Pattern work, take offs and landings = FUN

eman1200

eman1200

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Bro do you even lift
first of all, what a blast I'm having, this is just so much fun!

This morning I did pattern work, take offs and landings, over and over, and my CFI says that's what we'll be doing for the next few lessons. I'd say I'm getting the takeoffs and pattern work, but from the minute I turn final, it's 90% him, 10% me, although he says I'm doing more than I think.

Anyone have any tips for improving approach and landings? I know I'll get it eventually, but any tips are appreciated.

Thanks!
 
Trim, trim, trim, trim, trim, trim.

Did I remember to say "trim?"

Getting the airspeed nailed is much more important than we might have thought before flight training.
 
A good landing comes from a good approach. Practice! Solidify your downwind to base, base to final, and the landings will clean themselves up. And more importantly, keep having fun
 
Every actual landing is different in some way, but you are best off being consisent from that abeam point to the top of final.
Right now that should be more important to you than making pretty landings... your chances of making pretty landings improve greatly if you are always "locked in" from the abeam point.
There are only a few variations to configuration at the abeam point, so you should know them well, and be consistent. Flaps, airspeed, descent rate, angle from the runway when you turn base, etc.
If you're having fun, though, you are definitely ahead of the game! :D
 
Don't look at where you want to land (precision landings come much later) when you are on final look at the end of the runway. Watch the "picture" when your CFI does it. I know it's hard to look at the end of the runway but it really does work...let the airplane meet the runway *gracefully* don't force her down. :)
 
The things that helps me are:

1) Know the performance of the airplane, and what altitudes, airspeeds, and flap settings you need to be at for a) downwind, b) abeam touchdown, c) base turn, d) middle of base leg, e)long final, f) short final / "over the fence".

2) Now that you know know these numbers, get a piece of paper, draw the runway, then draw "windows" at these points. Annotate each window it's information (Altitude and Airspeed). This helps you visualize what is needed at that point.

3) When flying, your goal is to fly through the center of that window, at the correct altitude, and dead on the airspeed.

As said before, trim, trim, trim. You're using the yoke and the trim to nail and keep the airspeed. Power adjustment is used to keep, gain, or lose altitude.

Visualize the window ahead of you. Are you going the pass through the center or are you too high or low? Correct as needed with power adjustment. Are you at the right airspeed or are you too slow or too fast? Correct as needed with a light touch forward or a light pull backward (finger pressure, no wrist, no bicep) and retrim.

Once you're over the runway, don't rush. Re-pitch to level and ease into your flare a the right height. Your in ground effect so it will take a second or two for your speed to bleed off and gravity overcomes the lift. Once you feel the slight sink in your butt, slowly ease back, increasing pitch as more speed bleeds off and you grease the landing.

Mostly... just relax.

If possible, advise your instructor that you're willing to spend the extra time and flying money to taxi back, take a moment in the run-up area to discuss that landing, and then take off for another.

We have discussed recently that this can be a more productive method than just immediately zooming off for another lap and trying to debrief over what was done wrong and right while in the middle of you climbing and turning and focusing attention on flying. Pausing to discuss permits you to focus on what the CFI has to say and for you to take a breath, gain your focus and apply what you just learned.
 
AggieMike88 said:
The things that helps me are:

1) Know the performance of the airplane, and what altitudes, airspeeds, and flap settings you need to be at for a) downwind, b) abeam touchdown, c) base turn, d) middle of base leg, e)long final, f) short final / "over the fence".

2) Now that you know know these numbers, get a piece of paper, draw the runway, then draw "windows" at these points. Annotate each window it's information (Altitude and Airspeed). This helps you visualize what is needed at that point.

3) When flying, your goal is to fly through the center of that window, at the correct altitude, and dead on the airspeed.

As said before, trim, trim, trim. You're using the yoke and the trim to nail and keep the airspeed. Power adjustment is used to keep, gain, or lose altitude.

Visualize the window ahead of you. Are you going the pass through the center or are you too high or low? Correct as needed with power adjustment. Are you at the right airspeed or are you too slow or too fast? Correct as needed with a light touch forward or a light pull backward (finger pressure, no wrist, no bicep) and retrim.

Once you're over the runway, don't rush. Re-pitch to level and ease into your flare a the right height. Your in ground effect so it will take a second or two for your speed to bleed off and gravity overcomes the lift. Once you feel the slight sink in your butt, slowly ease back, increasing pitch as more speed bleeds off and you grease the landing.

Mostly... just relax.

If possible, advise your instructor that you're willing to spend the extra time and flying money to taxi back, take a moment in the run-up area to discuss that landing, and then take off for another.

