Takeoffs and Landings
Taking off is optional. Landing is mandatory.
Going to describe the main styles of takeoffs and landings as taught in primary (private) training.
Takeoffs
Standard
A “standard” takeoff looks like this:
- Get on centerline of runway
- Apply throttle, ensure engine instruments are in green
- Release brakes, accelerating
- Watch for airspeed to increase (to become “alive”)
- If the airspeed doesn’t come alive, then abort the takeoff.
- At rotation speed (Vr), begin rotation. (or, you know, when the plane starts to take off)
- Climb out at Vy (or Vx, if noise abatement requires it). Note that Vy is usually a higher airspeed than Vx
- At 500 AGL, reduce flaps to 0° if they weren’t already at 0°.
Short Field
Usually as “short field with 200 ft obstacle”. This is where we get to practice STOL with a non-STOL airplane.
- Set flaps to 10°.
- Get on the centerline, as far to the end of the runway as possible (use all available runway)
- Hold brakes and apply full power. Release brakes.
- Watch for airspeed to come alive.
- Rotate at Vr
- Climb out at Vx.
- When at 200 AGL (over that 200 ft obstacle), pitch for Vy
- Reduce flaps to 0° when at 500 AGL.
Soft Field
E.G. a grass field or a sandbar. Or really, any field that’s not concrete or tarmac.
- Set flaps to 10°.
- As you take the runway, apply full back pressure on the elevator, do not come to a stop on the runway.
- Gradually apply full throttle.
- Keep nosewheel off the ground, but don’t tailstrike.
- Rotate at Vr
- Stay in ground effect until you’re at Vy
- Climb out at Vy
- Reduce flaps to 0° when at 500 AGL.
Landings
Short Field
The point of a short field landing is to get the plane down as early as possible (on your landing mark). Without floating or taking more space than necessary.
- Once you are on the runway:
- Reduce flaps to 0°
- Apply brakes as necessary (don’t destroy the brake pads if you don’t have to)
- Once flaps are at 0°, pull back on the elevator - use drag as much as possible to reduce speed.
Soft Field
The idea here is to essentially try to keep the plane from landing as much as possible - don’t want it to catch on a sandbar or clump of dirt and cause the plane to flip or something.
- Don’t idle the engine as you come in to land
- Instead, wait until you’ve touched the ground to idle the engine
- Keep the nosewheel off the ground as long as possible
- Role off the field without applying brakes too much.
Last updated: 2019-06-23 12:13:21 -0700