Insights

They're Easy If You Know A Few Tricks

Short- and soft-field approaches and landings are specialized rites of passage for obtaining a private pilot certificate. I say specialized, because to think of them as just a variation of the normal approach and landing is a mistake.

Make both approaches identical. That's the first trick. Plan your traffic pattern so that you will be above the proper glidepath when you turn onto final approach. When you roll out on final, immediately select idle power, extend full flaps, and adjust pitch for the proper approach speed.

When the airplane descends onto the glidepath, capture it with power. Don't look at the tachometer. Just make an audible power increase and increase pitch attitude slightly to maintain airspeed. Maintain this pitch attitude until you start the landing flare; change engine power to stay on the glidepath.

Thrust is a powerful force. In benign conditions small power changes and a constant pitch attitude will compensate for minor glidepath deviations without causing significant airspeed changes. If conditions are gusty or up- and downdrafts (risers and sinkers) occur, you must make large power changes, and you must change pitch attitude to maintain airspeed. Throttle movement will be almost continuous in extreme cases.

For training, there's only one difference between the two landings: Close the throttle during your short-field landing flare. For soft-field landings, close the throttle at touchdown - the stall warning horn should be blaring during this type of landing.

Soft-field landings are not accuracy landings for the purpose of pilot certification, but if you learn to fly them as described, you'll only have two types of landings to master - normal and specialized.

For real-world flying, soft-field landings are accuracy landings. Assume that you're on final for a grass strip that looks waterlogged, but you see one area that looks relatively dry. That's where you want to land, so a soft-field accuracy landing is required.

At touchdown, don't close the throttle until you assess your ability to taxi. A power increase may be required in order to keep the airplane moving. If you close the throttle, the airplane may stop and settle into the soft ground. Good luck on your attempt to taxi.

My memories of soft-field landings always make me envious of the pilots who get to fly out of grass strips in fun-to-fly airplanes. They develop an appreciation for flying that never occurs when you spend your days staring at paved runways with ATC hammering on your eardrums.

Short-field landings have special considerations, but those occur before you start the approach. If you fly to a short, unfamiliar field, you should conduct both a high and low reconnaissance of the runway.

First, circle the field at pattern altitude and look for obstructions such as wires. Evaluate the area for your departure. If possible, your departure direction should give you the best forced landing option.

Now descend to an altitude that keeps you above the highest obstacle, and fly parallel and close enough to the runway so that you have a good view. Pick out a touchdown point and a go-around point using readily identifiable ground references. Climb back to pattern altitude and fly your approach. If you're not on the ground when you reach the go-around point, go around and replan your approach.

When obstacles are involved, particularly tree lines, don't plan to decrease pitch attitude (dump the nose) when you clear the obstacle. Your final-approach glidepath should be a straight line all the way to touchdown that just clears the obstacle.

The wind gradient will usually change when you descend below the obstacle, and if you set idle power and induce a high sink rate at that instant, you may not have enough elevator authority to flare the airplane for landing. This situation has caused many landing accidents.

I cannot teach experience, but I can use experience to simplify what is taught. When you must perform seldom-used tasks like short- and soft-field landings, your success will be assured if you have a simple, easy-to-remember method of execution.

Ralph Butcher, a retired United Airlines captain, is the chief flight instructor at a California flight school. He has been flying for 43 years and has 25,000 flight hours in fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. Visit his Web site ( www.skyroamers.com ).