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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!alice!ark
From: ark@alice.UucP (Andrew Koenig)
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Re: Advice on obtaining pilot's license
Message-ID: <4253@alice.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 31-Aug-85 20:04:53 EDT
Article-I.D.: alice.4253
Posted: Sat Aug 31 20:04:53 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 1-Sep-85 06:27:02 EDT
References: <53@cbnap.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Labs, Murray Hill
Lines: 28

> A good landing includes a full stall
> inches above the ground so that the plane touches down at the absolute 
> minimum speed and STAYS there. Any higher speed can result in flying
> bounces leading to several nasty end results. If you fly with
> someone that consistantly lands without a stall light/horn going off
> I suggest you avoid them untill they get more training.

To some extent this depends on the airplane and the weather.
For instance, the Cardinal RG I fly has quite a sensitive
stabilator, with a lot of inertia, and a fairly sharp stall
(as Cessnas go).  If you run out of elevator travel three feet
above the runway, you will be very embarrassed.  If you touch
down with a knot or two of excess airspeed, you will be much less
so.  If you touch down ten knots too fast, you might bounce.
Therefore, in practice I usually find the wheels touching down
before the stall horn comes on, or very shortly afterward.

But of course I land somewhat differently in strong crosswinds.
Minimum flaps, a little extra airspeed, and make sure the wheels
are on the ground BEFORE I've lost enough aileron authority to
risk dragging a wing.

Finally, I once crossed the runway threshold at my home base
at 135 knots (in a Cessna 172!) because a Learjet was on my tail.
Flaps up, of course, and I used between 4,000 and 5,000 feet
of the 6,000 foot runway before I finally stopped (didn't touch
down until about 55 knots).  My right hand was on the throttle
for a possible go-around the whole way.