The key to any good landing is the approach. Trim it up, get on a longer final if you have to. Did I say trim it up. You should just about be able to let go of the yoke. Very little imput, glide on in. Don't be so worried about pointing the nose as having the plane on the center line. Just let it come on in, and when you round out kick over the nose and flare. Have your instructor land the plane for you, watch the RPM he uses. Now just dial in that RPM and set your trim for the same airspeed.

Dan

E2Sol - I like the way you write.  Very good to read.  Thank you for joining here on the forums  

Jandasmo,

Yes, there are those who are always in a hurry. I know a guy who has been flying since maybe 1942, and every landing is a "slam-dunk". Seems like that hard-won altitude would be fun to enjoy longer.

However, let's inquire about your "leisurely" landing. If this is defined as pulling the power off and gliding to the apron, then I'd think that's OK. If you're powering a mile or 2 away from the runway before turning base, then that's not good.

I was taught, and have found it true, one will always fly (land) similarly to the way you've practiced (or have been allowed to practice). If your "visual" of the landing always includes finding the airport at your 6 o'clock position before you power back, this is how you will always approach. If you always need to carry 1500rpm, you'll always doit this way. Until that one time when you're visiting relatives in St. Louis and discover what carb ice is all about and can't make it to the runway. (etc.)

If you are anxious about slowing down, that's a related problem.

Tell us more....

P.S. Looking around here on the forums, I found another post of yours. You might be a candidate for an instructor who doesn't sport "pointy-hair" (which WILL fall out, same as mine, haha). Also, I might suggest you interview a less "macho" instructor. My instructor (F) tells me that girls are easier to train than us apes. Remember that you're PAYING someone to train you, and switching from A to B is YOUR CALL about who serves you best.

Jandasmo,

Great ! Happy you're finding success. Sounds like you have the right instructor. And I don't (didn't) disagree with his method of making a non-extended approach. Now that you've said only a little more, sounds like you're doing OK.

He's correct to teach how to get on the ground quickly. I have needed to do so twice in recent years :

1. Passenger got sick. Full throttle back to the airport. At my airport (non tower) everybody knows everybody. And, while a busy place, they all understood when I called "sick passenger". Yes, we managed to get the door open in time, after clearing the runway.

2. Stupid me. Forgot to replace the oil dip-stick after the preflight. Windscreen went black at about 500ft. Turned downwind, base and final at minimum rpm yet hurrying to make it back. (Whotta mess).

Please note both of these occasions are not discussed in the books and magazines. Probably, others have had similar occasions (maybe even fire) where being on the ground and out of the airplane is a proirity.

And my advice here :

Sometimes, even the instructor doesn't know why he was taught or impressed with a method or procedure. But assuredly, this training has come from years of experiences (note I said experiences, not experience), and there's probably an underlying reason someplace back in history. Some things you gotta accept without a good, obvious reason.

Keep writing....

What a great question for hangar flying young chap! It certainly deserves a great answer as Landing is the most critical accident proned phase of flight next to take off!

Conquer your fear son! Dont let the runway rushing at you intimidate you by any means.By all means it should startle you if you are sinking faster than you should(even big boys on Boeings,Airbus,Antonvs or others need be reminded so by ground proximity warning systems.SINK RATE!!! whoop whoop...pull up!!!..and when those DJs come on they their voices are quite ALARMING but all that is immaterial if you learn to fly STABILIZED APPROACHES with frequent division of attention between outside and cross checking your instruments that  you are on slope and on track(in that order of importance!) and most importantly...carrying the right quantity and direction of energy(Power,Attitude+correct Trim) on your aircraft(Energy Transfer Management!)  .THINK LIKE A HORSE JOCKEY..only that you may be handling hundreds of them simultaneously !

