Improved Landing Smoothness: Understanding Why Yours May Fall Short

In the world of aviation, mastering takeoffs and landings is a crucial skill for every pilot. Two companies, Aviation eLearning and Boldmethod, are offering online courses to help pilots improve their landing techniques.

Aviation eLearning's course, "Mastering Takeoffs and Landings," is a comprehensive guide designed to enhance your landing skills. The course covers various aspects of landing, including some common challenges and solutions.

One such challenge is the need for more effective flight controls during round-out and flare. In such situations, pilots may find themselves adding more rudder to keep the nose aligned with the runway and more aileron to prevent drifting off the centerline.

Another issue that can impact landing performance is coming in too fast. Even if long runways may mask the immediate impact, landing too quickly can still affect the smoothness of the touchdown. It's important to fly the plane's published final approach speed to avoid floating and ensure a smooth touchdown.

Chasing the power during the landing approach is not recommended, as it can lead to an unstable landing. Instead, maintaining a steady power setting is key to a successful landing.

Floating during landing is caused by excessive airspeed on flare, ground effect, and wingtip vortices. When floating, adjust pitch gradually to settle the airplane down as airspeed bleeds off.

Go-arounds may be necessary if the landing is unstable or if the issues mentioned above cannot be corrected. Before landing, pick a go-around point somewhere down the runway. If not on the ground and braking before that point, go around.

If the flare is too high and can't be fixed, a go-around may be necessary. Flaring too high above the runway can result in a hard landing, often due to visual illusions like a wider-than-normal runway.

If a landing feels frustratingly rough, it may be due to one or more of the issues mentioned above. It's essential to identify and address these issues to improve landing performance.

For those seeking additional resources, Boldmethod offers an email service that provides real-world flying tips and information weekly. They also offer an online course, "Mastering Takeoffs and Landings," which provides lifetime access to tools that increase confidence and make landings more consistent. The course is available for less than the cost of a flight lesson.

In conclusion, mastering takeoffs and landings is a vital skill for every pilot. By understanding common challenges and solutions, pilots can improve their landing techniques and ensure safer, smoother flights. Whether you choose Aviation eLearning's course or Boldmethod's resources, you're taking a step towards becoming a more skilled and confident pilot.