Bounce, bounce, bounce
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Bounce, bounce, bounce
Had a nasty scare today on my third solo flight in Cessna 172.
Wind was light variable NW-SW.
My instructor mentioned before take-off that previous student had encountered one unusual low thermal which caused sudden upward pitch and veering to right shortly before touchdown on rwy 32.
After completing four or five touch and gos with instructor on rwy 32 and another three or four on rwy 21 (nothing out of the ordinary in landings which I thought ranged from not bad to good), instructor let me go solo for one final circuit on rwy 21.
No problems on circuit but I crossed the threshold a touch fast at 68knots. I applied flare as usual but had a hard landing. Aircraft bounced a couple of feet and then bounced again, and again, the third time probably about eight feet. Fourth bounce was not as high and I managed to keep the plane on the ground after that but had to brake sharply as I was quickly running out of runway.
I pulled up quite shaken, but not as shaken as my poor instructor who had watched all this.
He told me he thought I was coming in a bit fast and that he had noticed the plane's tail had suddenly lifted causing a more nose-down attitude just before touchdown. This could have been caused by a thermal. He agreed a go-around was not an option after the first bounce.
My reaction to the first bounce was to pull back the stick, but it is possible I might not have kept it fully back throughout. I was quite amazed how easily the Cessna bounced (ballooned) and how difficult it was to control and keep on the ground.
This was by far my worst experience as a student pilot so far, but I do want to learn from it. I am flying again on Friday and hope to get my confidence back.
Any advice, suggestions gratefully accepted.
Wind was light variable NW-SW.
My instructor mentioned before take-off that previous student had encountered one unusual low thermal which caused sudden upward pitch and veering to right shortly before touchdown on rwy 32.
After completing four or five touch and gos with instructor on rwy 32 and another three or four on rwy 21 (nothing out of the ordinary in landings which I thought ranged from not bad to good), instructor let me go solo for one final circuit on rwy 21.
No problems on circuit but I crossed the threshold a touch fast at 68knots. I applied flare as usual but had a hard landing. Aircraft bounced a couple of feet and then bounced again, and again, the third time probably about eight feet. Fourth bounce was not as high and I managed to keep the plane on the ground after that but had to brake sharply as I was quickly running out of runway.
I pulled up quite shaken, but not as shaken as my poor instructor who had watched all this.
He told me he thought I was coming in a bit fast and that he had noticed the plane's tail had suddenly lifted causing a more nose-down attitude just before touchdown. This could have been caused by a thermal. He agreed a go-around was not an option after the first bounce.
My reaction to the first bounce was to pull back the stick, but it is possible I might not have kept it fully back throughout. I was quite amazed how easily the Cessna bounced (ballooned) and how difficult it was to control and keep on the ground.
This was by far my worst experience as a student pilot so far, but I do want to learn from it. I am flying again on Friday and hope to get my confidence back.
Any advice, suggestions gratefully accepted.
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AD,
These things can happen! Am sure you will be soon back in the groove.
Surprised to read that your instructor reckoned that there was no room for a G/A after the first bounce.
The best remedy for a bounce or balloon is usually a G/A.
Can you elaborate?
FD
These things can happen! Am sure you will be soon back in the groove.
Surprised to read that your instructor reckoned that there was no room for a G/A after the first bounce.
The best remedy for a bounce or balloon is usually a G/A.
Can you elaborate?
FD
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FD,
Thanks for the encouragement.
I guess G/A was not an option because first bounce was only a couple of feet? It just got progressively worse from there.
AD
Thanks for the encouragement.
I guess G/A was not an option because first bounce was only a couple of feet? It just got progressively worse from there.
AD
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Airdog,
afraid you're probably going to have to wait for another couple of hundred hours or so for every landing to be a corker.
Don't worry about, you're inexperienced and you're learning. It will get better and it will get easier.
afraid you're probably going to have to wait for another couple of hundred hours or so for every landing to be a corker.
Don't worry about, you're inexperienced and you're learning. It will get better and it will get easier.