When I started training, I KIND OF JUMPED THE GUN BY READING TOO MUCH ADVANCED INSTRUMENT FLYING AND JET HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS.I was labeled as having too much fixation on numbers by instructors who were less advanced than myself but in fact I CAME OUT THE VICTOR EVENTUALLY.I learnt tremendously (having amassed a few thousand hours) on Microsoft PC Flight Sim..which I highy recommend any aspiring PILOT .It not only allowed me to apply theory into practice ECONOMICALLY AND WITHOUT ANY ELEMENT OF FEAR IN PLACE, it also taught me to be my own flight instructor by way of constant self critique(like a video game challenge per se); it undoubtedly built in me the kind of framework required in aviation thinking whilst jockeying any plane about in the sky-virtually the"seat of the pants flying " talent.It bred the right kind of confidence, and swiftness in instrument interpretion and control as well as acclimatization in the differences between night flying and daytime, and between VMC and IMC flight.No fears by the time I CONDUCTED MY FIRST LESSON.it was at the peak operation time at sunset traversing ito night at the busy airfield Meacham Field FORTWORTH Texas in crosswinds that even challenged my Airline PILOT(727) Instructor.MY CIRCUIT PATTERNS WERE A LITTLE UNTIDY AT FIRST(DUE TO TOO MUCH HEADS DOWN TIME ON INSTRUMENTS) but my landings -I SHOULD SAY FLARES TO LANDINGS WERE CONSISTENTLY SMOOTH AND TOUCH DOWN WAS WITHIN THE TOUCH DOWN ZONE FOR LIGHT AIRCRAFT.This did not come without some mental foresight and anticipation which I PRACTICED MUCH IN THE FLIGHT SIM PRIOR TO ENGAGING ON MY FIRST FLIGHT(This by the way saved me much training time and needless to mention ...MONEY!).

Your base leg BY THE WAY... also has to be pre planned.When do you commence turn from downwind?How close are you abeam the ruway downwind?There are rules of thumb your instructor may enlighten you with for different type of airplanes and runway dimensions.More care needs to be taken when circuits are from runways that are small and narrow, especially at night!
For approaches to standard non instrument runways(learn the difference with Instrument runways please) you keep a certain wing tip distance to the runway edge and when threshold area is 45 degrees from the tip(behind you) get ready to commence the turn(after ATC clears you and no conflicting traffic is on long final or approaching from the opposite direction on the base leg(uncontrolled fields).Expect a descending turn(no more than 700fpm)-remember Power,Attitude,Trim(REMEBER ON  DESCENT WHEN REMOVING POWER the nose will tend to turn opposite to that during climb-less p factor,etc) and descend to plan to establish just before turning final(3-4 nm) at 500ft AGL(which means you should have had a current QFE/QNH to ref to your Pressure Altimeter-unless you carry a radio atimeter!).During turns at base and Final(where most spins/stall occur).please.have your hand on the throttle..ready to juice in some power during the turns as stall speed increases during the turns and PLEASE limit your bank angles and turn rates TO STANDARD RATE of turns...USE THE bank/turn indicator.it assumes primary importance during this phase of flight guys!


If you know the speeds to plan for your approach before hand(ref the POH) and add + 15 or +10 for the base leg(depending on head/tail wind components) but plan to turn final at not less than 3 nm with VASI/PAPI showing "red over white-you are alright"(vasis) or 2red-2white(papi) to assure you on the slope.Aproach slope indicators may not be reliable outside 4nm especialy if local topography is very uneven!) .USE THE ILS GLIDESLOPE IF AVAILABLE AND LlOCALISER(even if VMC or a pre-PPL).JUST PRIOR TO TURNING FINAL SET  LANDING Flaps with power ready to compensate(check ASI during turn(if full stop andings without gustywind or approach flaps if touch and go) .The extra flap will not only slow you down(FROM OVER SHOOTING the runway CENTRELINE, it will add insurance to a lower stall speed.Just be sure to trim down as you select, or you are likely to balloon over the glide path required.Extra flap during that phase also will offer you a better perspective of te glide path.Quickly crosscheck that your approach power is approximately where it should be for light non complex singles about 17-1900rpm(for those with constant speed prop and landing gear..i recommend you take care of the prop and gear on base, to have you less rushed on final and for the landing lights to annunciate your position  to traffic(including birds) before turning finals.If you have a DME use it(even if it is your first lesson).MAKE SURE YOU ARE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TRACK DISTANCES so that you dont have to be tidying the pattern whilst attemting to make a good approach or you will cause the runway to RUSH AT YOU!

