B737 landing on centerline
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: seoul
B737 landing on centerline
Hello~
I'm B737 FO and I have 1500hrs on type. I'd like to get some advice about my landing.
I have some difficulty to touchdown on centerline. I tend to touch on left of centerline.
A/C is on centerline when passing threshold but during flare it goes to left.
Some people said that I concerned to much about flare and power control so I missed centerline.
I've tried to fix the problem but I couldn't.
Please give me some advice.
Thank you for your help.
I'm B737 FO and I have 1500hrs on type. I'd like to get some advice about my landing.
I have some difficulty to touchdown on centerline. I tend to touch on left of centerline.
A/C is on centerline when passing threshold but during flare it goes to left.
Some people said that I concerned to much about flare and power control so I missed centerline.
I've tried to fix the problem but I couldn't.
Please give me some advice.
Thank you for your help.
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 4,507
Likes: 4
From: last time I looked I was still here.
A/C is on centerline when passing threshold but during flare it goes to left.
Firstly, no it doesn't. You let it or caused it. What is curious is that most F/O's err on landing right of centreline. The centreline is judged by it being right between your legs. Do Not try and offset it. You are sitting <1m from the centreline. You can not judge/assess any offset. I can guarantee that if you taxi the a/c or the captain taxis the a/c with the centreline between your legs, from either seat, you will be on the line.
You can see the centreline accurately from 200'agl. You come over the threshold at 50' and there is no doubt where the centreline is. It should be between your legs. it is your job to keep it there. If you drift off it can be slight left aileron; although that would be strange as you are flying with your right hand and that would mean lifting your hand. A more natural tendency is to pull down, not up. After 1500hrs you should not be nudging the rudders. If this is a frequent error then I assume it's not due to wind.
It's a concentration issue to maintain the centreline during the flare. You mention too much thought about the flare & power. Power is easy as it is idle, but then the nose wants to fall. That's controlled by elevator, as is flare. It's a coordinated controlled combination of elevator & aileron dictated by your eyes.
You say you've tried to fix the problem? How? It's not complicated, but maybe you are making it so.
Firstly, no it doesn't. You let it or caused it. What is curious is that most F/O's err on landing right of centreline. The centreline is judged by it being right between your legs. Do Not try and offset it. You are sitting <1m from the centreline. You can not judge/assess any offset. I can guarantee that if you taxi the a/c or the captain taxis the a/c with the centreline between your legs, from either seat, you will be on the line.
You can see the centreline accurately from 200'agl. You come over the threshold at 50' and there is no doubt where the centreline is. It should be between your legs. it is your job to keep it there. If you drift off it can be slight left aileron; although that would be strange as you are flying with your right hand and that would mean lifting your hand. A more natural tendency is to pull down, not up. After 1500hrs you should not be nudging the rudders. If this is a frequent error then I assume it's not due to wind.
It's a concentration issue to maintain the centreline during the flare. You mention too much thought about the flare & power. Power is easy as it is idle, but then the nose wants to fall. That's controlled by elevator, as is flare. It's a coordinated controlled combination of elevator & aileron dictated by your eyes.
You say you've tried to fix the problem? How? It's not complicated, but maybe you are making it so.
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,337
Likes: 1
From: Sunrise Senior Living
June,
You could be applying left aileron as you pull back on the yoke to flare. I have seen this before when the seating position is not correct. Make sure you are sitting in the right place.
mcdhu
You could be applying left aileron as you pull back on the yoke to flare. I have seen this before when the seating position is not correct. Make sure you are sitting in the right place.
mcdhu
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 141
Likes: 0
From: USA
June, you have 1500 hours in type, so that would be about 750 touchdowns. You most likely would get about half or something just short of 400 impacts. Now through in something over 40 simulator affairs and you now have a lot of experience. By now you should be getting all most all on the centerline. What is the problem, could be a whole combination of seat height, where are you looking, arm rest, no arm rest, etc... I'd start with seat height, I've seen lots of pilots just sitting to low. Then, where are you looking during the flare? Hopefully still looking toward the end of the runway and horizon. Have had a few who started looking right over the nose and could not pick up the left or right drift.