We have discussed recently that this can be a more productive method than just immediately zooming off for another lap and trying to debrief over what was done wrong and right while in the middle of you climbing and turning and focusing attention on flying. Pausing to discuss permits you to focus on what the CFI has to say and for you to take a breath, gain your focus and apply what you just learned.
Click to expand...


wow, that's good stuff, thanks! time for some chair flying!
 
Another easy to use tip...

Plant your left elbow on the armrest and don't move it.

Always use fingertip pressure to move the yoke. No shoulder, no bicep, very little wrist.

Death gripping will just cause to great of a change of pitch.

If you are death gripping, intertwine a pencil through your fingers, with the pencil over your middle finger. That will quickly break that habit (before it breaks your finger :D )
 
Most important and useful tip I ever got about landing was the plane will land itself when it's ready- you can't make it land! You'll learn through experience that airspeed determines how far you will float down the runway so if your approach is too fast, you'll just float longer and eat up more runway. If you try and make the plane land with too much speed, you'll bounce the landing because the plane is not ready to land( has not bled off enough airspeed yet!). Proper decent management comes into play too because if you're too high on approach you'll likely be carrying more speed on decent.

The flare part clicked for me when I realized that my job was to level the plane out over the runway and wait till it starts to settle to the runway. When you feel it settling, gently pull back more and more until the nose is in basically the same attitude as during the initial stages of a climb. All you are doing at that point in ensuring the main wheels hit first, which they will!

I loved pattern work during my training days and still enjoy practicing landings now even after my requisit training is behind me. I'm still learning new things each time around and will so forever I'm pretty sure.
 
AggieMike88 said:
If possible, advise your instructor that you're willing to spend the extra time and flying money to taxi back, take a moment in the run-up area to discuss that landing, and then take off for another.

We have discussed recently that this can be a more productive method than just immediately zooming off for another lap and trying to debrief over what was done wrong and right while in the middle of you climbing and turning and focusing attention on flying. Pausing to discuss permits you to focus on what the CFI has to say and for you to take a breath, gain your focus and apply what you just learned.
Click to expand...

Yes yes yes! I apparently missed that discussion, but I definitely concur. Touch and goes were prohibited at the airport where I learned to fly, so I got the chance to discuss the approach and landing without worrying about flying the airplane.

jspilot said:
Most important and useful tip I ever got about landing was the plane will land itself when it's ready- you can't make it land! You'll learn through experience that airspeed determines how far you will float down the runway so if your approach is too fast, you'll just float longer and eat up more runway. If you try and make the plane land with too much speed, you'll bounce the landing because the plane is not ready to land( has not bled off enough airspeed yet!). Proper decent management comes into play too because if you're too high on approach you'll likely be carrying more speed on decent.

The flare part clicked for me when I realized that my job was to level the plane out over the runway and wait till it starts to settle to the runway. When you feel it settling, gently pull back more and more until the nose is in basically the same attitude as during the initial stages of a climb. All you are doing at that point in ensuring the main wheels hit first, which they will!

I loved pattern work during my training days and still enjoy practicing landings now even after my requisit training is behind me. I'm still learning new things each time around and will so forever I'm pretty sure.
Click to expand...

Aaaaaand :yeahthat:. To the last bit as well. I really want to go up for some pattern work. Though my landings are perfectly safe, I still feel like they could use a little polishing after my almost 100 hours.
 
These are the two things that, once I understood them, greatly improved my landings:

  1. The flare is not a flare! From early on, I envisioned the "flare" as diving toward the ground and arresting my descent with a single pull of the yoke, after which all my airspeed should be gone and I'll touch down gently. My first instructor attempted to articulate the truth, but I had issues until I discovered that the "flare" should just be a gentle round-out.
  2. Airspeed is everything. I was, and still am, habitually too high and fast on final. If you nail your airspeeds, landing will be so much easier. Really focus on appropriate airspeed, and your landings will improve in leaps and bounds.
 
I had a hard time going slow enough on final. I felt like I had to be going way to slow, but was constantly being told to slow down. I finally said screw it and started going slower until my instructor said "watch your speed" and that turns out to be the perfect speed to approach. :)
 
eman1200 said:
first of all, what a blast I'm having, this is just so much fun!

This morning I did pattern work, take offs and landings, over and over, and my CFI says that's what we'll be doing for the next few lessons. I'd say I'm getting the takeoffs and pattern work, but from the minute I turn final, it's 90% him, 10% me, although he says I'm doing more than I think.