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172's will do that every time if you are a bit fast. Either that or they'll float forever. They just wanna keep flying....... Keep the numbers right and they will reward you tho.
Why do it if it's not fun?
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Strafer, I have a couple of hundred hours, and I promise you that every landing is not a corker for me. Don't know how long it takes to get to that point, but from speaking to some far more experienced pilots than me, I'd guess the answer is never!
I agree with FD, though - it's very hard to conceive of a situation where you can't go around, even after the wheels have touched. I've done it myself, many times. The only thing I can think of would be if there were obstacles at the end of the field, but I can't believe that would be the case at a field that's used for training.
Have a chat with your instructor, and ask him why he thought a go around wouldn't have been appropriate. And don't worry about the odd bounced landing.
FFF
---------------
I agree with FD, though - it's very hard to conceive of a situation where you can't go around, even after the wheels have touched. I've done it myself, many times. The only thing I can think of would be if there were obstacles at the end of the field, but I can't believe that would be the case at a field that's used for training.
Have a chat with your instructor, and ask him why he thought a go around wouldn't have been appropriate. And don't worry about the odd bounced landing.
FFF
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That's 172's for you! They can be very twitchy if you are too fast, or have any x-wind. It really should have been a go around after the first bounce. I can't see why it would not be an option. It is a classic Cessna accident to wipe the nose wheel off on the third or fourth bounce. Seen it happen a couple of times, and it is not pretty!
Not sure I buy the 'thermal' theory though. More likely to be pilot induced, especially at the stage of your training. You did the right thing in not pushing forward after the bounce/float however. That invariably would lead to a loss of nose wheel.
Chin up and get back into it straight away. It's only a minor issue and practise is the only thing to cure it.
One little tip, when approaching the flare, make sure you are looking at the horizon, physically lift your head up, it allows your peripheral vision to work and it is much easier to judge vertical rates of descent.
Good luck!
Not sure I buy the 'thermal' theory though. More likely to be pilot induced, especially at the stage of your training. You did the right thing in not pushing forward after the bounce/float however. That invariably would lead to a loss of nose wheel.
Chin up and get back into it straight away. It's only a minor issue and practise is the only thing to cure it.
One little tip, when approaching the flare, make sure you are looking at the horizon, physically lift your head up, it allows your peripheral vision to work and it is much easier to judge vertical rates of descent.
Good luck!
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Airdog - sounds like you got caught out a bit, which is not unknown for pretty well any pilot. Good to hear that you're OK - as others have said already, a 172 can be a bit of a sod if you're carrying too much speed (=energy) into the flare. The sprung undercarriage will also reward an excessive sink rate onto the runway with a nice bouncy landing!
Just a word of caution - not trying to teach you to suck eggs here, but may be worth getting an engineer to do heavy landing checks on the aircraft, just in case there is some latent damage on the aircraft. Just would wish to avoid the person after you (or someone in a few weeks time) having a nosegear collapse as a result of undiscovered problems from today. I was a group owner in a PA28 that had a buckled firewall discovered on a C of A check, with no reported heavy landings in the log. That had 2 concerns - one was, there couldn't be an insurance claim to cover the repairs as no-one owned up to it, secondly, there had been a real risk of a nosegear collapse in the intervening period.
Good luck - it'll come in the end (I've been saying that for the last 175 hrs - I still manage to pull off some shocking landingson occasions!!
).
Just a word of caution - not trying to teach you to suck eggs here, but may be worth getting an engineer to do heavy landing checks on the aircraft, just in case there is some latent damage on the aircraft. Just would wish to avoid the person after you (or someone in a few weeks time) having a nosegear collapse as a result of undiscovered problems from today. I was a group owner in a PA28 that had a buckled firewall discovered on a C of A check, with no reported heavy landings in the log. That had 2 concerns - one was, there couldn't be an insurance claim to cover the repairs as no-one owned up to it, secondly, there had been a real risk of a nosegear collapse in the intervening period.
