Question and Answers About Landings for Pilots

1. Using Two Hands To Flare
2. Seat Cushion for a Better View
3. Judging Flare Height
4. I Float Too Much
5. Two Handed Flare
6. Unwanted CFI Input During the Flare
7. How Do You Know When a Student Is Ready for Solo?
8. Flight Time Before Starting Landing Practice
9. Wife Porpoised During Landing
10. No Need to Yank Elevator During Landing
11. Student Doesn’t Like to Land at This Airport
12. Nosewheel Shimmy
13. The Latest Time You Can Go Around
14. My Mild Landing Slump
15. Choking on the Yoke
16. What Speeds Should I Use in the Pattern?
17. Landing Simulations

Greetings Raymond:
First, I’m going to assume your landings aren’t so tragic that each could inspire its own country western song. I’ve seen a few that might have spawned titles such as: You Nearly Blew Out My Life When You Blew Out the Tires or I’m Shedding Tears as Our Plane is Shedding Parts. Given this assumption, it’s unusual for an instructor to keep his or her hands on the controls once you’ve demonstrated a basic understanding of the landing flare. Hands floating over the controls like vultures hovering over a carcass don’t help to inspire confidence, either. It’s actually more common for the instructor to keep his hands resting on his knees (the quickdraw position) during the early phase of your training. This allows him plenty of time to keep a landing from going bad. I suspect that your instructor is just being extra cautious. While this is often a good thing, it can prevent you from learning properly. Chat with him and say you don’t feel you can develop confidence at landing if his hands (or feet) seem to be manipulating the controls. At the very least, you could strike a deal. At an agreed upon time in your training (perhaps a specific number of flight hours), his hands are to be retired to his lap.

Dear Rod:
I'm 5' 3" tall and have about 36 hours of flying time. I haven't soloed yet because I'm having trouble with landings. I'm flying a 1973 model Cessna 150 and can't see much over the panel during the landing flare. My instructor refuses to let me use cushions. He says that this is an artificial crutch and I may have to fly an airplane without cushions someday. What should I tell him?
Tina

Dear Tina:
If you're 5' 3" tall and flying that model Cessna without cushions, then you must be one heck of an instrument pilot. I can't imagine how you would know when to flare unless you called the tower and asked for a pull-back-now alert. Learning to flare means knowing where the runway is. So please get yourself some cushions now, lots of them. Perch yourself high enough in the cockpit so that your eye level is just a little below the top left window. I've often found that shorter students need a thick seat-back cushion to keep them sufficiently close to the rudder pedals. I've even had a student that needed to wear thick heeled shoes just to reach the pedals. As far as cushions being a crutch, well, they are a crutch. But so are eyeglasses and I've never heard an instructor say, "Hey, let's get those glasses off buddy. You're not practicing landings in my cockpit while wearing those things." As far as having to fly without cushions one day, here's the solution to this problem: don't fly without them (treat them the same way you would eyeglasses).

Hello Rod:
I seem to be having some difficulty judging my distance above the runway. I have talked with my CFI about it and we don't seem to be able to figure it out. My approaches have been very good, I'm just dropping it in…. When I started landing practice, I was flaring too low. Now I don't seem to be able to judge a good time to flare, so I do it high…. Any suggestions or exercises you might have would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for your help in advance,
Rick

Greetings Rick:
Your problem isn't uncommon at all. Here's something I do when students are having this type of difficulty.

The problem is time. You need to slow down the clock during the roundout, which would help you gauge your height above the runway. Did you know that your airplane has a built in time machine designed just for students having landing difficulties? It does. It's called a throttle. Instead of flaring with power completely off, leave a little power applied during the roundout and subsequent flare.

You'll immediately notice that your runway closure rate decreases, which gives you more time have more time to flare. Upon touchdown, immediately reduce power to idle. Keep in mind that flaring with power applied makes it easier to float or overcontrol during the flare. So only use this technique with your instructor on board. Don't use it on short runways, in strong winds or when obstacles are present. Once you have a feel for the mechanics of the flare, you won't need this application of power anymore.

