Flare question?
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2011
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From: USA
Flare question?
Hello, I am new here but I think I am in the right forum. I am flying the 737-800 and experimenting a bit with my flare technique. What I would like to know from my fellow pilots is EXACTLY when do you shift your eye gaze from the touch down markers to the end of the runway, 50 feet 100 feet, 200? To me it seems looking at the end of the runway when the radio altimeter says '100' ends up with the ac a little high since you naturally raise the nose when you raise your eyes. Thanks for your replies. I am very curious to see what others are doing?
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From: 45 yards from a tropical beach
...then smoothly reduce thrust, remembering that the thrust reduction will cause the nose to drop, so compensate with a tad of back pressure on the elevators, which should ensure a smooth touchdown, as you look at the far end of the runway.
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: I wouldn't know.
There is some good advise in FCOM chapter 6.10. Doesn't hurt to re-read it from time to time.
As mentioned above around 50' shift your focus to the end of the runway, somewhere between 20 and 30' start your flare and slowly start to reduce thrust. Ideally you reach idle at main gear touch down. Don't just chop it, that is a pretty sure way to produce less than ideal results especially with low experience on type. Don't be too slow either and don't flare too long, that will just use up a lot of perfectly usable runway.
As mentioned above around 50' shift your focus to the end of the runway, somewhere between 20 and 30' start your flare and slowly start to reduce thrust. Ideally you reach idle at main gear touch down. Don't just chop it, that is a pretty sure way to produce less than ideal results especially with low experience on type. Don't be too slow either and don't flare too long, that will just use up a lot of perfectly usable runway.
Joined: Aug 2011
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From: There...
Approximately 30-50'
Quote from FCTM:
When the threshold passes under the airplane nose and out of sight, shift the visual
sighting point to the far end of the runway. Shifting the visual sighting point assists
in controlling the pitch attitude during the flare. Maintaining a constant airspeed
and descent rate assists in determining the flare point. Initiate the flare when the
main gear is approximately 20 feet above the runway by increasing pitch attitude
approximately 2° - 3°. This slows the rate of descent.
Quote from FCTM:
When the threshold passes under the airplane nose and out of sight, shift the visual
sighting point to the far end of the runway. Shifting the visual sighting point assists
in controlling the pitch attitude during the flare. Maintaining a constant airspeed
and descent rate assists in determining the flare point. Initiate the flare when the
main gear is approximately 20 feet above the runway by increasing pitch attitude
approximately 2° - 3°. This slows the rate of descent.
Longtimelurker
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From: killington Vt
J1402, I agree with most of what is written here. However your comment about going high at 100 feet is true and should be prevented by the pilot. That's you my friend , fly the a/c don't let it fly you and for sure you will get nice landings. 
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2011
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From: USA
Thanks for the responses
Hello all and thank you for the thoughtful responses. As I mentioned in the previous post I have experimented with the sight picture during approach and landing. When the boss is landing -I am a lowly FO 
. I have tried looking at the end of the runway from 100 feet and 200 feet. Makes for a very funny sight picture if you are not used to it! Eye shift at 50 feet is what I have been doing and works well for me. Something one of my captains said made me wonder if a technique of sighting the runway a bit higher would be helpful in max crosswinds and other difficult approaches? Yes, I will continue to stick to the FOM recommended procedure and thanks for looking that up. Great forum and I appreciate the help. Very interesting to hear what works for others.
. I have tried looking at the end of the runway from 100 feet and 200 feet. Makes for a very funny sight picture if you are not used to it! Eye shift at 50 feet is what I have been doing and works well for me. Something one of my captains said made me wonder if a technique of sighting the runway a bit higher would be helpful in max crosswinds and other difficult approaches? Yes, I will continue to stick to the FOM recommended procedure and thanks for looking that up. Great forum and I appreciate the help. Very interesting to hear what works for others.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2011
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From: USA
Not experimenting but considering different techniques
I think I misspoke. I was considering different techniques that work well for different pilots. A great captain I recently flew with told me this was his technique and I hadn't heard anyone else using this site picture. Thanks for your reply.
Last edited by J1402; 13th August 2011 at 18:47.
Joined: Jun 2000
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From: Australia
start your flare and slowly start to reduce thrust.
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From: Wanderlust
Important thing is proper flare and not the thrust. Proper flare is substantially reduction in the rate of descent from say 700ft/mt to about 300 to 400ft/mt(to be assessed visually). After that thrust should be closed and before touch down a little more reduction. If speed is VLS or little less you need more pressure on the yoke to achieve that that's all, no need to keep thrust.
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From: UK
Are you and your company happy with your landings as they are? If you're touching down within the required TDZ and they're not overly hard then I wouldn't over think it. Finesse will come with time and practice. Sometimes if you over analyse everything and allow your brain to get in the way, it introduces problems that weren't necessarily there before.
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From: Nirvana..HAHA..just kidding but,if you can tell me where it is!
J1402,
You don't know what you've started,coming on Pprune,and asking for advice like this..
This thread could run for weeks,even months......
Just remember the old saying about skinning a cat,and be amused by the rich and varied response,as the wheel is reinvented!
Sound of hurried footsteps,as I grab my tin hat and head for the shelter...........
You don't know what you've started,coming on Pprune,and asking for advice like this..
This thread could run for weeks,even months......
Just remember the old saying about skinning a cat,and be amused by the rich and varied response,as the wheel is reinvented!
Sound of hurried footsteps,as I grab my tin hat and head for the shelter...........
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 265
Likes: 164
From: Sunnydale
J1402,
You don't know what you've started,coming on Pprune,and asking for advice like this..
This thread could run for weeks,even months......
Just remember the old saying about skinning a cat,and be amused by the rich and varied response,as the wheel is reinvented!
Sound of hurried footsteps,as I grab my tin hat and head for the shelter...........
You don't know what you've started,coming on Pprune,and asking for advice like this..
This thread could run for weeks,even months......
Just remember the old saying about skinning a cat,and be amused by the rich and varied response,as the wheel is reinvented!
Sound of hurried footsteps,as I grab my tin hat and head for the shelter...........
wot ee sed guvna