Anyone have any tips for improving approach and landings? I know I'll get it eventually, but any tips are appreciated.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Go to the airport, get a burger and a good watching spot and watch how landing looks from that aspect. Watch the patterns, the turns, the approach and the round-out to touchdown. Watch the rookies and the pros. The good and the...survivable!
Once you know what the aircraft controls do and see what the airplane is (supposed) to do you only have to practice making the two meet each other.
Cheap and fun.

Just my $.02 (Confederate)

Chris


Chris
 
JasonM said:
I had a hard time going slow enough on final. I felt like I had to be going way to slow, but was constantly being told to slow down. I finally said screw it and started going slower until my instructor said "watch your speed" and that turns out to be the perfect speed to approach. :)
Click to expand...

Maybe you need a way to tell how fast you're going.
 
Jaybird180 said:
Maybe you need a way to tell how fast you're going.
Click to expand...

I tried following cars, then trains. I found scooters go a little to slow and cause stalls. What else is there to judge my speed? Instructor said to keep my eyes outside. :dunno: :wink2:

I know what the speeds should be. I was only pointing out that it felt way to slow to me at first when I was at this point. I was forcing myself to go faster out of caution.
 
You are allowed to peek inside for reference. I doubt your instructor wants you outside 101% of the time. The ASI is required by 91.205 for VFR for a reason.
 
Use pitch for airspeed corrections
Use power for altitude corrections
Small gentle movements otherwise you overcorrect and then overcorrect your first overcorrection...you get the idea

As other have said, focus on airspeed.
Make the sight picture the same, ever time. Pick the same spot (numbers, 1000' markers, whatever you want just use the same one for all your landings at this point in your training) and drive at it.

When it comes time to flair, look aaaallllllll the way down the runway, pull back gently and feel the airplane, it will tell you when it wants to land. Too fast and you'll float/balloon. Just right the mains will touch down shortly after the flair. The best landings usually have a stall horn chirp right before touchdown.
 
numl0ck said:
Use pitch for airspeed corrections
Use power for altitude corrections
Small gentle movements otherwise you overcorrect and then overcorrect your first overcorrection...you get the idea

As other have said, focus on airspeed.
Make the sight picture the same, ever time. Pick the same spot (numbers, 1000' markers, whatever you want just use the same one for all your landings at this point in your training) and drive at it.

When it comes time to flair, look aaaallllllll the way down the runway, pull back gently and feel the airplane, it will tell you when it wants to land. Too fast and you'll float/balloon. Just right the mains will touch down shortly after the flair. The best landings usually have a stall horn chirp right before touchdown.
Click to expand...

thanks for these key focus points, straight to the point on each one. for the bolded point, um, like, when exactly is that? lol, I thought I had it right last time but apparently i was way too early.
 
eman1200 said:
thanks for these key focus points, straight to the point on each one. for the bolded point, um, like, when exactly is that? lol, I thought I had it right last time but apparently i was way too early.
Click to expand...
Just above the runway, as in <5ft. In my opinion the distance is not relevant because you can't measure it anyway (see second paragraph for explanation). At first it's much lower than you think. I started trying to flair when I was 30ft up because my brain was yelling "THIS IS WRONG!!! YOU'RE NOSE DOWN AND GOING TO CRASH!!!!!" which I later learned was incorrect.

What my instructor did was to start out telling me when to flair. I would keep the nose down, driving at the 1000ft markers, until he said "Now", then I would pull back gently, flair and land. That gave me the site picture I needed: what it looked like straight ahead, what it looks like out my peripheral vision. I honestly have no idea how high I am, I just know when it looks good and when it looks bad. :)
 
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numl0ck said:
.....What my instructor did was to start out telling me when to flair. I would keep the nose down, driving at the 1000ft markers, until he said "Now", then I would pull back gently, flair and land. That gave me the site picture I needed: what it looked like straight ahead, what it looks like out my peripheral vision. I honestly have no idea how high I am, I just know when it looks good and when it looks bad. :)
Click to expand...


great idea, this is what I'm going to ask my instructor to do. (you didn't patent that maneuver, didja? ;) )
 
PS: You're going to bounce, float, do 3 wheel landings and all that other fun stuff we all did when learning to land (and still do sometimes!). It will take some time to click, but when it does and you're landings get consistent and occasionally you get a greaser there is no better feeling. :)
 
I learned to break the flare down into 2 distinct steps.

1 - Roundout at what you think is 20 feet agl
1b wait for the airplane to sink
2 arrest the sink rate by pulling back on the yoke
2b continue pulling back by feel as the airplane continues to sink


Wait for it...Really this is an important step and should have been given it's own number, but I didn't write the rules:D
 
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