Question resulting from observation after watching the video (non pilot):
On this type/situation, would it be normal to lower the gear after setting a flap position other than up or before?
The reason for my question is that the flaps appeared to be stowed at the start of the vid, then from when they start moving, the runway is visible 29 seconds after, then touchdown at about 41 seconds...
How long does it take to get the gear down, locked and confirmed?
As pax, I have always noticed flaps being deployed before gear. (appearences only due to being in the back...) and in the vid it looks a tad... rushed
- Gear creates drag and drag requires power (fuel) to overcome,
- Aeroplane wings are designed to be efficient at high speed.
- The speed needed to fly with a clean (i.e. no flaps) wing is too high for landing.
So with those facts in mind wing high lift devices (flaps, slats, etc.) are used to allow the wing to generate sufficient lift at slower speeds.
The general procedure is to reduce speed at an appropriate distance from the runway extending flaps as required to facilitate that speed reduction. Gear is lowered, generally, at 1500' at the latest but often earlier. The final speed reduction and selection of landing flaps occurs shortly thereafter.
The last stages of flap create very high drag and are only used for landing. The aircraft I fly will give a warning if the last stages of flap are selected with the gear not down.
The large amount of drag created by landing flaps and gear down needs considerable power to overcome therefore gear and landing flaps are selected as late as is compatible with reducing speed and being in a stable approach configuration at a pre-determined height above the runway. Different airlines use different 'gates' but in my company the requirement is to be stable (there is a definition for stable) by 1,000'.
When I first joined my company we were shown an excellent video made by two trainers where they enacted a typical 'rushed approach'. It was very funny but an excellent teaching aid. The company had realised a long time ago how important it was to be stable on the approach to avoid just the very incident which started this thread.
There are many reasons to end up high and fast. Some can be caused by ATC restrictions or changes, some by pilot's lack of situational awareness. Whatever the reason jet aircraft take time and distance to slow down. The sin is not in ending up high and fast but pressing on despite the instability and not going around at a suitably early point.
The consequences in this case were mostly embarrassment and an airport closure but so often we see massive damage and loss of life which could so easily be avoided.