I've used this technique with great success over the years. Students seldom take more than an hour in the pattern to acclimate themselves to the flare. Perhaps the biggest drawback to this time-distorting technique is that it has no effect on the Hobbs meter. Don't worry, I'm working on that problem.

(Note to CFIs: using power for landing is done as an intermediate step to help students learn how to flare. Just to be clear about this, I'm not advocating power-on landings to touchdown as the norm.)

Dear Flight Training:
I have been learning to fly in a Katana DA-20. Every aspect of my training has been going well up until now. My instructor cannot find fault with anything other than my landings. I have logged more than 20 hours but cannot seem to handle the plane once I get over the numbers…. I have been working on it for weeks and am not improving. I can land in crosswind conditions but seem to float down the runway in calm weather. My instructor has to take over every time. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Help !
Michael

Greetings Michael:
Students who have difficulty floating during the flare are typically approaching at too fast an airspeed. Here’s why I think this is your problem. You state that you can land well in crosswind condition but not in calm weather. If you’re using a sideslip during crosswind landings (as I suspect you are), this increases drag which helps counteract the floating caused by excessive airspeed. Under calm conditions, without the benefit of drag from the sideslip, the airplane floats as a result of your faster approach speed.

Unless the airplane’s manual suggests otherwise, try a final approach speed of 1.3Vs (that’s 30% above the stall speed for the flap configuration used). Now the airplane’s operating close to the bottom of its drag curve. Increasing the angle of attack for the roundout and flare results in an increase in induced drag, which minimizes your chance of floating.

Additionally, if the airplane isn’t properly trimmed on final approach, it’s very easy to over control during the flare. When I make an approach, the airplane is typically trimmed for a speed of 1.3Vs. I maintain that speed with a light touch until I’m ready to begin the roundout, which normally occurs about 20 feet above the runway. At that point I raise the nose slightly and the descent rate decreases, but the airplane continues to descend because of the increasing drag. If the airplane is trimmed, it usually takes no more than two distinct attitude changes to land the airplane: the roundout and the flare.

Here’s something else to try. Have your instructor hold your right wrist with his or her left hand and flare the airplane for you as you hold the controls (don’t let go while he’s doing this. He’ll never speak to you again if you do). This technique imparts a sense of the pressure and timing necessary for a proper flare.

Dear Rod:
What do you think about letting students use two hands to flare the airplane? The reason I ask is that one of my petite female students can’t land the 210 unless she can pull back on the controls with both hands. Any suggestions here?
Your comment would be appreciated,
Thanks,
Mike

Dear Mike:

As a practical matter, it’s better if the student has one hand on the yoke and the other on the throttle during landing. Of course, certain airplanes like the Cessna 182 and 210 often require lots of elevator back pressure during the flare. I had a petite female student who had a similar problem in her Cessna 210.

First, your student won’t be arrested by the yoke police if she uses two hands to flare. The only law that governs how you flare an airplane is the law of gravity. Nevertheless, it’s always a good idea to have one hand on the throttle because it provides immediate access to engine power. So, if she has to flare with two hands, then so be it. I can assure you that if she needs to add power quickly, she be able to let go of the yoke with the right hand and slap the throttle forward in no time.

Another solution is to let her use trim during the flare. If the airplane has electric trim, she might be able to simultaneously flare and provide nose-up trim with the left hand while keeping the right hand on the throttle. If the airplane has a manual trim wheel, let her flare with the left hand while applying nose-up trim with the right. This helps reduce the heavy nose-down stick forces experienced during flare. But this method creates a potential problem: if she’s forced to go around during the flare, then the full application of power can cause excessive nose-up pitch. I solved this problem by having my Cessna 210 student begin the go-around by applying three-quarter takeoff power, adding sufficient nose down trim, then applying full takeoff power.

