Landing tips

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ONE_HELLCAT

Airman 1st Class
171
2
May 26, 2008
Ventura County
So, anyone have some landing tips? I can take off, fly, fight (for the most part) and all that stuff, but I just can't land.

My best recent landing was actually when I ran out of fuel online and was able to glide in. I went nose over when I used too much break, though.

But other than that, I usually bounce and kill myself, or roll past the runway.

I know it depends on the aircraft, but I tend to fly lots of different types. Hellcat would be pretty useful, though. That's the one I usually use too much break on.
 
The biggest obstacle to overcome for me was to not get impatient. I would often just force the landing rather than go around and try again. I usually chop the throttle to about 30 and lower my gear while I'm a ways out, lowering flaps as needed to keep on the same glide path. Also be sure to only use small adjustments to the throttle, it's very easy to overcompensate and ruin your approach.

When you do touchdown and stop bouncing (I bounce quite a bit too) keep that stick back and pump the brakes, try to force that tailwheel to stick to the turf. Retracting the flaps completely helps too, as your wings will provide less lift and will be less prone to nosing over.

You may try practicing in a P-38 or 39...something with a nose wheel, it lets you see the runway for a little while longer and completely removes the need to ease up on the brakes. The 38 also has power to spare in case you have to abort and try again.

As far as carrier landings go, it's entirely about glide path (obviously). I would recommend the carrier landing training missions, but do touch and goes rather than trying to actually catch a wire.
 
...also use your elevator trim, makes a massive difference. Most of the time I only use the throttle to land the plane, this AFTER I established my glide path, flaps down, gear down and ELEVATOR trim set a bit nose up. I use small adjustments on the throttle (more for nose up, less for nose down) until she softly touches down. Also make sure your tailwheel is locked after landing. BTW this is what I personally do, so if I'm missing something please state

A very good read for sim pilots: http://web.comhem.se/~u85627360/inpursuit.pdf

It is a fantastic read and helps you from Taxing all the way to Advanced Combat Maneuvers back to your landing. It is really worth the read


edd
 
I fly mostly Combat Flight Simulator, but also have flown IL-2 on occasion. The nice thing about flight sims is that you really don't have to fly a pattern if you don't want to.

Just to practice landings, I would suggest that you try to set up your approach about 2 miles out or further at a reasonable altitude (perhaps 3000-5000 feet). Figure out what the stall speed is for your aircraft with flaps up and flaps down. Use fine throttle adjustments and adjust your pitch (and trim) so that you come down at a fairly shallow angle and reach the end of the airfield with about 20-30 feet of altitude at about 10-15 mph over your stall speed. I try to get down to somewhere under about 5 feet altitude and hold altitude by gradually raising the nose of the aircraft until speed bleeds off and the plane settles on the runway.

Keep in mind also that the only claim to fame that I might make is that I probably have crashed more aircraft in sims than most people have seen.


- Ivan.
 
evangilder said:
Alex, you should ask Gary or Steve how it's done. They fly the real one and if the sim is modeled correctly, it will give you a good starting point.
Click to expand...

Wrong cadet Is there even an Alex at the CAF? Anyway, I'm Ernest, the cadet in the blue shirt that works on the Spitfire. But you bring up a good point, I should ask them about it. I talked to Jason once, but that was a long time ago.

And thanks for the tips. Trim is pretty much the only thing I haven't programmed on my joystick.
 
i would say, throttle down to 30% when ur returning from a mission and a couple of miles from ur base. then i would try to lower ur altitude a bit at a time then when ur just a couple of 100 metres out, then set ur landingflaps on and throttle up to 35-40% and start ur approach, a bit of advice dont use ur breaks to soon (talking from experience )
 

Whoops, ALex used to be around a lot and I made a (wrong) assumption. My apologies. You could also check with Jason, Chris, Ken or Terry. I'm sure that any one of those guys could give you some great pointers.
 
That's alright, Mike called me Alex once. I'm just ribbing ya a little. Honestly, I'm a little intimidated with them, and most pilots in general. You'd think after three years of working there I wouldn't be. But I feel a bit noobish.
 
No reason to feel intimidated, they put their pants on the same way you do, one leg at a time. I have flown next to almost every one of those guys, and have flown in the back behind Jason, Chris, Ken and Terry. They are good guys who don't have any problem encouraging anyone that wants to learn to fly.
 
Best thing to remember on approach, is to keep 'er level...let the aircraft settle as the airspeed drops. You can always create a little more lift if needed, by increasing the engine RPMs. The prop's flow over the flaps gives good lift and will help you bring it in smooth. When you're on approach, you should have the throttle back to about 12-17% power. This allows you to bleed off airspeed and still have good enough lift to let the machine "float" level as it descends.

If it looks like you'll have to abort, then gently increase the engine's RPMs and get your airspeed up.

Most fighter aircraft have incredibly powerful engines, and the torque can wreak havoc on you if you don't handle it properly.

I've seen many landing attempts go wrong when the pilot came in too hot and/or too steep. Just take your time, ease 'er on in and once on the ground, there's no real reason to apply hard brakes (unless you've come in hot). Tap the brakes, if you need them...don't lay on the brakes, that'll put your chin in the pavement and people will point and laugh
 
As soon as you get down and are rolling down the runway pull up your flaps and pull back on the stick, then apply brakes. The flaps are a huge reason for tipping on your prop.
 
Yeah, I learned that the hard way.

It's funny that you say to keep the plane level because my best landings are usually with crippled planes, like a one engined Me-110 or a P-38 without ailerons.

Thank you again for your tips. I'll try it out next time I fly.
 
I agree, don't use too much brakes. Just a little bit, and use the landing flaps of course.

I think it's good to be almost landed right when the runway starts. So the speed can be already low already. It's hard not to bounce, usually I do, but if the speed is maybe only 5% percent by then you don't bounce too high at least.

At any rate, brending the propeller by nosing over is better than the plane catching fire or something.
 
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