Landing an airliner; one hand or both on the yoke/control column?
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Landing an airliner; one hand or both on the yoke/control column?
I'm starting to get the hang of landing the aircraft I now fly but a recent comment by someone has thrown a spanner in the works.
Until now I have been putting my left hand on the control column after reaching idle thrust but just before touching down. I do find the ailerons quite heavy on the aircraft and thus far achieve much more controlled landings two handed than my attempts maintaining left hand on the thrust levers.
Of course, we don't have reverse thrust to use but will I find the transition to another type with reverse thrust difficult because I am used to landing two handed? I never used to land light aircraft with two hands.
Watching the skippers I fly with most seem to do as I do - maybe I copied them when I was new on type - but just because they do it doesn't necessarily mean its right.
Maybe I just need to work out more!
Until now I have been putting my left hand on the control column after reaching idle thrust but just before touching down. I do find the ailerons quite heavy on the aircraft and thus far achieve much more controlled landings two handed than my attempts maintaining left hand on the thrust levers.
Of course, we don't have reverse thrust to use but will I find the transition to another type with reverse thrust difficult because I am used to landing two handed? I never used to land light aircraft with two hands.
Watching the skippers I fly with most seem to do as I do - maybe I copied them when I was new on type - but just because they do it doesn't necessarily mean its right.
Maybe I just need to work out more!
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Until now I have been putting my left hand on the control column after reaching idle thrust
When I moved from left to right on going from turboprop command to jet FO I found I struggled for a while to be smooth with flying approaches with my right hand, when it got a bit complicated in the sim I'd revert to a bit of left hand to help out....it sorted itself out after a few weeks when the motor skills caught up with the new way round...then when I went from right back to left there was a bit of the same thing... I was much smoother with the "normal" hand... again it sorted itself out.
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The other problem you have is what about the late go-around?
FADEC may save you from burning up the engines, but its no replacement for being ready for a go around no matter the altitude. Hand on levers, other on the controls.
Engine failures are pretty damn rare as well. Should we not practice V1 cuts then?
Engine failures are pretty damn rare as well. Should we not practice V1 cuts then?
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Controlling the Landing
TPs and designers of your aircraft type will have done their best to make your controls a close compromise with the 'standard man' specifications.
It is expected that you will be the focal point for the input of all commands necessary for precise control under ALL circumstances during critical phases of manual command. YOU need to develop a comfortable and instinctive feel for the total behaviour of your aircraft within its manoeuverability and performance limits. Flight control and thrust are your essentials to deliver the desired result. Keep each actively in your grasp to enhance total feel and only relax on your link to thrust if you are content with a constant continuing power setting.
Excessive aileron control forces at low speed are unfortunate. If you find your one arm strength inadequate sometimes then you will be forced to briefly forego your link with thrust but be prepared to reestablish that link immediately if it becomes likely that you may need some. Experience will be the only way for you to learn where to instinctively place the emphasis
TPs and designers of your aircraft type will have done their best to make your controls a close compromise with the 'standard man' specifications.
It is expected that you will be the focal point for the input of all commands necessary for precise control under ALL circumstances during critical phases of manual command. YOU need to develop a comfortable and instinctive feel for the total behaviour of your aircraft within its manoeuverability and performance limits. Flight control and thrust are your essentials to deliver the desired result. Keep each actively in your grasp to enhance total feel and only relax on your link to thrust if you are content with a constant continuing power setting.
Excessive aileron control forces at low speed are unfortunate. If you find your one arm strength inadequate sometimes then you will be forced to briefly forego your link with thrust but be prepared to reestablish that link immediately if it becomes likely that you may need some. Experience will be the only way for you to learn where to instinctively place the emphasis
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It depends on the airliner you may fly one day, on an Airbus, there is only a small sidestick, our SOPs stipulate that one hand must be on the thrust levers and the other on the sidestick when the radio altimeter is alive. Not sure about Boeings.