There’s nothing unsafe with any of these procedures. After all, the alternative is for your student to give up flying. That’s not much of an alternative in my book.

Dear Flight Training:
While flying with several different CFIs I’ve noticed a common problem. As I fly the plane and make small control inputs, the CFI, thinking that I’m not controlling the plane properly, adds his own inputs. This creates a tug of war on the flight controls. Is this a common problem? What can I do about it?
Thanks,
Anonymous

Dear Anonymous (Tugmaster?):
Yes, the problem is indeed common. Sometimes students have difficulty knowing when the CFI is doing some or all of the flying. That’s why it’s not uncommon for a student to land the airplane, then look over at the CFI and say, “Did I do that?” I’ve often wondered if new 747 copilots do the same thing after making their first successful landing. Do they look at the captain and say, “Did I do that?” Maybe not. Nevertheless, here’s what I recommend. Ask your instructor to make it clear when he or she is doing all or part of the flying. Arrange for your CFI to say something like I’ve got the controls, when he takes over the airplane. If the instructor is following you through on the controls, then have him say something like: My hands are on the controls or I’m assisting you with (right rudder). In the early stages of training you can’t be expected to know when the controls feel funny, thus signifying that the CFI has his or her hands on them.

Dear Rod:
How do you know when a student is ready for a checkride or ready to solo? I’ve squeaked by until now doing flight reviews and instrument proficiency checks, but I have four students (two IFR and two Primary) and the time is getting close for them to take their checkrides. I’m hesitant to recommend them without knowing if they’re ready. I’m being really conservative. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Tom

Greetings Tom:
Knowing when a student is ready to solo or ready for a checkride implies that you understand the difference between acceptable and unacceptable flying behaviors. That’s why, when teaching CFI applicants, I show them several variations of passable vs. failing flight performances. For instance, I’ll demonstrate an acceptable ground reference maneuver, then turn around and show the applicant an unacceptable version of that same maneuver. Then I explain the difference. I do this with most of the maneuvers on the Practical Test Standards. It should even be done with oral questions. After all, a CFI student needs to know how to evaluate his student’s verbal performance, too. Therefore, I recommend that you find an experienced CFI and have him or her show you the difference between passable and failing flight performances. You might also hire a designated examiner for an hour or two and have him or her show you these differences.

In regards to solo, I find that consistency is the most important factor in determining whether or not a student is ready. If students are consistent in their performance, then I can rule out luck as a factor in their flying ability. Even if students make safe but firm landings, all that matters is that these landings are consistent. Of course, these landings shouldn’t be so firm that we end up looking like graduates of the Quasimodo posture school. Nevertheless, I’ll solo a student who makes 10 firm—but safe—landings in a row, while refusing to solo someone who makes nine greasers followed by a landing where I have to grab the controls to prevent damaging the airplane.

Finally, one of the most helpful things you can do to identify when students are ready are ready to solo is to ask them. Yep, this works¾most of the time. Based on my experience, you’ll find that 15% of your students will say they’re not ready when they are, 10% will say they’re ready when they’re not and 75% will tell you when they’re actually ready. I remember hearing an instructor call the tower and say, “Tower, I’ve got a student who’s ready to solo here.” While the mic was still keyed, I could hear the student in the background saying, “Noooooooo! I’m not ready yet.” How do you weed out the 10% that are not ready but think they are? I’ll bet money that the majority of these students aren’t consistent in their flying performance.

Dear Rod:
What is the normal amount of flying hours a student pilot should have before starting landing practice?
Thank You,
Roberta

Greetings Roberta:
Most instructors teach students to think about landings on their very first lesson. After all, landings are the reason we teach ground reference maneuvers, slow flight, stall recovery, and most of the other skills learned in basic training. Therefore, from day one, a student is learning to land. But here I think you’re looking for the specific number of hours or number of lessons where students stop airwork and begin drilling exclusively in the traffic pattern. This value depends on the student, the location of training, the type of airplane being flown and several other variables. Nevertheless, instructors often require that their students become proficient in general airwork (ground reference maneuvers, slow flight, basic stalls, etc.) before making landings the primary focus of training. Under ideal conditions, it’s not unusual for students to begin working exclusively in the traffic pattern anywhere between the fifth and seventh flight lessons. Remember, I said ideal conditions. There are many variables that can and will affect this value.