Good luck - it'll come in the end (I've been saying that for the last 175 hrs - I still manage to pull off some shocking landingson occasions!!
).
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There's a mindset thing ... on occasion I've caught myself thinking "I've decided to land" and stopped thinking about going around. (Eg when floating sideways towards the edge of the runway.) Almost always wrong. During the sequence you describe the pilot shouldn't have reached this stage - he should always have had going around as a live option.
I have occasionally suprised an instructor by going around from a landing he thinks I could have rescued(*) - maybe I could, maybe I couldn't, but a go-around is never wrong when training and a go-around is never wrong on the test. (That's what I've always been taught anyway, any of the examiners here like to confirm?) And professional pilots on other forums say from time to time that a go-around is never wrong in a 747 with hundreds of paying passengers in the back.
(*) When in a new aircraft I've taken to practising a go-around from one of the first iffy approaches even though I'm quite sure the landing could be rescued. Even better, I suppose, would be to practice in the air first, so as not to try out the pitch change with full throtle and full flaps a few feet above the ground ...
I have occasionally suprised an instructor by going around from a landing he thinks I could have rescued(*) - maybe I could, maybe I couldn't, but a go-around is never wrong when training and a go-around is never wrong on the test. (That's what I've always been taught anyway, any of the examiners here like to confirm?) And professional pilots on other forums say from time to time that a go-around is never wrong in a 747 with hundreds of paying passengers in the back.
(*) When in a new aircraft I've taken to practising a go-around from one of the first iffy approaches even though I'm quite sure the landing could be rescued. Even better, I suppose, would be to practice in the air first, so as not to try out the pitch change with full throtle and full flaps a few feet above the ground ...
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Nobody will say anything disparaging to you if you go around, least of all your instructor. If on a solo session you did go around, then we'll talk about why in the de-brief, but will always end it by saying well done, better safe than sorry.
If however you continue an unstable approach and knacker the a/c.........
An old and wise instructor said to me once "makes sure you let them know that each approach is for a go around NOT a landing, it's amazing how much more relaxed people are on the approach if they know they are going to go around! That way if they do have to do it, then it doesn't come as a surprise."
I'll add my bit to that, a nice stable, in control approach is far more likely to end in a well judged landing. Therefore if you are a bit behind the a/c bu**er off and try it again!!
Gertrude is correct in that you won't fail for a go around, unless you do one on every approach!
Looking at your location, are you at Parafield? If so who's your instructor? When the heat builds up there you can get all sorts of fun and games coming in on 21 over the road, but it usually sorts itself out by the time you reach the threshold.
At Parafield there is no problem with obstacles on any runway and with the shortest being 952m there is no problem going around at any time, even if you have bounced it.
If however you continue an unstable approach and knacker the a/c.........
An old and wise instructor said to me once "makes sure you let them know that each approach is for a go around NOT a landing, it's amazing how much more relaxed people are on the approach if they know they are going to go around! That way if they do have to do it, then it doesn't come as a surprise."
I'll add my bit to that, a nice stable, in control approach is far more likely to end in a well judged landing. Therefore if you are a bit behind the a/c bu**er off and try it again!!
Gertrude is correct in that you won't fail for a go around, unless you do one on every approach!
Looking at your location, are you at Parafield? If so who's your instructor? When the heat builds up there you can get all sorts of fun and games coming in on 21 over the road, but it usually sorts itself out by the time you reach the threshold.
At Parafield there is no problem with obstacles on any runway and with the shortest being 952m there is no problem going around at any time, even if you have bounced it.
Last edited by Say again s l o w l y; 23rd Oct 2003 at 00:21.
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I've had an experience like this lately and it _really_ knocked my confidence, more than I thought it could possibly have. I am now going around in a moment's discomfort all the time, but don't consider this to be a problem as going around saved my nose wheel when it happened to me, I expect. I have my PPL and am sure that a bit more unchallenging solo flying will get rid of the jitters.
