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Old 9th Jul 2003, 19:40
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FlyingForFun

Why do it if it's not fun?
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
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It's always nice to be accurate, but it doesn't have to be the numbers you touch down on - as long as the runway is long enough, you can choose any point.

When using runway 25 at White Waltham, I usually try to touch down on the intersection with 21. This gives me plenty of space before my intended touch-down point to round out and flare, and more than enough runway to stop on. It's also, IMHO, safer than landing on the numbers in this particular case - the approach brings you in over a housing estate, and if you aim for the numbers in anything other than a glide and the engine quits, you could do some nasty damage.

As for actually being able to land on the numbers, I'd like to claim I could do it regularly, but in reality it's very rare. Much easier with a good short-field approach technique - slower and flatter than normal, with a bit of power to counteract the drag - but this type of approach isn't suitable unless there's a good clear area before the start of the runway. If we use runway 11 at White Waltham I sometimes do this just for the practice, since the approach is almost completely clear, although I hate to think what could happen if the engine dies and leaves me on the railway line at the wrong time so I don't do it regularly.

FFF
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