Mr. Machado:
My student pilot wife had a landing go awry during one of her solo flights. From what we could put together, she was a bit hot on landing and bounced the Cessna 152. The plane got into a series of bounces that she described as getting more and more violent. The last bounce caused the nose gear to collapse and the prop to strike the runway.

Now she is very unsure what to do. All the confidence that she built up has totally evaporated. She has no trouble flying with me or going out with an instructor. While she won't admit it, I think she is scared to death to be alone in the plane. How can she regain her confidence in this situation?
Thanks,
Tom

Greetings Tom:
I know a lady who was attacked by a mindless thug. She wasn't badly hurt but was traumatized by the experience, nevertheless. She enrolled in a self-defense class where she learned kung fu (and several other Chinese words). Soon she gained confidence and her fears diminished. I think a similar parallel exists here.

In your wife's eyes, she was attacked by a problem that scared her. So, the first thing to do is understand the threat, then learn a little aviation kung fu to defend against it. It sounds like your wife experienced something known as a porpoise (the tuna-free kind). Porpoising can occur if a pilot attempts to force the airplane onto the runway at a higher than normal speed. This allows the nose-gear to contact the runway slightly before the main gear does. It can also occur if a pilot lands hard on the main gear, resulting in the airplane pitching forward onto the nose gear. Either way, the airplane responds by pitching up and becoming airborne. The pilot typically reacts by applying too much forward elevator pressure, resulting in the nose gear, once again, making hard contact with the runway. The cycle repeats itself, often with more devastating oscillations, sometimes resulting in a damaged nose gear.

Of course it doesn't have to end this way. Pilots can learn to handle this problem by having their instructor simulate porpoising on landing, then practicing the appropriate defense. Given a slightly higher approach speed, the instructor can simulate the initial bounce of a porpoise by letting the main-gear wheels touch the runway (not the nose-gear wheel!), then pulling back on the yoke gently enough to raise the airplane two feet into the air. At this point, the student, who has followed through on the controls, should take over and practice the recovery. He or she does so by continuing to flare the airplane instead of shoving the yoke forward, which caused the porpoise in the first place. This means that elevator pressure must be applied so as to prevent a further climb as well as a rapid descent. Of course, the instructor should demonstrate how and when to use power to maintain sufficient speed during this maneuver. As a final maneuver, the student should be shown how to go around from the top of the porpoise when landing is no longer an option.

Dear Rod:
I recently had an annual checkride through my aero club, and the only area that I was counseled on was my flare upon landing. The CFI performing the checkride insisted that I need to yank back on the yoke to bring the nose high into the air while landing on the main gear. I always land main gear first, but I do not yank back on the yoke. I ease the yoke back enough to get the mains touching first, then the nose follows. The plane that I fly is a Piper Warrior. I must have landed with the CFI seven times, each time not getting the nose up enough. My question is, as long as I land nose up, main gear down first, is there a problem? How high is right?
My best,
Kenneth

Greetings Kenneth:
There are two times when the word "yank" is useful: when you're lifting a ship's anchor from the sea floor and when you've got Hulk Hogan in a headlock. This is a word that's seldom used in an airplane. And it's not appropriate in your situation. You don't need to yank anything in an airplane. The nose only needs to be high enough so that the main gear touches the runway first. Normally, you wouldn't land with the nose as high as you experienced unless you're making a soft field landing. And soft field landings don't require yanking of any shape or form.