I know little more than you, I'm sure, having just switched to the 172 after the nice easy 152 and only having a few hours on it, but have thought a bit about things that go wrong. What I understand to be the case is that because the 172 has relatively large wings/control surfaces for the size of 'plane it is, it responds more dramatically to slight misjudgments, especially if there's a crosswind or erratic wind speed/direction. Also, this means that control pressures have to be quite forceful to work (especially on a go-around...
).
The two things that seem guaranteed to create that viscious bouncing are a) as stated, coming in with too much energy; most people I speak to say this straight away and that you should come in as slow as you think is safe and b) flaring too low (or not at all...) in an attempt to stop that interminable float that you can get in these circumstances!
I think you were probably quite lucky to escape with the nosewheel intact, once that pattern of bounces is set up it's really difficult to salvage. Going around and trying again has to be the best option unless there is a really bad obstacle problem. If you want to chat about this, send me a PM, because I too could use any input or advice.
I know little more than you, I'm sure, having just switched to the 172 after the nice easy 152 and only having a few hours on it, but have thought a bit about things that go wrong. What I understand to be the case is that because the 172 has relatively large wings/control surfaces for the size of 'plane it is, it responds more dramatically to slight misjudgments, especially if there's a crosswind or erratic wind speed/direction. Also, this means that control pressures have to be quite forceful to work (especially on a go-around...
). The two things that seem guaranteed to create that viscious bouncing are a) as stated, coming in with too much energy; most people I speak to say this straight away and that you should come in as slow as you think is safe and b) flaring too low (or not at all...) in an attempt to stop that interminable float that you can get in these circumstances!
I think you were probably quite lucky to escape with the nosewheel intact, once that pattern of bounces is set up it's really difficult to salvage. Going around and trying again has to be the best option unless there is a really bad obstacle problem. If you want to chat about this, send me a PM, because I too could use any input or advice.
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Airdog,
Sounds like you inadvertently tried to land the plane before it was ready, and a succession of bounces turned into a balloon. This means you still had flying speed whilst on the ground.
Try to imagine preventing a plane from landing during the flare by gradually increasing back pressure to keep the aircraft aloft. You need the mains close to the ground (within say a foot or so, but not touching). Eventually, the wings will give up and you will settle on the mains.
Maintaining back pressure through the roll-out will ensure max drag (to continue the slowing-down process) and will keep the nosewheel off the ground until it, too, settles of its own accord.
Ask your instructor to demonstrate. Above all, do not try to force a 172 to land if it doesn't want to...it will balloon and/or land on the nosewheel, both of which are undesirable.
Perservere, have another go, don't despair & remember to enjoy yourself!
Oz is a nice place to fly, done a bit there myself.
Sounds like you inadvertently tried to land the plane before it was ready, and a succession of bounces turned into a balloon. This means you still had flying speed whilst on the ground.
Try to imagine preventing a plane from landing during the flare by gradually increasing back pressure to keep the aircraft aloft. You need the mains close to the ground (within say a foot or so, but not touching). Eventually, the wings will give up and you will settle on the mains.
Maintaining back pressure through the roll-out will ensure max drag (to continue the slowing-down process) and will keep the nosewheel off the ground until it, too, settles of its own accord.
Ask your instructor to demonstrate. Above all, do not try to force a 172 to land if it doesn't want to...it will balloon and/or land on the nosewheel, both of which are undesirable.
Perservere, have another go, don't despair & remember to enjoy yourself!
Oz is a nice place to fly, done a bit there myself.
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Sounds like the perfect landing to me, I don't know what you're fussing about 
If the 172 does bounce a bit, it'll then slow down, so maintain back pressure and add a touch of power to cushion the resultant drop back to the runway. I've spent many hours perfecting this technique
Cheers
EA
If the 172 does bounce a bit, it'll then slow down, so maintain back pressure and add a touch of power to cushion the resultant drop back to the runway. I've spent many hours perfecting this technique
Cheers
EA
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During my training I was with an instructor who believed people should be allowed to make mistakes, therefore learn from them.
