No flare, what do you do (or say)?
 

This one has happened to me on a number of occasions now. I've had quite a bit of advice from my mates, but what do you all think?


Regards
Exeng

"I have control" - might be a bit more difficult though if you're in the right hand seat.......

White Knight and Exeng: regardless of which seat, it is your job to say or do something. I Suggest some height callouts from the radar altimeter, reach for the controls (the flying pilot will see this out of the corner of their eye and flare)or take the controls as a last resort. Even if you're not the Captain, you were hired as a future Captain, use your leadership skills. You can always apologize later and explain it seemed they were distracted and that you thought you were about to die from spinal compression.

"Sinkrate!"

- Usually gets everyone´s attention and gets to the point.

[This message has been edited by wonderbusdriver (edited 13 April 2001).]

With no feedback on Mr Airbus's sidestick and the fairly late flare on a 320 by the time you realise flaring would just rotate the main wheels in harder , so I suppose the best thing to say is "standard set"!

Not sure about your question. If you are the Captain then an discussion after the event is not only advisable but necessary. If you are the First Officer then it is extremely difficult and not much point anyway. You don't carry the responsibility for any damage done (assuming the landing was very hard). What would you be hoping to achieve? In either event I presume from your question that due to no flare the landing was hard in which case it is too late to say anything to prevent it happening.

On a medium/large jet there is very little flare as the approach angle is already around 2 degrees nose up at typical approach weights. Its the rate of descent at the final moments that I believe helps you arrive in some style or embarrasment as the case maybe. The type I fly will strike the tail at a smudge over 7 degress nose up and a high nose attitude grabs the attention as much as no decerniable flare. If you try to be too clever I find you either 'drop off the step' with a thump or you eat up masses of very valuable runway at a fast rate. Get it down in the right spot a knot or two above the bug and it should be a good day in toytown!