Howdy Rod:
I am a CFI and am having problems getting my students to land at our home field. Our airport is approximately 2,150 feet long with one end of the runway pointing toward a hill and the other toward power lines. These obstacles are scaring my students to the point where they do not want to fly on certain days, especially if it's hot and humid. They are even more hesitant when crosswinds and turbulence are present in the summer months. I have tried many techniques and offered reassurance, but nothing seems to work. I've told them that they won't solo until I'm sure they can handle all the challenges. I am at a loss as to what else to do to alleviate their fears. Any advice that you might have if you have the time would be greatly appreciated.
Buck,
CFI

Greetings Buck:
I think I'd be scared to land at that airport under those conditions, too! I suspect that hangar stories from other more experienced pilots around the airport are the possible genesis for your students’ concerns. Unfortunately, it's unlikely that you'll be able to obtain a restraining order to prevent others from blabbing these stories in the presence of your students.

I think that I'd handle all future students like salespeople handle a client's most common objections: up front. Specifically, address this difficulty with your students during the first few hours of flight training. Address it in a way that educates but doesn't scare them. This should provide some degree of innoculation against the effects of exaggerated hangar tales.

Regarding the difficulty with the students you now have, try this. Solo them at another airport with a longer runway, under calm conditions (in the morning, for example). After they’ve landed a few times on a 3,000 foot (or longer) strip with no obstacles, they should be better equipped to handle your home airport runway.

I think it's important to emphasize that a pilot never needs to land if things don't look right. He or she can always go around. Perhaps you should place more emphasis on the go-around as a vital option when things don't look right. Make it the rule, not the exception. Do at least two or three go-arounds on every lesson in the pattern. Let the student see them as being a vital option instead of the failure to fly properly. And emphasize that a go-around doesn't represent a personal failure or a lack of airmanship. It's simply another maneuver.

You might also give your students the option of landing at another nearby airport if they don’t feel that the conditions are comfortable at the home airport. In other words, solo them at a nearby, easy-to-land-at airport, one within 25 miles of the home airport. Give them instructions on how to fly over the route from the home airport to this nearby airport in accordance with 61.93. Then, solo them at this airport. This way, if they return from a solo to the home airport and don't feel they can land safely, there is always the option of landing at the nearby airport. Yes, someone would have to come over and pick them up, but this would last only a short time before they gained enough confidence to handle the home airport.

I believe it's important to give your students options. Give them a few alternatives for handling their discomfort.

Make sure you're not conveying your personal landing fears to your students. If they see you tensing up or getting edgy during the landing, they can't help but interpret this as a sign of danger and risk. It's very easy for instructors to convey this message without realizing how it affects their students.

Dear Mr. Machado:
I am a student pilot learning in a 1982 Cessna 172P. I have just completed my first solo this past Wednesday. Several times during my training on the landing roll the nosewheel has started shimmying rapidly, enough to cause the entire airplane to shake back and forth. My instructor tried to correct the problem by holding full aft deflection of the elevator. This seemed to help some, however not until we reached normal taxi speed did the shaking stop. My instructor advised me that this problem is almost "normal" with tricycle gear aircraft. I respect my instructors wisdom, however I would like any advice you can offer on this problem.
Thank you very much,
Rolly

Greetings Rolly:
Actually, a nose wheel shimmy can result from either a problem with the nosestrut assembly, the tire, the shimmy dampener or a combination of the three. One or more of these items need to be replaced or repaired. As to whether a nose wheel shimmy is almost "normal," think about it this way: if you were to purchase a newly manufactured airplane, would you expect it to have a nose wheel shimmy? Would the nose wheel shimmy be an added option, something you could select, like leather seats or fancy radios? That's your answer.

