Problems of perfectionism
I've encountered a mild landing slump. Nothing serious, but when temperatures are in the 90s, I find myself unable to grease every landing. Seems I get settled into the flare, reduce power, then I catch a thermal and balloon up. Saving the landing is not a problem, but every once in a while I bounce it on from a foot or so above the runway. It really bugs me. I'm thinking that carrying a little too much speed into the flare might be my problem, as might a too-slow reduction to idle power. It seems that when I begin the flare and level out, if I smoothly reduce power right away to idle, I can more definitely control the final "settling on" to the runway. I really hate being in a slump because I am a perfectionist. Hey-maybe that's the problem?
Sincerely,
T.M.
Dear T.M.:
There's nothing wrong with being a perfectionist as long as you're perfect. Since neither you nor I fit into that category, striving for perfection (not perfection, itself) might be a more realistic goal. The fact is, no matter how good you are at landing, mechanical turbulence or thermal activity can make fools of us all. On hot days (normally in direct sunlight), the larger the contrast in heat-absorbing qualities between the runway and its peripheral environment, the more likely it is that thermals will form. These can perturb even the best landing intentions. Nevertheless, you can minimize your landing difficulty by doing the following.
First, make sure that you're not using too high an approach speed when crossing the threshold. This is the single most common mistake made by pilots during the landing flare. Excessive speed combined with excessive power easily leads to floating. I recommend crossing the threshold at no more than 30 percent above stall speed for the airplane's current weight and configuration (remember, the airplane's actual stalling speed will vary from the pilot's operating handbook's published stall speed with weight variation).
On the other hand, you may be overcontrolling because of poor elevator control response. Try this experiment. Add a little power during the landing flare to help smooth out the airflow over the elevator. When power is reduced to idle, turbulent air (induced by the propeller at engine idle) flows past the empennage, thus reducing elevator control fidelity (an effect more common in a non-T-tail airplane). This technique might give you more accurate and consistent elevator control response.
How much power should you use? Enough to simulate zero thrust is a good place to begin. (You'll have to experiment on your own to determine how much power works best. It isn't much, however.) The moment you touch down, reduce the power to idle. The only drawback to this technique is that it could increase your landing distance. So don't do this unless you have sufficient runway. Remember, this technique works if you're not flying too fast to begin with, otherwise the airplane will most likely float.
In excessively turbulent conditions, however, it's sometimes necessary to add additional power and literally fly the airplane onto the runway. Pilots operate at a great disadvantage when they assume that they should always handle the controls in a dainty and delicate manner. In turbulent conditions, you may need to be firm and assertive with those controls, to make the airplane do what you want it to do. This might not be the time to use your pinkies to fly. In this instance, you're opting for airplane control and not trying to make a gentle, smooth landing.
Keeping track of signoffs
Dear Rod:
If I, as a ground instructor, sign someone off for a written exam, must I keep a record of that person's results?
Tom
Greetings Tom:
Unlike flight instructors, ground instructors are not required to sign the logbook of every person to whom they give flight or ground training. Nor are they required to keep a record of each person they endorsed for a knowledge test, the kind of test, the date, or the results. Years ago, when I was teaching weekend ground school, I'd regularly sign off 25 to 30 people each week for a knowledge exam. I always used my ground instructor certificate number for the signoff, since there was no way I could keep track of each person, much less the dates and results of their tests.
Pricked by the needles
Dear Rod:
I am learning to fly ILS approaches and am having trouble keeping the glideslope centered when I get about 300 to 400 feet above decision height (DH). Most of the way down I can hold the needles pretty steady. Once I get close to DH, it all goes to pieces. The instructor says I just need to practice. Do you have any ideas on this? Thank you for any help.
Respectfully,
R.R.
Greetings R.R.:
You wouldn't be the first person to end up with the ILS needles swinging like swords at a samurai convention. Here's a tip. Flying a glideslope requires that you make a constant-rate descent. The particular rate required to remain parallel to the glideslope depends on the angle of that slope and your groundspeed. Your approach chart or approach booklet can show you what this rate is. Given this information, you must maintain that rate of descent using your vertical speed indicator to remain on glideslope. That's why the VSI is your primary pitch instrument when flying an ILS approach. I suggest you practice making constant-rate descents until you can keep the needle within 100 fpm of any desired value. This should allow you to remain on glideslope with ease as you approach your decision altitude.
Tower training
Dear Rod:
I am debating whether to learn at an airport with a control tower or one that's nontowered. I was wondering what your opinion is on this subject, and I would greatly appreciate your input. I realize that there are pros and cons each way, but I'd like to know which one you'd choose.
Happy flying!
Kerry
Greetings Kerry:
OK, you asked for my opinion, and that's what I'll give you. It's only my opinion, since there is no right or wrong response on this issue.
My preference is to learn at a tower-controlled airport assuming that this airport isn't so busy that delays inhibit student training. Fortunately, most tower-controlled airports present little or no difficulty in this area.
Take John Wayne Airport-Orange County in Southern California, for instance. This airport rests in Class C airspace, has two parallel runways, and is inhabited by 767-type commercial airliners. I've experienced very little delay when training students at this airport.
There are many reasons why I prefer tower-controlled airports for primary training. The most important reason is that it accustoms students to the demands of air traffic control early in their training. Learning at a tower-controlled airport diminishes the fear that many students have of speaking to or hearing from a controller (you'd be amazed to find out how many pilots actually fear talking to a controller). To be fair here, those who learn at a nontowered airport can achieve the same level of comfort with ATC as long as they've spent sufficient time operating at a tower-controlled field.
Either way-towered or nontowered-if you have a good instructor you're sure to get a good education.
With or without you
Hi Rod,
I'm soliciting opinions to help settle a little online debate. Is it OK to say "with you" when being passed to a new (radar) controller? Is it useful? Who started this phrase? What would be better?
Thanks for any thoughts you might care to offer.
Scott
Greetings Scott:
There are plenty of areas in aviation for which there's no standard phraseology to handle a given situation. On the other hand, there are situations where standard phraseology does exist. This is the time to use it.
For instance, when handed off to a new controller you should inform the controller that you're level at, climbing to, or descending to an assigned altitude. Not only is this good technique, but it's also an effective means of confirming that you and the new controller agree on your assigned altitude.
When handed off to a different controller, I usually say something like, "L.A. Center, Cessna Two-One-Three-Two-Bravo, level one two thousand five hundred." I hope this helps.
Rod Machado is a flight instructor, author, educator, and speaker. A pilot for 32 years and a CFI for 28, he has flown more than 8,000 hours and owns a Beech A36 Bonanza. Visit his Web site.
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