Landing problems.

[Winglett]

I'm busy with my training and is batteling to get my eyes focus on the last meter or two when it comes to the landing procuderes. I tend to "Round out" when I am still to high. Is there any one with some tips to over come this problem.

[Winglett]

Windlass 503

[cobra]

This is a common problem when start flying TO HIGH then TO LOW . There may be many ways to overcome this (as I am no expert) what helped me - don't consentrate to hard on that point where you want to touchdown - once you get to the point where you want to flare look ahead down the runway this will give you a better depth perception and also justment on your sink rate and high above ground.

Also try to flying down the runway at 1-2 feet agl practice this over-over, this will help with awareness of your high above ground when you happy with the control - power off, bar forward and land

OK - enough from the roekie - good luck !!

[John Young]

Hi Winglett,

Welcome to The 100% Club of battling to learn to land.

It’s the anniversary of my first solo flight – so memories are still fresh.

Good luck – listen to your instructor – you’ll make it.

Regards
John ZU-CIB

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Don't rush it. I still F... up almost every landing in the RV (tailwheel is a bitch if you don't get it right) when I try to get it down on the numbers. Make sure the basics are right. Speed, rate of sink etc. When I did tailwheel convex (RV) my instructor had this jewel. At certain hight once you are committed to land (will be lower for trike han blik) KNOW all the numbers. Speed, rate of sink, the look and feel of the aerie. (In my case 65mph, 300fpm and glare shield just about on horison). If every approach is the same from that point it makes landing sooooo much easier. In teory every landing from that point will be exactly the same, so should present no problem.... (As I said in theory)

Also get your instructor to do a couple with you feeling along on the bar and looking at the attitude of the approach and the horison(end of runway) etc.... After a couple you will get the feel for it. Try to keep the circuit exactly the same (height, distance from thresh etc) on every approach and things get easy quickly....

2c

PS
I converted to trike from 3 axis and my instructor used to get very when we got near the ground as I would "flare" (pull) when things got hairy and would line up on the centre line whith Rydaar feet. One particular morning with Xwind he suggested that he needs a break... [/i]

[Bacchus]

If there ever was a big boned man battling with landing......here he is!
I got it right when my instructor told me as i flaired out : say to yourself I AM NOT GOING TO LAND! I AM NOT GOING TO LAND! All the while flaring and taking off the power and there she sat....ever so softly. Since then I cannot think what was so difficult!
Also remember that when you feel you flare out to quick, theres nothing wrong with pulling the bar back a little again.

Maar moenie sleg voel nie. Dit was n bliksem vir ons almal!

[Duck Rogers]

Winglett.......I try never to look at the spot where I'm trying to land. Look ahead of the plane, 10 metres, 20 metres if you have to and feel it in your arse. By that I mean you develop a sense of depth perception and you have this sinking (literally) feeling as you float down. It's quite easy, because in the back of your mind you can sort off "feel" how far you are from the ground and by looking ahead, your brain will work it out for you as to where you are in relation to the tarmac.

Also try to flying down the runway at 1-2 feet agl practice this over-over, this will also help with your awareness of your high above ground.

Exactly. This is how your grey matter will compute your sink rate for you when you do decide to land, as there will be a point to reference to.

Practice boet, practice....and then practice some more

[loansharkblv]

Practice boet, practice....and then practice some more

And above all, don't get dispondent - 99% of us hit a brick wall at some stage or other in our training..... One day it will magically dissapear I promise.

[Fairy Flycatcher]

Good advice all round. I think everyone has the same problem somewhere in their flying. I started of with hang-gliding, and I could not get my round-out sorted out in a "seated" position with the use of engine. It freaked me out that I could already fly the trike after 20min, take off, taxi and no fear for the bumps, but I could not land the darn thing! (off course it did not help that I wanted my feet to touch first either :D )

Eye height memory is very important, and look further ahead. Many instructors prefer to teach glide approaches, which has its own merrit, but it is more difficult initially to learn flare-timing, as it has to be a lot more precise than a powered approach.

[C205]

I also battled for a long time to land until I decided that I need not put the trike down myself, rather let it settle onto the ground itself. My big problem was trying to LAND the plane onto the runway, instead of flying it.
Used visual references first (e.g. when the tree in line with the runway disappears) But eventually you get to feel the wing and adjust the bar and throttle as necessary (for some of us like me it takes a little while).
My instructor still tells all his students about me talking to my trike to put it down :D
Good luck it eventually all comes together.

[Biggles]

Same problem, still get it wrong, and have to kickmyself 3 meters off the ground. Establish approach angle and look at one place coming down, then about 10 feet off the deck flick eyes to the end of the runway, get into ground effects, push bar forward until you touch down. I always forget to flick eyes to the end of teh runway and my "fear of the ground" kicks in and I balloon.

[Thunderboy]

I think it is everyones most annoying and difficult time of learning to fly. As the others say look down the runway and it will eventually come, it takes practice - LOTS of practice sometimes hours, be patient and don't give in.
Once you get this part right the rest will go quickly

[Big-D]

Winglet

Now you know all about flaring and where to look etc.

Another tip that can prevent you from bouncing your trike: When heavy or in bad weather I come in with alot of power. GOLDEN RULE: Once the front wheel is down, pull in the bar right away. I developed a problem where the airy would start flying (more like bouncing) again after landing - Not a problem any more since I was taught the front wheel trick

Hang in there mate

D

[Arnulf]

....... and after all the frustrations, the day will come, when you put it down like a cat pi$$ing on velvet.

What satisfaction.

Regards,
Arnulf

[Dre'man]

In the same boat as you, last night did hour no. 6. I did 7 touch and go's.
My instructor makes it very simple.
Bar slightly in until groundrush then bar to neutral and look at the end of
the runway.
keep about 2 feet AGl and push the bar and bleed speed off.
Once the front wheel touches down there is no energy left in the wing to lift off again.
Every landing will not be perfect, had 2 last night and will go for 3 next time. Just practice and practice agian.
We all watch guys with 200+ hours landing smoothly everytime, don't forget they have probably done it a thousand times.
Every time I come in for a landing I am aware of more around me and get more of a feel for it. Things seem less rushed as instinct starts taking over.

I heard a saying the other day, "flying is an hour of bliss followed by 20 seconds of sheer terror"

He must have been doing something wrong because at this stage I enjoy landings the most.(Maybe after 5 or 6 more hours I will read this post and think I was stupid saying that ) but I feel if we don't document and discuss the stages of training accurately and honestly we are doing the new guys an injustice.