The final approach phase should be easy sailing once you have the right power and trim for the right descent rate(remember///speed multiplied by 5 should give you the right glide path, so for 100kt approach speed you should see 500FPM on the VSI.Expect for C172 and less to be more like 300fpm.If you see the VSI needle approaching the 500fpm mark.it spells trouble..so boost some touch of power and trim slightly up..gently,or simply trim slightly up if in excess of speed(rapidly)...then....Check the windsock(or ask the instructor to check the wind and announce or ask the controller!)...hands on the throttle and be prepared to GO AROUND ANY TIME FROM NOW....! THis phase, however if the numbers are in order and the wind is not too excited should have you breathing easy once you hear or have announced your landing clearance.Just let the plane "sail"(with the appropriate power ofcourse and correct trim) and it should land itsef with minimum input from you apart from ensuring a fair concern for closer centreline alignment once you have crossed the fence.No rush to get rid of the power if you arrive with vref+5-10 kts on final.Just g..r...adualy.butter off that throttle whilst rounding out the  pitch to not more than 5 degrees(look past that AI), looking out at the far end for alignment and sink cues.Remember, you might have to use that rudder as you bring the power off suddenly- de-P factor I call it! If the plane floats..it means your ground speed was higher than planned, and if you are not landing on a severely short runway.LET IT FLOAT(PROVIDED YOU DID NOT COMMENCE YOUR FLARE TOO HIGH BECAUSE YU WERE SCARED OF THE GOUND RUSH AT YOU!If sinking rapidly..maintain the 5 degre pitch attitude but with a few hundred rpm increase in power and rapidly remove it once sink is arrested and close to the ground.

Flare should commence on a count of about 5 seconds on small light singles like C172 ON STANDARD RUNWAYS.which should happen at about 20-10 feet in gradual transition.SUDDEN FLARING WILL JUST BALLOON YOU AND CAUSE YOU TO BOUNCE..WHICH IS WHERE YOUR INSTRUCTIR SHOULD HAVE THE FORESIGHT TO SIMPLY TAKE OVER PRIOR TO the bounce taking place.HE SHOULD ANNOUNCE TAKING OVER(AND YOU ARE EXPECTED TO PROMPTLY RELINQUISH CONTROL AND CALL OUT..HANDING OVER).instructor SHOULD NOT BE CRITICAL  AND JUST  FOCUS ON CONTROLLING THE LANDING(MD-11 have ben destroyed due to misjudged and unstabilzed flare!) AND TO OFFER TO DE BRIEF YOU OVER A COSY CHAT LATER!YOU on the other hand should relax..and pay attention to theinstruments and outside cues to see what is taking place.You wont have many opportunities to learn at that stage of flight in that manner! Otherwise... assuming a contrtolled and stabilised  flare, you will feel little sink and should if you can see a VSI point close to the 100-200fpm mark(did you check for reference zero before you commenced your flight to compensate for any instrument errors?).Once you have touched down (dont be too obsessed with smoothies...they may have you lick the other end of the runway one day!!!) hopefully first with the mains or one mains upwind if on a cross wind,you should concentrate on aligning airplane  maintaining ailerons against cross wind and  rather g  e  n tly... let the sweet bird flatter you to a kiss of the nose wheel(your most sensitive gear in any aircraft) on that tarmac or what ever surface(the rougher the surface the longer the hold-off).Soon after you are safe and aligned..expect a turnoff clearance to exit runway.Be sure to expedite if on a busy field..always dsiplaying consideration for others.Than conduct your post landing checklist(you do use the checklist and have memorised aspects of it to do the items and tick them off as you read them later for post landing and some emergency procedure memo items???).Proceed vigilantly to the gate.Dont lose your guard till you have safely stopped at the gate and engine stopped.That is where the fligt terminates.tHEN BE SURE TO OFFER A POST FLIGHT CHECK..ESPECIALLY AFTERR THAT BOUNCY LANDING!!

I recomend you read about STABILISED LANDINGS.I ALSO STRONGLY RECOMMEND MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIM WITH SOME SERIOUS AIRCRAFT ADD ONS TO BOOST YOUR CONFIDENCE IN SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND FLYING APTITUDE AND INTEREST IN GENERAL.

Enjoy your training and let me know if any of this came to your aid during your training.THEN PASS IT ON TO SOME ONE ELSE WHO NEEDS THIS KIND OF ADVICE.

All the best pal!