It’s probably no surprise that accomplishing short-field takeoffs and landings is one of the biggest challenges—and sometimes obstacles—to the private pilot applicant during checkrides. Because these procedures demand precision control, there is less room for error, making proper practice of these maneuvers critical to safe and consistent behavior on checkride day.
The designated pilot examiner (DPE) will observe how you would determine the runway length required for a particular takeoff and/or landing, perhaps on a grass runway or over an obstacle. This usually occurs during the ground portion of the practical test, sometimes referred to as the oral exam. But it’s during the flight portion of the exam, where the rubber meets the runway, that problems more often develop.
With the short-field takeoff, properly configure the airplane for the special takeoff early, so you won’t forget. This usually means extending the flaps to the recommended setting. If you’re considering a high-altitude takeoff (airport elevations above 3,000 feet), adjust the mixture for maximum power, as described in the pilot’s operating handbook for your aircraft. Remember to use the entire available runway. Hold the brakes so the airplane won’t roll forward as full power is applied. After quickly scanning the engine instruments for proper indications, release the brakes evenly while keeping the yoke just slightly aft of the neutral position. The objective here is to obtain the maximum possible acceleration rate.
As the airplane approaches rotation speed (VR), smoothly raise the nose to the climb attitude needed to stabilize the airspeed at best angle of climb (VX). This is the critical part. If the pitch attitude is too low, excessive airspeed will reduce the climb performance needed to clear an obstacle. But if the nose is raised too steeply, the airspeed will decay toward the stall speed. Not wishing to scare the examiner, rapidly scanning the airspeed and making appropriate, timely pitch adjustments to maintain VX is the best way to keep everyone happy—and safe! Once all obstacles are cleared, smoothly reduce the pitch attitude to accelerate to your best rate of climb speed (VY) as you retract the flaps incrementally, all without losing any hard-earned altitude. Maneuver complete.
Next, you’ll demonstrate a short-field landing. The real key to success here is flying a stabilized approach—airspeed and approach angle. Begin your approach as usual, setting power and flaps to begin slowing and descending when abeam the runway threshold. Consider extending your downwind leg to permit a longer final approach. This will give you more time to get fully stabilized.
The final approach should be power on (above idle), adjusting the pitch attitude to finely tune your approach path while adjusting the power to finely tune and maintain your desired short-field approach airspeed—all the way down the final approach and until the landing flare is started. In gusty conditions, it would be prudent to add about half of the gust factor to your published short-field approach speed. If your approach is over obstacles, avoid the temptation to suddenly reduce power to idle as you pass over them, resulting in immediate approach destabilization: rapid airspeed decay, high sink rate, hard landing—or all three.
If the approach path is clear of obstacles, set your aim point for the runway threshold. While locked onto your aim point, adjust power to maintain your target approach airspeed, being careful not to reduce power to idle until beginning the landing flare. Although power should be used during the approach, carrying power during the flare only extends the touchdown point. After touchdown, maintaining full back-pressure on the yoke will maximize aerodynamic braking and the extra download on the horizontal stabilizer will put a heavier load on the main tires, providing greater brake effectiveness and a shorter ground roll. But be careful not to apply excessive brake pressure, causing the tires to skid. Heavy braking—yes—but not too much. Some manufacturers even recommend raising the flaps during the ground roll to increase brake effectiveness. However, this should not be necessary in most situations.
Accomplishing all of this demonstrates to the examiner that you have achieved mastery of your airplane, even during these most demanding maneuvers. In the end, that’s exactly what any DPE really wants to see.
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