Instructors are sticklers about flying precisely, and that goes double for landings. Over the next several weeks, my instructor worked hard on further improving my landing skills. Not only did he want a precise approach, he wanted me to maintain the correct airspeed, and to touch down on the centerline and at a particular point on the runway. Often a landing that was close enough for me wasn't good enough for my instructor.
Landings are often challenging. Sometimes, when we're tired, dealing with a tricky crosswind, or sloppy, perhaps, we fail to touch down precisely on the centerline. When this happens, we rationalize - "A few feet one way or the other is hardly a big deal, especially on a wide runway." Although we may feel our touchdown spot is "close enough," a few feet in the wrong direction might not be "good enough." When problems arise, it can make the difference between success and failure. If anything goes wrong on the landing, being precisely on the runway centerline gives us the most margin for error, and to correct for any errors.
Surprise Lesson
Not long ago, a surprise lesson drove home the importance of landing on the centerline. It was a sunny New England fall day with a seven-knot breeze out of the south. Traffic at Block Island's 2,500-foot strip was using Runway 28. I'd already made two uneventful round trips there to pick up tourists returning to the mainland, and I wasn't expecting any surprises on my third trip to the island.
With no other traffic in the area, I flew a tight pattern to make extra time for refueling. On downwind, I completed my before-landing checklist and prepared for what I expected to be a normal landing. I couldn't have been more wrong.
The instant my wheels touched the pavement I knew I had a problem. Instead of smoothly squeaking onto the runway, the left wheel emitted a sickening screech and the aircraft lurched left. I instinctively jammed on the right brake in an attempt to control the airplane's direction. Despite my efforts, the airplane drifted steadily to the left, finally coming to rest near the edge of the runway.
After shutting down the engines I examined the aircraft and found the problem. The left main gear's scissor mechanism (basically, a jointed arm that connects and aligns the top and bottom half of the oleo strut) had come apart, allowing the wheels to turn about 70 degrees to the left. Dragging the left main wheels sideways across the runway had the same effect as landing with the left brake locked up.
At first I thought I'd missed something during my preflight inspection. Perhaps the cotter pin that holds the nut on the bolt in question had been missing, allowing the nut to vibrate off during flight. I found the cotter pin's sheared remains still in the bolt. The nut had stripped off the bolt, shearing the cotter pin in the process. Nothing I could have seen on the preflight would have predicted this problem.
Fortunately, I'd landed on the centerline, and that had given me just enough room to keep the airplane on the pavement. Had I touched down left of centerline, I would have made an unscheduled departure from the runway, probably taking out a few runway lights along the way. Other factors were, perhaps, equally as important to my success. Had I been carrying more weight or attempting to touch down with excess speed, the extra momentum may have continued my landing "roll" off the edge of the runway.
Plenty of problems await an unsuspecting pilot during the approach and landing. Wind shear can foul up a good glidepath or cause havoc for a pilot who lets airspeed drift toward the bottom of the white arc. Other aircraft in the vicinity pose the potential for midair collisions, especially when you use a non-standard pattern entry, when pilots fail to communicate, when their radioed position reports are in error or they block one another's transmissions. Squirrelly crosswinds, gusts, and other meteorological mishaps can cause a complacent pilot to lose directional control, and any number of variables can be cause for a go-around. Even with light wind and clear skies, a solitary airplane in the pattern can get a surprise or two.
Prelanding Pointers
One of the most important sections of the checklist is the prelanding check. If we forget to complete any item on it any number of problems might result, including a gear-up landing in a retractable-gear airplane. An important item to add to your prelanding checklist (if it isn't already there) is a brake test. Press the brake pedals to see that neither one feels "mushy." A soft brake may not work well - or at all - when called upon. Especially with a crosswind or short-field landing, it's better to know about a potential brake problem before touchdown. Had my brakes been faulty, I might have elected to land at an airport with a much longer, wider runway. It's a good idea to complete the prelanding checklist early so you can focus on traffic avoidance and situational awareness.
While you fly the pattern, especially at a nontower airport, try to get a clear picture of what's happening on the ground. Check the windsock to make sure the wind hasn't shifted, and look to see that the runway is clear. Also check for birds, wildlife, and as my solo experience taught me, other aircraft moving on the ground. If other aircraft are still on the runway or in a position to taxi onto the runway, be ready for a go around.
Close Enough Isn't Good Enough
Precision is important in virtually everything related to flying, and instructors are quick to complain when we stray from headings, altitudes, airspeeds, and power settings. Headings keep us on course, away from other traffic. Altitude separates us from terrain and other aircraft. Maintaining proper airspeed keeps us away from inadvertent stalls, in-flight airframe damage, and long or short landings. Proper power settings can make the difference between arriving safely at our destination or running out of fuel.
Close enough, good enough, that looks about right. We hear - or use - these expressions all the time. As my recent experience illustrates, sometimes things need to be "exactly right," not "about right." Emergencies can happen any place, any time, and if we adopt a "good enough" or "close enough" attitude in our preparation, planning, and flying, we can easily find ourselves out of airspeed, altitude, and ideas at about the same time. "Close enough" isn't good enough. We need to do it right.
