Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84 exptools; site ihnp4.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!ihnp4!cfiaime
From: cfiaime@ihnp4.UUCP (Jeff Williams)
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Re: Eyeballing the Runway
Message-ID: <737@ihnp4.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 19-Mar-85 17:40:04 EST
Article-I.D.: ihnp4.737
Posted: Tue Mar 19 17:40:04 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 20-Mar-85 05:19:13 EST
References: <1075@phoenix.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 40

> How do you look at the runway when landing an airplane ?
>... 
> I've just completed a course of dual instruction to validate
> my FAA licence.  My instructor/examiner for this course
> insisted that as I lift the nose to flare, I should look straight 
> down at the runway out the side window!
>...
> This didn't work for me at all.  It was just a meaningless blur.
> I got no feeling of depth, and my landings were lousy.
> I passed the test by cheating and flicking my eyes right for
> a quick peek over the nose when he wasn't looking.
>... 				
> Made in New Zealand -->		Brent Callaghan

A couple of questions here.
	1.  Do you land the airplane flat (nose wheel touching
		with the mains or shortly thereafter)?
	2.  Do you land at a speed greater than 1.1 vs0 (stall
		speed in landing configuration)?
	3.  Does your airplane have a lot of nose gear problems?

What I teach comes from flying airplanes with (gasp) tail wheels.
You can't look over the nose in a Funk, Taylorcraft, Luscombe, Cessna
180/185, or the like.  (Maybe you can in a Champ.)  The best way to 
land is to get the nose UP on touchdown.  The only way to do that and
keep aligned with the runway is to look out the corner of the windshield.
Typically I look at about 30 degrees off of the nose of the airplane.
You still can look far enough down the runway to judge your height,
but you can also get the nose up where it belongs on landing.

As an example, go watch a 727 land.  It will touch down at about an
eight degree deck angle.

As a parting shot, you would be shocked at how your landings would
improve if you checked out in a tail wheel airplane.

			Jeff Williams
		"Resident Accident Prevention Counselor"
			AT&T Bell Laboratories
			ihnp4!cfiaime