has been the best method of training that I ever found and works like a charm.
In fact they learn so fast that to make more money I then take them back up and we do it all over again..... inverted.