Anyway I made a silly one, I rounded out far too high, and I was very slow and high and flaring like mad to prevent high rate of descent…..sure enough that sinking feeling came, just as I punched in full throttle. Keeping the nose high to protect the nose wheel I descended onto the runway with full power on. I bounced off the runway off the MLG, on the return it launched me a few feet into the air and I was off on the go around, no harm to the aircraft. In a bounce you can recover and go around.
You can get out of potentially really nasty situations (such as high and slow) without much experience as long as you follow the go around procedure. Once you have a bit more experience you will be able to fix botched approaches/ landings. For now if it is looking bad, just bin it and G/A.
Good luck,
Tom.
Anyway I made a silly one, I rounded out far too high, and I was very slow and high and flaring like mad to prevent high rate of descent…..sure enough that sinking feeling came, just as I punched in full throttle. Keeping the nose high to protect the nose wheel I descended onto the runway with full power on. I bounced off the runway off the MLG, on the return it launched me a few feet into the air and I was off on the go around, no harm to the aircraft. In a bounce you can recover and go around.
You can get out of potentially really nasty situations (such as high and slow) without much experience as long as you follow the go around procedure. Once you have a bit more experience you will be able to fix botched approaches/ landings. For now if it is looking bad, just bin it and G/A.
Good luck,
Tom.
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I agree - as everyone else has said, if [ever] in doubt, go around!
It is a question of attitude: I used to think of G/A as a kind of failure... but if you think of it as what it is, a safety option, then you might not feel so bad about doing G/A.
When I take carb-heat off on short-short final (say 200') I am remeinded that this is the reason why we take the carb-heat off: so that we can go around with full power available. So if you think about it at that stage then you should be in the right mind-set, i.e. "ok, carb-heat off, able to go-around, all looks good, continue..." type thing.
Sometimes I suppose people may be embarrassed to go around with passengers aboard. As others have said, even 747 captains have to do this sometimes! I have had to go around with pax on board several times - having imagined this would alarm people, I haven't found it to be so. I keep up a constant patter on the intercom as I land anyway, so they'll hear me say e.g. "turning final, 600', crosswind seems to be xxx, PUF check, carb-heat off... going around - don't worry folks, no problem, just need to go around due to [whatever]" (usually seems to happen when I have misjudged the base turn, or due to poor spacing from the runway on d/wind, ending up too close / too high on final.. I find I am particularly prone to this when trying to do the constant-aspect approach required at RAF Benson - must book some practice )
Anyway, I think g/a is much less alarming to pax (or instructor!) than a bounce!
Don't worry mate, stick with it and get back in the saddle ASAP.
Best,
Andy
It is a question of attitude: I used to think of G/A as a kind of failure... but if you think of it as what it is, a safety option, then you might not feel so bad about doing G/A.
When I take carb-heat off on short-short final (say 200') I am remeinded that this is the reason why we take the carb-heat off: so that we can go around with full power available. So if you think about it at that stage then you should be in the right mind-set, i.e. "ok, carb-heat off, able to go-around, all looks good, continue..." type thing.
Sometimes I suppose people may be embarrassed to go around with passengers aboard. As others have said, even 747 captains have to do this sometimes! I have had to go around with pax on board several times - having imagined this would alarm people, I haven't found it to be so. I keep up a constant patter on the intercom as I land anyway, so they'll hear me say e.g. "turning final, 600', crosswind seems to be xxx, PUF check, carb-heat off... going around - don't worry folks, no problem, just need to go around due to [whatever]" (usually seems to happen when I have misjudged the base turn, or due to poor spacing from the runway on d/wind, ending up too close / too high on final.. I find I am particularly prone to this when trying to do the constant-aspect approach required at RAF Benson - must book some practice
)Anyway, I think g/a is much less alarming to pax (or instructor!) than a bounce!
Don't worry mate, stick with it and get back in the saddle ASAP.
Best,
Andy
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AD,
You wrote:
Indeed and that is 99% of the time what will happen.
At this stage in the game the best thing to do on a bounce/balloon is to initiate a G/A there and then.
