landing?

[mkaykov]

I have trouble lining myself up with the runway, so i have to do it at the last minute, and My landing is not very good. How can i line myself up better. also, i slow down too much, and looses too much altitude, so i am on the verge of stall and barely make it to the runway.

any suggestions, practice methods?

thank you

[Soda]

Most people tend to rush landings, that is the problem, or they try and "force" them with bad technique.  Start out early, get lined up and bleed off any excess speed/alt while still 45 sec+ away from landing.  Then, turn into the airfield and control your speed while lowering flaps/gear.  You should make gentle adjustments to your course just to refine it as you approach and watch you speed, it should be between 110-130mph on most aircraft (some can be slower than that).  Typically that range of speed gives you enough control that you won't be stalling all over the place.  Don't come in too low, you want a nice glide-slope into the runway, coming in too low tends to result in stalls and crashes plus you can't see the runway well to refine your aim.  A good method to not come in shallow like that is to aim to land on the far end of the runway, to start, then slowly move the aim point to the start of the runway.  This also helps later with CV landings.  Just float down while adjusting your speed and pull back gently as you cross the runway threshold and reduce power until you settle onto the runway.  You don't want to "fly into it", you want to float down onto it.

Usually after a couple of offline practices you'll get the feeling for it.  Once you get the hang of it you can shorten your approach and be more aggressive.

[mkaykov]

okay, thanks. i will try it with a bf 109

[Clifra Jones]

As always, good advice from Soda.

One thing that I've notice with my landings that I've changed, and I've seen other pilots do it, is to not take into account that the runways in AH are more than long enough for most aircraft. Especially fighter. Don't rush it to the ground if your not ready once you get over the runway. You've got time. You don't have to drop down at the beginning of the runway. I've put wheels down more that halfway down the runway and was able to stop before the end.

Another thing you can do to practice is get setup for landing and instead of landing try to hold your place a foot or 2 off the runway at minimum speed to keep it there. This will give you the feel of when you are ready to flair the plane and set her down.

(Flair is when you pull back on the stick and the plane settles down on the runway)

[mkaykov]

thanks! great help!

[Tigger29]

One other thing to practice is controlling altitude with throttle.

For example... line up with the runway... when i feel i'm coming in "too short" i'll goose the throttle (while holding the nose at the same level) and if you do the same you'll notice you'll level off or start to climb, even.  When you get to the runway, back off the throttle but don't nose it down... and you should set right down.

[Schatzi]

Good advice there.


Id add two more things:

Practice makes perfect. Go practicing offline or TA (if you feel bored by the drones radio chatter ). In TA you might also find someone to help you fine tune.


Practice with something easier to land than a 109 first. Spit or hurri would be best i think, because of their low speed handling.

[Golfer]

P-38 has a nosewheel and you're over the numbers at 100mph.  Pretty snazzy

[stantond]

I have noticed in AH that concepts from the book  "Stick and Rudder" work:

1.  Throttle forward -> Climb; Throttle back -> Descend
2.  Attitude = speed; nose high (stick back) = low speed, nose low (stick forward) =high speed

To relate this simplified flying concept to landing, chopping the throttle will make the plane descend.  Dropping flaps and pulling back on the stick will slow the plane down.  If you are too low, or realize you won't land on the runway, add throttle.  If you are coming in too fast (with throttle back), try rolling the plane to the left with full right rudder which will yaw the plane and bleed speed.  

I think it's easier to add some throttle on landing rather than bleed speed, but maybe that's personal preference.  One way to perfect your landing is to go offline or in the TA, take off and climb to 2k, then kill the engine and try to land dead stick.  Once you can land dead stick, having an engine makes landing easy.

One other thing I have noticed is that some planes (such as the Corsair) require centered elevator trim when landing so the tail wheel will lock.  The Spitfires don't need that and I recommend starting with them.


Regards,

Malta

[Simaril]

Any tips on landing the birds with monster torque --notably, the F4U family? If the runway doesnt have a cable for the tailhook, I end up ground looping most every time anymore....

[stantond]

The 'trick' to landing the F4U's is to have the elevator trim centered or below center on approach.  That means combat trim is off.  Trying to land a F4U with combat trim on will result in a banged up bird 90% of the time unless its on a carrier with the hook out.

The reason for the elevator trim is so the tail wheel will lock on touchdown.  The tail wheel locks with the stick back 40-50%.  I am not going to get into any 'monster torque' debates about the F4U again, so lets just leave the topic with a way to fix the landing, which is no combat trim and elevator trim <1/2.  


Regards,

Malta

p.s. Yes, I play the game and the F4U is my main ride.

[lasersailor184]

Trick to landing the F4u's is to bind Left and Right Brake to the keys C and V.  This way you can hit the ground, throttle back and still use your rudder and brakes to easily control which direction it'll go.


I haven't looped once since I've started doing this.

[Simaril]

Originally posted by stantond
snip....

I am not going to get into any 'monster torque' debates about the F4U again, so lets just leave the topic with a way to fix the landing, which is no combat trim and elevator trim <1/2.  


Regards,

Malta

Hehe. OK, torque, or rotating slipstream off the great big rudder, or whatever -- i just dont wnat to groundloop!

[Golfer]

If you're using the F4U as a main ride and groundloop 90% of the time with your combat trim on...you've got a flawed technique.

For one...I never turn combat trim off unless I've been stupid and compressed my 109 or 262...it's fine if you leave it on it won't hurt you.

If you are too low, or realize you won't land on the runway, add throttle. If you are coming in too fast (with throttle back), try rolling the plane to the left with full right rudder which will yaw the plane and bleed speed.

What you speak of here is a slip.

Hopefully this will help you with the idea of what a slip is.
(Yes, I am a MS paint artist in my spare time )

[WMLute]

flaps, flaps, flaps, flaps and oh yeah.. flaps.


as you are droping flaps, use the "i" key for nose down trim, to offset the lift the flaps give you.  You can now stay in the air at 100-120 kias no problem.  line up the runway, and belly land the sucker.  belly landing is easy, just be under 150kias.

screech to a halt, and .ef it.

Lute landing 101.  Works on cv's 2.