The 73 is a great airplane and easy of fly, maybe you are overthinking the problem.
The 73 is a great airplane and easy of fly, maybe you are overthinking the problem.
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 613
Likes: 1
From: London
..with the centreline between your legs, from either seat, you will be on the line
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 285
Likes: 1
From: bkk
RAT 5, What you say is correct whenever the crosswind is insignificant, however if you use this method on any large jet when there a significant crosswind, and especially if there is a wet runway surface, you risk sliding the main gear off the pavement....In this case your flight deck should be upwind of the center line.
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1
Likes: 1
From: Yes.
A/C is on centerline when passing threshold but during flare it goes to left.
Firstly, no it doesn't. You let it or caused it. What is curious is that most F/O's err on landing right of centreline. The centreline is judged by it being right between your legs. Do Not try and offset it. You are sitting <1m from the centreline. You can not judge/assess any offset. I can guarantee that if you taxi the a/c or the captain taxis the a/c with the centreline between your legs, from either seat, you will be on the line.
You can see the centreline accurately from 200'agl. You come over the threshold at 50' and there is no doubt where the centreline is. It should be between your legs. it is your job to keep it there. If you drift off it can be slight left aileron; although that would be strange as you are flying with your right hand and that would mean lifting your hand. A more natural tendency is to pull down, not up. After 1500hrs you should not be nudging the rudders. If this is a frequent error then I assume it's not due to wind.
It's a concentration issue to maintain the centreline during the flare. You mention too much thought about the flare & power. Power is easy as it is idle, but then the nose wants to fall. That's controlled by elevator, as is flare. It's a coordinated controlled combination of elevator & aileron dictated by your eyes.
You say you've tried to fix the problem? How? It's not complicated, but maybe you are making it so.
Firstly, no it doesn't. You let it or caused it. What is curious is that most F/O's err on landing right of centreline. The centreline is judged by it being right between your legs. Do Not try and offset it. You are sitting <1m from the centreline. You can not judge/assess any offset. I can guarantee that if you taxi the a/c or the captain taxis the a/c with the centreline between your legs, from either seat, you will be on the line.
You can see the centreline accurately from 200'agl. You come over the threshold at 50' and there is no doubt where the centreline is. It should be between your legs. it is your job to keep it there. If you drift off it can be slight left aileron; although that would be strange as you are flying with your right hand and that would mean lifting your hand. A more natural tendency is to pull down, not up. After 1500hrs you should not be nudging the rudders. If this is a frequent error then I assume it's not due to wind.
It's a concentration issue to maintain the centreline during the flare. You mention too much thought about the flare & power. Power is easy as it is idle, but then the nose wants to fall. That's controlled by elevator, as is flare. It's a coordinated controlled combination of elevator & aileron dictated by your eyes.
You say you've tried to fix the problem? How? It's not complicated, but maybe you are making it so.
if you are unable to "nail the centreline" you are therefore not in full control of the aircraft. Might sound like a wizeguy statement but it is true.
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 4,507
Likes: 4
From: last time I looked I was still here.
You sure about that?
Yes I am sure about that on a B737. Regarding the crosswind and cockpit offset, that is a given and was not a scenario included in the June737's question.
Yes I am sure about that on a B737. Regarding the crosswind and cockpit offset, that is a given and was not a scenario included in the June737's question.
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 438
Likes: 13
From: Australia
The arm rest position is a matter of personal preference. Some check pilots insist you use the arm rests. They are wrong as everyone has personal preferences and what is good for one pilot may be distracting for another. Personally I never use the arm rests until cruise flight as they distract me especially when hand flying the approach and landing
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: Kopavogur
on B737, the centerline is actually aligned with your right leg when sitting left, and the left leg when sitting right when taxying. That is exactly nosewheel on centerline, so Dan Brown is correct.
to keep,things simple really during the landing, centerline between legs is fine too and gives some leeway.
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 936
Likes: 67
From: USA
well...
on B737, the centerline is actually aligned with your right leg when sitting left, and the left leg when sitting right when taxying. That is exactly nosewheel on centerline, so Dan Brown is correct.
to keep,things simple really during the landing, centerline between legs is fine too and gives some leeway.
