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Old 11th Jun 2015, 09:28
  #109 (permalink)  
hikoushi
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: B.F.E.
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Indeed look out the window. Watch your aiming point, and keep it stationary in the windshield. The old "non-moving point" technique of aiming a visual final approach. Subconsciously you will also be maintaining your pitch relationship with the horizon as well, and scanning airspeed and vertical rate. This will keep you squared into the glide path. PAPI and electronic GS etc will back you up.

As we cross the airport fence and get towards ground effect (say 100 ish feet or so for a widebody), your scan goes entirely outside. No point micromanaging the speed and rate at this point, if it gets wonky at this point you'll feel it in your arse before it shows up on the gauges anyway. It's time to focus entirely outside.

Entirely personal technique, but I keep the aiming point until I first start to think about flaring (maybe 50 - 70 feet or so). I then transition focus to about 2/3rds down the runway and let my eyes soft-focus just a little to bring in more visual field. When my eyes start to "feel" the sinking motion, the flare begins. When deep in the flare and "settling in", I let my eyes go out closer to the horizon for the last fine tune.

Then, when the airplane calls out "3,3,3,3" and I realize it's a floater, I just close both eyes and wait. At impact, open them and look out again, roll the nose over a couple degrees, crack reverse and pull back again to keep the weight of the airplane "on the wing" until the second bogie snaps down, honk in a fistfull of reverse and keep the backpressure coming. Aim to run out of elevator right as the nose touches the ground. Should be around 80 knots ish.

Makes landing a 330 feel just like my PPL-era attempts at Cessna 172 soft-field landings (questionable and mixed). The French designed a nice-feeling airplane (well during the last 8 seconds of the flight at least). Gets you stopped nice and short, too.

I swear the trick is to close your eyes and pray at the 5-foot call.
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