Descent into Stanstead.

[fyrefli]

Originally Posted by Rickenbacker69

Is there a gravel pit at the end of the runway at Stansted or something? I'm a glider pilot, and the general feeling was that we moved right out of a thermal and into its accompanying huge sink on the downwind side. Only the ground is usually a little further away when I do this myself .

As pax I'm familiar with the feeling described above by Rickenbacker69 - this is the sort of time, normally somewhere near cloudbase when it's post cold-frontal, and I sit and enjoy working out where the thermal activity is while some of the other SLF grip their seats (and buttocks!) a bit more tightly

From a gliding perspective, looking at Google Earth, the approach to runway 23 doesn't have anything like that (although you'd be wary of the buildings if there were a significant Southerly component). The approach to runway 05 looks like you'd treat it with some additional caution if the true wind had a lot of North in it.

Disclaimer: I'm answering a specific question from the point of view of someone used to planning outlandings in unfamiliar terrain and assessing likely turbulence. I've never flown into Stansted and am not trying to say what it could be like as pilot of a commercial airliner.

[WHBM]

If you want to trace back your flight and look at the altitudes it was maintaining, look here :

http://stn.webtrak-lochard.com/template/index.html

I am guessing you will find it was perfectly normal.

[Nicholas49]

This thread is clearly going to get personal now that the "R" word has been mentioned.

[Atishoo]

My Husband flew out of Stansted on an Ezy flt 10 days ago to Malaga. He is a great flyer, far better than me, the plane could be diving outta the sky, he wouldnt flinch. But he said the landing in Malaga was worst ever. He flies loads.

He said the descent was fine cloudless skies lovely and smooth but as they came in to touch down it was like the elastic band snapped and the plane fell onto the runway with such a bump it nearly wobbled him out of his seat LOL He said everyone in the cabin just looked at each other with open mouths, but the run down the runway was fine and they came to a safe stop. !!

I was just wondering, is it sort of like learner drivers with the Pilots? in that obviously they have to get experience at landings, but are some just either much worse drivers as others, or maybe could it have been the Pilots 1st landing or first few landings, does experience make a differnce as to how smooth it can be??

[Final 3 Greens]

I was just wondering, is it sort of like learner drivers with the Pilots? in that obviously they have to get experience at landings, but are some just either much worse drivers as others, or maybe could it have been the Pilots 1st landing or first few landings, does experience make a differnce as to how smooth it can be??

Some of them are very bad drivers indeed, but when they get experience they do get better, because if they land badly the cabin crew really beat them up after the passengers have left the aeroplane.

One young first office was hospitalised as a result of doing a heavy landing recently.

[Nicholas49]

Careful Atishoo, you're on vvvvvvery thin ice now.

[Flapping_Madly]

This reminded me of a very hard landing at Luton many years ago on Monarch.

I was surprised that the pilot came on the speakers and said ,IIRC, " Sorry about that folks it was a bit bumpy but I do like to stick 'em firmly on the ground"

Made most people on board laugh.

[Atishoo]

Why am i on thin ice?????????

I thought it was a valid enough question without being offensive wasnt it?

[TightSlot]

Atishoo - ref thin ice...

Pilots tend, understandably in my view, to be a little sensitive about criticism of their landings by non-flying others. One of the first pieces of advice I pass on to new-hire Cabin Crew is never to pass comment after the event: On the wrong day, or at the wrong time, the results can be a little frosty to say the least.

Here are a few points that may help you:

• A good approach doesn't always result in a soft touchdown, neither does a poor approach gaurantee a hard one. Sometimes, the last 10 feet just melt away and it gets planted - that's the nature of the beast.
• Perception of the 'hardness' of a touchdown can vary by aircraft type and by where you are sitting on that aircraft.
• Some aircraft (often with bigger wings) can be more prone to 'soft' touchdowns. Some aircraft (e.g. 767) may have landing gear configurations that don't help greasers.
• Under certain circumstances (e.g. runway length, obstructions, overrun obstacles, surface condition) a 'hard' touchdown is the best way to put the aircraft down. Aircraft are very strong and can cope with some serious abuse.
• Busy airfields with a line of traffic waiting to land may request a turn-off the runway as soon as possible, resulting in braking that may appear harder than necessary.
• Experience improves everything, but no pilot is allowed to land an aircraft without having proved exhaustively in the sim that He/She can do so already: Both customers and airframes are expensive things to break, so airlines try hard not to do so.

[answer=42]

A few months ago I was on a 737-3/4/500 (can't remember exactly) into LGW. Stinking cross-winds, gusting right down to the ground.

Lovely landing.

Captain Nigel comes on the passenger address system: (cue plummy accent) 'I think you would all like to join me in thanking First Officer (insert name here) for a fine landing in rather challenging conditions.'

Thanks to both.