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Engine failures are pretty damn rare as well. Should we not practice V1 cuts then?
I'm inclined to think that two hands are the only way on this aircraft type. Obviously this is not an issue with Airbus, but my aircraft type has an inverted 'W' yoke and at moderate aileron deflection an upwards movement of the forearm is required for further deflection which I find difficult. Whenever I have watched Captains land in strong gusty winds they land with both hands.
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From piper cub to space shuttle via Fighter jets, Airbus's, Boeings and Aythingtocomes, it is one hand on the stick/yoke and the other on the throttle/thrust lever, this from start of taxi until chocks on.
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hanging on
Wrong. One hand on the tiller for taxi out and at end of landing. I would imagine that the space shuttle has one hand on the ground steering system for landing rollout. I guess that both hands are used to hang on to something for the takeoff though.
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Got to agree with one hand on yolk and one hand on Power levers, always was this way and always will be. With my company the call at 65 knots is "Your Yolk" to the copilot, then left hand goes to the steering tiller.
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Those who fly monitored approaches have the NHP deploying reverse so we HAVE to remove our hand from the thrust levers once idle thrust is selected so the NHP can get their hand on them to select reverse.
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Can't see the point of hand on throttle/thrust lever in the space shuttle for landing - its a glider isn't it - and once your going you can't turn off the solid rocket boosters anyway!
Also, no point having hand on yoke while taxiiing as the gust lock is always engaged.
Also, no point having hand on yoke while taxiiing as the gust lock is always engaged.
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Someone, somewhere has to have their hands on the power levers when you land. It is traditional to land with idle power and unless a hand is on the lever holding them against the stop, how do you know that you have idle power? Question: Do you have arm rests on your seats? Because if you do and they are not correctly adjusted they may make your life more difficult than it needs to be.
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It gets somehow exciting when you look at someone flare and touchdown with 'both' hands, the hand which has power levers most of the time wants to have both the yoke and the power levers which makes the whole procedure look tedious, look to be on edge and somewhat with slightly raised adrenalin levels.
I vote for one hand on power levers and the other hand on control yoke.
I vote for one hand on power levers and the other hand on control yoke.
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Hello Mungo Man
What did they teach you in the sim? Bear in mind that if ever things do go pear-shaped one of the first things to be scrutinized will be whether the crew was getting up to some creative SOP's.
Anybody been taught anything other than one mitt on the volume-control? Be interesting to hear. (not talking about monitored approaches)
Regards,
Bug
What did they teach you in the sim? Bear in mind that if ever things do go pear-shaped one of the first things to be scrutinized will be whether the crew was getting up to some creative SOP's.
Anybody been taught anything other than one mitt on the volume-control? Be interesting to hear. (not talking about monitored approaches)
Regards,
Bug
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Also, no point having hand on yoke while taxiiing as the gust lock is always engaged.
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Okay, I may stand corrected, however, many aircraft I have flown you could not taxi with the gust locks engaged. On the all of the hydraulic power control aircraft I have flown there was no gust lock. (I know, old fart alert 
) With conventional landing geared (tail draggers) aircraft you had to be able to use the controls on the ground while taxing in strong winds, even in the DC-3.
Hum, come to think about, especially in the DC-3.
) With conventional landing geared (tail draggers) aircraft you had to be able to use the controls on the ground while taxing in strong winds, even in the DC-3.Hum, come to think about, especially in the DC-3.
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2 handed glider flying
Can't see the point of hand on throttle/thrust lever in the space shuttle for landing - its a glider isn't it
It most certainly is and in common with most gliders it has a control equivalent to a throttle and operated in the same sense - the AIR BRAKE. In the case of the Shuttle it's a split rudder, rather than spoilers on the wing. One hand on the stick, other on the airbrake.
Suggest you go and get a trial lesson in a K21 or similar, you'll get the idea in seconds.
Cheers,
TheOddOne