To rescue a landing once you are in the bounce/balloon requires more skill than going around and setting yourself up for another go at it with a clean sheet of paper.
Again have a chat with your instructor and do what others (as FFF) have suggested. Do some G/As from some different scenarios and see how things go.
Once you get to know the bird a bit better you will get the feeling on how to use power/attitude to your advantage so that you can rescue a bounce/balloon too.
Have fun.
FD
You wrote:
I guess G/A was not an option because first bounce was only a couple of feet? It just got progressively worse from there
At this stage in the game the best thing to do on a bounce/balloon is to initiate a G/A there and then.
To rescue a landing once you are in the bounce/balloon requires more skill than going around and setting yourself up for another go at it with a clean sheet of paper.
Again have a chat with your instructor and do what others (as FFF) have suggested. Do some G/As from some different scenarios and see how things go.
Once you get to know the bird a bit better you will get the feeling on how to use power/attitude to your advantage so that you can rescue a bounce/balloon too.
Have fun.
FD
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AD & Penguina
I'm sure everyone has been there. My best? Bouncing experience was on my 1st solo. I was in the CCF so a youngster of 16, with very little experience, in a motor glider, with the engine turned off - so a G/A was NOT an option!
Due to the altimeter sticking on the downwind leg I got too low. When I realised I then over corrected but cut too much off on base and became too high on finals. So, as I now realise the start of the problem was, I came in too fast and high.
So tried I to get it to land as soon as I could and of course bounced on the grass. I then achieved, as I found out later, textbook PIO (Pilot Induced Oscillation). Each time I went up, I pushed the stick forward to stop the climb, then pulled back for England on the way down again - I think I got in 5 or 6 bounces.
I sat there at the end, having lost half a pound in sweat in 30 seconds, to be met by my instructor with a big smile saying it happens to the best of them and don't worry! (Or put it another way, that was the end of my training, as the course I was on was only to 1st solo, so he didn't care as I hadn't broken the a/c or me
)
Looking back, I would definitely agree the best option if the approach or landing isn’t right is to go around. I also later found about about PIO. So I also suggest you also look up/ chat with your instructor about PIO, to understand the causes and how to overcome it, if you can’t go around! I wouldn't call myself the world's expert on this now. I think, like most people, I have learn't it with experience, but also understanding more about it does help.
Have fun!
D&O
I'm sure everyone has been there. My best? Bouncing experience was on my 1st solo. I was in the CCF so a youngster of 16, with very little experience, in a motor glider, with the engine turned off - so a G/A was NOT an option!
Due to the altimeter sticking on the downwind leg I got too low. When I realised I then over corrected but cut too much off on base and became too high on finals. So, as I now realise the start of the problem was, I came in too fast and high.
So tried I to get it to land as soon as I could and of course bounced on the grass. I then achieved, as I found out later, textbook PIO (Pilot Induced Oscillation). Each time I went up, I pushed the stick forward to stop the climb, then pulled back for England on the way down again - I think I got in 5 or 6 bounces.
I sat there at the end, having lost half a pound in sweat in 30 seconds, to be met by my instructor with a big smile saying it happens to the best of them and don't worry! (Or put it another way, that was the end of my training, as the course I was on was only to 1st solo, so he didn't care as I hadn't broken the a/c or me
) Looking back, I would definitely agree the best option if the approach or landing isn’t right is to go around. I also later found about about PIO. So I also suggest you also look up/ chat with your instructor about PIO, to understand the causes and how to overcome it, if you can’t go around! I wouldn't call myself the world's expert on this now. I think, like most people, I have learn't it with experience, but also understanding more about it does help.
Have fun!
D&O
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Sincere thanks to all for the expert advice and encouragement.
It is clear from all the input, and on further reflection, that I should have done a G/A. Wrongly, my mindset was "Get this bird down'' not "It's not looking good - time for a G/A". Things happened very quickly though and I guess after that first bounce I did not have the presence of mind to think G/A.