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 4,507
Likes: 4
From: last time I looked I was still here.
Oh please. I'm not into nitpicking. Get a life. I used to fly with a captain who flew takeoffs with dung, dung, dung, dung.....i.e. hitting all the centreline lights. You think that's a good idea. If the outside of the left nose wheel touches the outside of the paint on the right side of the centreline, then I'm satisfied I'm on the centreline. I've watched too any F/O's, in sim & a/c, who try to line up the centreline with their left knee. They are at least 2m minimum, often worse, off the centreline right side. KISS.
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: Belgium
Oh please. I'm not into nitpicking. Get a life. I used to fly with a captain who flew takeoffs with dung, dung, dung, dung.....i.e. hitting all the centreline lights. You think that's a good idea. If the outside of the left nose wheel touches the outside of the paint on the right side of the centreline, then I'm satisfied I'm on the centreline. I've watched too any F/O's, in sim & a/c, who try to line up the centreline with their left knee. They are at least 2m minimum, often worse, off the centreline right side. KISS.
In the simulator, every observer sees the exact same image when looking out of the front window. So if the nosewheel is positioned exactly on the centerline both pilots will see the centerline running between their legs.
In the real aircraft the captain and FO don’t see the same image. If the nosewheel is on centerline the capt will be positioned slightly left and the FO slightly right. That means that if an FO uses his normal technique of landing with the centerline touching his left leg in the simulator, you as the captain will also see it going through your left leg. So it will look to you as if he landed way right of centerline while from his perspective everything looks normal.
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 4,507
Likes: 4
From: last time I looked I was still here.
After 14 years on type, B737, I proved the point. I let the F/O taxi onto a self manoeuvring stand, once I'd lined him up approximately 100m from the stop line. I then said put the centre line of the lead in line between his legs. Now go outside and look. The line was within the extremities of the twin nose wheels. Crossing the threshold, and in the flare, you are looking a long way down the runway and still quite a distance from touchdown. IMHO there is no way, in such a narrow flight deck, you can judge the offset distance between the centre of your seat and your left knee or centre pedestal. Forget the sim, I spent years of short sectors, therefore many demonstration, where F/O's tried your technique and landed with the left main wheels on the centreline, at best.
We'll have to agree to disagree, but I can't change the facts of 1000's of sectors.
We'll have to agree to disagree, but I can't change the facts of 1000's of sectors.
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 936
Likes: 67
From: USA
Well, he said "exactly." When someone does that about a fact of geometry that's only true approximately, I sense it like a disturbance in the force... as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror.
If he was as "exact" as me, the centerline lights would be going between the twin nosewheels and there would be no bumps. 
(And, back to the serious side, what does this have to do with the 737 specifically? I find it so weird when I see a question that goes "on the 737/A320..." and it's about something that applies equally to any airplane. I can't think of any examples right now, but I see them all the time on this board.)
(And, back to the serious side, what does this have to do with the 737 specifically? I find it so weird when I see a question that goes "on the 737/A320..." and it's about something that applies equally to any airplane. I can't think of any examples right now, but I see them all the time on this board.)
Last edited by Vessbot; 27th April 2018 at 17:52.
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,486
Likes: 8
From: The No Transgression Zone
Well, he said "exactly." When someone does that about a fact of geometry that's only true approximately, I sense it like a disturbance in the force... as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror.
If he was as "exact" as me, the centerline lights would be going between the twin nosewheels and there would be no bumps.
(And, back to the serious side, what does this have to do with the 737 specifically? I find it so weird when I see a question that goes "on the 737/A320" and it's about something that applies equally to any airplane. I can't think of any examples right now, but I see them all the time on this board.)
If he was as "exact" as me, the centerline lights would be going between the twin nosewheels and there would be no bumps.
(And, back to the serious side, what does this have to do with the 737 specifically? I find it so weird when I see a question that goes "on the 737/A320" and it's about something that applies equally to any airplane. I can't think of any examples right now, but I see them all the time on this board.)