Greetings Rod:
How far into a landing can I commence a go-around. It seems to me that once I’m in the landing flare I’m committed to landing…. What’s the answer?
Thanks,
I.M. Stumped

Dear Mr. Stumped:
You can go around at any time, even during the landing flare. During flight reviews and airplane checkouts I frequently make it a point to ask for a go-around when the pilot is actually flaring the airplane. I do so by saying something like, “Oh look, there’s a furry little bunny rabbit on the runway. Let’s go around now!” No doubt, a go-around during the flare is challenging, but it’s one of the best ways of testing a pilot’s ability to properly manage his or her gear, flaps, power and pitch. It’s also an excellent way for instructors to identify any deficiencies in go-around technique and a good scenario to practice with your instructor.

One time during a landing flare I said to the pilot, “Rabbit on the runway, go around now.” Knowing my reputation for this ruse, the fellow glimpsed over the cowling at the fictitious rabbit and said, “Hasta la vista, baby.”

Dear Mr. Machado:
I've just encountered a mild landing slump. Nothing serious, but with temperatures in the 90's now, 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, runway thermals 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.

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 can easily lead to floating. I recommend crossing the threshold at no more than 30% above stalling speed for the airplane's current weight and configuration (unless a higher speed is necessary for safety reasons).

Additionally, when strong thermal activity exists along the runway, it’s often necessary to be more assertive with the controls during the flare. You may even need to add power and slightly muscle the airplane back onto the runway under these conditions. Pilots operate at a great disadvantage when they assume that they should “always” handle the controls in a dainty and delicate manner. Strong thermal activity often requires you to respond assertively and firmly with the controls. In other words, this might not be the time to use your pinkies to fly. So be prepared to make the airplane do what you want it to do. Opt for airplane control and don’t worry too much about making a gentle, smooth landing under these conditions.

Dear Mr. Machado
Some of my students like to grip the control yoke tightly which causes them to overcontrol. I've begun making them hold the yoke with only their pointer finger and their thumb. It seems to work but other CFIs say it's not a good idea. What's your opinion?
Sincerely,
Charles

Greeting Charles:
I've not had much luck with that technique. Yes, it does work in cruise flight where small control pressures are necessary to fly the airplane. It doesn't work well for takeoffs, landings, stalls and other maneuvers where considerable control pressures are often necessary. Nor does it work well on bigger airplanes having larger stick forces. Additionally, your student must readjust the position of his or her hands to activate the push-to-talk switch.

Over the years I found two techniques that work well for this type of problem. First, take some foam rubber (about an inch thick) and wrap it around the left grip of the control yoke. Secure the foam with one or two rubber bands. The reactive pressure of the foam seems to help remind students to relax their grip. Be prepared to use a double wrapping of foam if the student's hand is the size of a car's hubcap. And don't get too creative with this idea. I actually had one fellow tell me that this technique works better when a few thumb tacks are placed inside the foam. Remember, we're here to teach flying, not give acupuncture treatments.

Finally, you can use the old, tried and true method of placing a pencil under the student's middle finger as he grips the yoke. A tense grip means pain. This works well, especially if you need smaller pencils. I knew one CFI that used a carbon-nickel steel Harley spoke instead of a pencil. You can imagine how much that hurt! He claimed that all he had to do was show the spoke to his students and their hands melted on the controls.

Mr. Machado:
I'm training in a Cessna 172SP.
I recently purchased a video on takeoffs and landings that used a Cessna 172 for the demonstration. The instructor suggests that the airplane should be flown at 1.5 Vso on downwind, 1.4 Vso on base and 1.3 Vso on final.

When I fly, my instructor has me at 85 knots on downwind, 80 on the turn to base, 75 on base, 70 on the turn to final and 65 the rest of the way in.

If I calculate 1.5 times the 172's Vso (44 knots dirty) I don't get anywhere near the downwind speed of 85 knots. Adding to the confusion above, I flew with another instructor who insisted that the entire pattern be flown at 70K. As a student pilot, this bothers me. It seems as though every instructor has a different speed to use for different parts of the pattern. What speeds should I use?
Thank you,
No Name Please

Greetings Mr. NNP:
The short answer is, use the speeds your instructor du jour recommends. Now, here’s the longer answer.