This was my fault as my instructor did remind me before stepping out of the plane of the go-around option. I certainly will be talking to him further about G/As and pilot induced oscilation. It seems that particularly in the 172, where the bounce/baloon can so quickly get out of control, that you should be ahead of the game and thinking about a G/A.
SAS: Airfield was not Parafield. but Aldinga, south of Adelaide. No problems with obstacles but because of the close proximity of the Willunga Hill wind and thermals can be tricky, as they were on day in question. Instruction there has been excellent.
Tomorrow I intend to talk further with my instructor about what happened and how I should have reacted. And I hope to be practising G/As.
It is clear from all the input, and on further reflection, that I should have done a G/A. Wrongly, my mindset was "Get this bird down'' not "It's not looking good - time for a G/A". Things happened very quickly though and I guess after that first bounce I did not have the presence of mind to think G/A.
This was my fault as my instructor did remind me before stepping out of the plane of the go-around option. I certainly will be talking to him further about G/As and pilot induced oscilation. It seems that particularly in the 172, where the bounce/baloon can so quickly get out of control, that you should be ahead of the game and thinking about a G/A.
SAS: Airfield was not Parafield. but Aldinga, south of Adelaide. No problems with obstacles but because of the close proximity of the Willunga Hill wind and thermals can be tricky, as they were on day in question. Instruction there has been excellent.
Tomorrow I intend to talk further with my instructor about what happened and how I should have reacted. And I hope to be practising G/As.
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Airdog,
As already mentioned you can go around from any height with everything hanging out. Just make the right actions instinctive: full power (don't snap it open), drag flaps up, carb heat cold, establish best climb speed, check positive rate of climb above 200' AAL, remaining flaps up. All in that order (check your PoH for differences).
Drill, drill, drill, drill, drill, drill, drill, drill, drill!
I had to go-around recently as the plane showed signs of an incipient stall about 10' above the runway. I didn't think about it or analyse it, just hit the throttle as soon as the doubt showed itself. Post analysis suggested that my threshold speed was too low...a very stupid mistake on my part
Whatever you do, as soon as the approach does not go to plan, don't try to reason with the situation, just get the damn thing flying again
Good luck with the remainder of your training
HWD.
As already mentioned you can go around from any height with everything hanging out. Just make the right actions instinctive: full power (don't snap it open), drag flaps up, carb heat cold, establish best climb speed, check positive rate of climb above 200' AAL, remaining flaps up. All in that order (check your PoH for differences).
Drill, drill, drill, drill, drill, drill, drill, drill, drill!
I had to go-around recently as the plane showed signs of an incipient stall about 10' above the runway. I didn't think about it or analyse it, just hit the throttle as soon as the doubt showed itself. Post analysis suggested that my threshold speed was too low...a very stupid mistake on my part
Whatever you do, as soon as the approach does not go to plan, don't try to reason with the situation, just get the damn thing flying again
Good luck with the remainder of your training
HWD.
Why do it if it's not fun?
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Airdog,
I'm still curious as to why your instructor would say that a go-around wasn't an option. I'd be very interested if you could ask him, and post his reply.
(And if anyone still needs any convincing on this subject, which I don't think they do, I saw a tv program a while back about aircraft carriers. Apparently, for a carrier landing, it's normal to apply power for every landing. If your arrester hooks have caught the wires, then you'll stay on the deck, but they always assume that they've missed their target. And, from a personal point of view, the most recent time I didn't go around when I should have done it cost me £500 in repair bills, and put the aircraft out of action for three months.)
FFF
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I'm still curious as to why your instructor would say that a go-around wasn't an option. I'd be very interested if you could ask him, and post his reply.
(And if anyone still needs any convincing on this subject, which I don't think they do, I saw a tv program a while back about aircraft carriers. Apparently, for a carrier landing, it's normal to apply power for every landing. If your arrester hooks have caught the wires, then you'll stay on the deck, but they always assume that they've missed their target. And, from a personal point of view, the most recent time I didn't go around when I should have done it cost me £500 in repair bills, and put the aircraft out of action for three months.)
FFF
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