Landings....

[Robin Hood]

Landings were never hard for me. I just buggered them and my trike up!! But Yebo eventually it happened. I found that watching the end of the runway and allowing my peripheral vision to judge the height from the ground let it all just come together. And I was serioulsy over 50 when I started

[MADDOG]

The fact you wrote this thread is proof that your landings are not that bad.

Just keep practicing and you will get soon get it. Only start worrying when you need to use full throttle to taxi back to the hanger.

[Morph]

Suggestion – I going to ask tdrtw [Damien - Albuquerque, New Mexico] to make a video with the camera mounted on the pylon behind the pilots head to capture short finals, round out, hold off, touch down etc. for both steep and flat approaches. Further work in this field could provide for a valuable learning / training tool – the student will have a better grasp of what it is going to “look” like.

John,

We have our very own video nut in CLU-less who has a wing camera, pylon camera and handheld option with a PAX. I'm sure he can find a few of his landings showing the various angles. and package them into a video for us. I'll ask him

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Was ready to solo for a while. Instructor kept saying give me three landings and you can go. Still waiting to get the three . Did training at FASI and approach on 03 was very steep. When I did x runway landings it was a piece of piss... (low approach) My PPL brain could just not "see" it with such a steep approach. Also Rydaar pedals kept instructor "AWAKE" and the push pull thing took longer than expexted (instinct tends to take over)......

PS
Am hoping to do the perfect landing soon in PPL blik

[John Young]

I met an unassuming [ordinarily nice] visitor at the airfield today. Low cloud and a 10 -12 knots cross wind kept me grounded so I decided to watch him fly instead.

He “borrows” a M/L, loads a pax. and to cut the story …. Nails the perfect landings with what I can only describe as a great technique. Low approach, +4,000 rpm, flies to within 3 feet above the runway, eases off power and greases it again & again ….. No fuss, no frills – just damned perfect landings.

Now, I swear he never moved the bar more than a couple of inches at a time [in difficult and turbulent conditions] – I was standing about 15 metres from touch down.

Think this unassuming guy is a guru. Wish I could clone that landing technique.

[Morph]

I was watching the guys getting training with Johan Fronemann at Saldana and his approach is the same. Come in lower and on power all the way down.

[Perry]

He “borrows” a M/L, loads a pax. and to cut the story …. Nails the perfect landings with what I can only describe as a great technique. Low approach, +4,000 rpm, flies to within 3 feet above the runway, eases off power and greases it again & again ….. No fuss, no frills – just damned perfect landings.

Now, I swear he never moved the bar more than a couple of inches at a time [in difficult and turbulent conditions] – I was standing about 15 metres from touch down.

Folks Landing seems to be the most significant part of training in trikes wherever you go in the world. Strangely enough both my wife and I suffered the same issues. here are a few things we learn't and pass on to all who get a little worried about never getting there:

1. Do not attempt to learn everything at once - rather attempt segments of each state of flying and once you have mastered all, then start bringing them together. The advice provided in the quotation above is spot on. This technique we use to assist young would-be pilots to appreciate what a soft landing is: Come in low and flat, fly the strip run at cruise speed (usually ranges between 40kts and 60kts depending upon trike), gently ease her down with bar level to horizon and ease power when ready. Note that we use a lengthy strip so that the student does not feel the pressure to land in a specific spot (this can be learned later). A long beach is a real treat in this regard. Note that this technique should be supplemented by proper glide approaches, as an engine failure in the process of setting this up leaves one with few options.

2. All of the students that I have worked with and myself reach a plateaux and suffer the fear of not getting there. We have found that a two week break from flying does have a significant impact and seems to take one over this.

3. It seems that you guys in RSA are quick learners. Many of our trikers down south in Oz also suffer the same and many claim that you can acheive your licence in two weeks of intensive training. Although this may be possible, we have found a more progressive learning approach over a longer period yields better results. Few of our local trike pilots have been to solo before 25 hours. Yep this is perhaps 10 hours south of the average quick starter but I have found the lessons to stick for a lot longer and technique to be better reinforced. The extra 10 hours is a cheap form of long term insurance. We have also found that at least 5 hours of really nasty weather training (thermal plus wind in excess of 10kts) lends a sense of reality to the experience.

4. Following initial solo, dual works comprise glide approaches - we practice these as often as possible in all conditions. Although I would not recommend it to others, we do kill the machine under controlled circumstances and develop an appreciation for a non-windmilling prop and what sort of an air-brake you really have. Note, especially with 2-stroke engines, after stopping it for anywhere around 1 minute we have experienced supercooling of the carb and found that it is virtually impossible to start it again - sooooo only 1 chance, get it nailed.

Hope this helps. Relax and enjoy the scenery a bit whilst you are training and remember if it feels that you are not getting it right, get out of there for a while and go for a bit of a joy ride and then begin again - it is amazing how your focus is regained. Also try not to think of the $ it is costing you to bounce around with a paid passenger! - think of the investment in your future enjoyment.

Regards




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[Bacardi]

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