First, there's no regulation requiring that small GA airplanes fly the pattern at any specific speed. As you grow more proficient, the speeds you use will vary somewhat based on traffic, your comfort level, quirks of a particular airframe, and a number of other factors. The "proper" final approach speed in a more-or-less normal pattern would not serve you well if you'd just flown a downwind greatly extended by heavy traffic.

There are certainly speed recommendations for pilots to consider, and they're a good starting point. The speeds given in your video certainly jibe with what the FAA recommends, and these are certainly reasonable speeds to use, too (unless the airplane's Pilot Operating Handbook suggests otherwise―so make sure you know the Tao of POH). Using a speed of 30% above stall (1.3 Vso) in calm air is a good speed for final approach, too. This speed reduces your chances of floating during the landing flare.

On the other hand, it doesn't seem reasonable to fly the entire pattern at one speed (70 knots). This may be inconveniently slow for the downwind leg, and a tad fast for the final approach. It may also be excessively challenging for a student pilot to have an additional speed requirement for the turn to base leg (i.e., 80 knots in your example) and for the turn to final (i.e., 70 knots in your example). Using five different speeds to fly a pattern might unintentionally train your attention on the airspeed needle in lieu of looking for traffic and holding a specific attitude.

Nevertheless, I don't want to override your primary instructor's rule here. He or she is the ticket to your ticket. Do what he or she wants until you get your license. Then you can experiment with other techniques to see what works best for you.

Dear Rod:
As a CFI, are there any special techniques I can use to help my student learn to land more efficiently?
Thanks,
Buddy

Dear Buddy:

Simulations can be used to recreate the most important aspect of landing―the flare. After the completion of basic airwork it takes an average of eight hours (6 to 7 lessons) for a student to become solo-proficient at landings. The question is, "Why does it take eight hours to learn to land an airplane?" It’s because so little time is actually spent in the landing flare.

During an actual landing the student spends approximately 12 seconds in the landing flare. The flare is the time when a student can more easily see the results of his or her control input and the resultant airplane response with respect to a fixed reference (the runway). If it is possible to accomplish 10 touch-and-goes in one hour (6 minutes per T&G), a student will acquire approximately 120 seconds or 2 minutes worth of flare experience in one hour's time. Now that's not much of a payoff for one hour's worth of flight time, is it? If that student takes 8 hours of time to acquire to solo proficiency at landings, then he or she has acquired approximately 16 minutes of landing flare experience. It's a wonder that students can learn to land at all with only 16 minutes of experience actually spent in the flare condition! Therefore, creative instructors look for ways to simulate more time in the landing flare.

Many years ago an instructor with the Strategic Air Command explained how he helped pilots check out in a new airplane faster by having them fly along the runway at the height, attitude and airspeed normally used for the landing flare in that airplane. Doing this increased that student’s exposure to the flare condition and dramatically lowered the amount of time that student took to learn how to land.

The same technique can be applied with great success by general aviation instructors. Here’s one way to do it.

Begin by having the student fly the airplane above the runway at about five feet and at the airspeed normally used when beginning the landing flare (you'll probably have to set the airplane up in this condition for the first few passes). Plan on making several passes with the airplane in this configuration. On subsequent passes have the student lower the altitude to two feet. The student will quickly acquire experience with control input and the resultant airplane response. Be cautious! Do not to let the airplane stall nor get too close to obstacles in the departure path. Use the longest runway in your area for safety.

After a half-hour of this activity, have the student fly a little lower by asking him to keep the wheels six inches off the ground while in flare attitude. Mention that if the wheels accidentally touch the ground at anytime, the power should be immediately retarded and the nose gently lowered to the ground. Since six inches is all but impossible for a student to identify, this will certainly lead to a landing under controlled conditions.

I have known instructors to cut 30% off the expected time normally needed to acquire landing proficiency by using this simulation technique.