How do you land?

[GearDoor]

Just had a discussion with a colleague at work yesterday about landing with two hands vs. one hand on the control column. It's a habit for me to close the power levers during the flare, land with two hands, land the nosewheel, then go back to the power levers for beta/reverse.

My reasoning is that once you go to idle thrust/power, and are less than 10 ft from the runway, you are commited to landing and a go around should only be attempted in the most dire of consequences.

His reasoning is that you should have a hand on the power levers in case of a go around and to control the power for a smooth landing. However, I've seen people burn up 1/2 of a 5000 ft runway trying to make a smooth landing (in a 28,000 lb aircraft). My thinking is unless you doing a soft-field landing or landing a floatplane, there is no need to have a hand on the power lever, unless it is personal preference.

Any comments from anyone whether you fly large, small, jet, turboprop, or piston? Do the airlines teach any specific method in training, excluding Airbus operators? (Because it would be awkward to have both hands on a sidestick)

CM

[slam_dunk]

suggest to land with one hand on the throttle(s) and one hand on the yoke !
I've been doing it this way for about 22 years now and it still works !:ok:
Usely control forces are not that great that you need 2 hands.

[Quidnunc]

Our company SOP (for737) is:

Close thrust levers, both hands back on yoke, P2 selects reverse.

Definitely not commited to landing until Thrust Reverse is deployed. There is no prob going around from low level - on a cat 3 approch with nothing seen at 50ft Rad Alt you'll probably touch the runway during G/A.

[alexban]

I've met two situations when keeping one hand on the throthles made the diference: at LHR I was instructed by the tower to go around,just at wheel spin,due to a check car wrongly entering the active rwy ,and the second,on landing on a contaminated rwy,with strong crosswind,we had cornering forces and only chance to stay on the rwy was to modulate the reversers,without delay.(on a 737)
So,if it's ok with you,keep one hand on the throthles,it could save your :mad:

:ok:

[Celtic Frog]

Also depends on aircraft type. Some aircraft get very aileron sluggish at low speeds, and combined with turbulence in the flare you may need two hands...also depending on shape of control column; for example; the "ramshorn" style as on the Embraers.

[druglord]

What about with power? Do people land with power? I've heard some people say it's a cardinal sin. I fly in the dash's a lot and they almost always land with power. My technique is bringing it down to ref over the numbers and then generally I don't touch the power, or take just a bit out. Seems to give pretty smooth touchdowns cf. to those who pull it all out suddenly over the numbers....high sink rates, ballooning, etc.

[Anti Skid On]

Agree with you Celtic Frog - Seneca's are another example where the ailerons just disappear on flare, definately need two hands there.

Power - sometimes needed if you flare too early to arrest that bump!

[b777pilot]

i can only imagine a situation where both hands would be on the yoke...that is if the a/c is certified for an Autothrottle app and landing. as in the B777.

other than that, the reversers are most efficient at speeds, so it can be argued that two-three seconds were lost if your hand was not deploying the reversers as the main gears touched.

and i supposed the same logic could be applied if you were to execute a rejected landing......

all the a/c's i have flown required one hand on each. surprise to hear that on the B737 really. never flew it though. only the 727.

[Tinstaafl]

Did my IR in a Seneca 1 & years later taught in Seneca 3s. Never found any need for two hands on the column.

My money is on one hand throttle(s), one hand column.

[Dogma]

Two hands on the yoke! Absolute piffel, on anything other than maybe the An 225. One hand on the yoke, one on the thrust/power levers; thus enabling you to be in total control of your aircraft in the even of a bounce, windshear, or runway obstruction.

Please, good airmanship dictates one on each!
:ok:

[GearDoor]

Thanks for everyone's responses. I expected a more even split, but I got the answer that I needed.

GearDoor

[White Knight]

It has to be said that the Airbus 319 through to 340 make it very difficult to get both hands on the stick - unless you want to twist your body and grip your stick hand with the other hand;) ;)