Briefing: Landing

Introduction

Aim: You will learn how to return to earth where you want, safely, with a glider that can be flown again.

What do we know?

When does a flight stop?

What stages are there to a landing?

Recap: The Approach

What is it?

What is its purpose?

Where does it put you?

What speed will you be travelling at?

Elements of a Landing

Video: A normal landing

Round-out

The perspective changes:

Purpose: round-out to avoid hitting the RP

Method:

  • At about tree-top height, ease the stick back gently, to achieve a float just above the ground.
  • Move your focus to the vanishing point, ahead.
  • Use peripheral vision to judge the rate of round-out.
  • Keep the airbrakes constant throughout.
Float (or Hold-Off)

Purpose: to hold the glider airborne, just above the ground

Method:

  • Progressively ease the stick back (it may become heavy)
  • Maintain the same height above the ground (peripheral vision)
  • Keep the airbrake setting constant
  • Focus remains on the vanishing point
  • Allow the glider to gently stall on (probably very soon after tail wheel has contacted the ground, with the main wheel only a few inches above the ground). The ‘fully held-off landing’.
  • Stay focused for the ground run.
Ground-Run

Purpose: bring the glider to a safe stop

Method:

  • Open airbrakes further (caution: opening fully may activate the wheel brake)
  • Keep, or bring, the stick fully back
  • Wings level (ailerons)
  • Directional control (rudder)
  • Larger control movements needed as the ground speed decays
  • If using the wheel brake:
    • Apply gently: risk of ground-loop
Difficulties Arising

Round-out too high

Problem:

  • If the float is too high, there is a danger of dropping too far.

Action:

  • If speed is safe and attitude is level, with moderate airbrake setting: hold everything.
  • If speed is safe and attitude is level, with a large airbrake setting: ease the airbrakes in.
  • If speed is slow and/or attitude is nose-up, with airbrakes open: close the airbrakes and gently lower the nose.
Round-out too late

Problem:

  • A hard impact will follow, very quickly.

Solution:

  • It’s a question of developing the judgement. Good round-outs are often preceded by looking well ahead, early.
Ballooned Landing

Problem:

  • A little too much stick back movement causes the glider to rise: the ground has fallen away.
  • The glider is now higher, and slower.

Action:

  • Correct the attitude: level, promptly, smoothly.
Ground Loops

Causes

  • Intentional
    • Short field / out of room / collision avoidance
    • Can only land ahead
  • Accidental
    • Tail heavy glider
    • Out of balance on landing
    • Wheel brake on at touchdown (especially on wet grass) – beware gliders with wheel brake linked to full airbrake setting
    • Tall grass / crop

Recovery

  • Stick forward, fully, immediately
  • Out of turn aileron
  • Out of turn rudder

Intentional Ground Loop

You might break the glider – get it inspected – but you’re very unlikely to break yourself. Sometimes it is the best option.

  • Stick forward
  • Into turn aileron, to get the wing down
  • Out of turn rudder to mitigate the rotation
Landing in a Crosswind

Video: Landing in a crosswind

Crabbing or Wing Down (Sideslip)?

Crabbing

  • Wings level in flight
  • Yaw into wind, to drift along the intended track
  • Kick off the yaw immediately before touch-down
  • Into-wind wing low during the ground run
  • When stopped, use aileron to put the into-wind wing on the ground.
Wing Down (Sideslip)

  • Approach in line with landing path
  • Sideslip (bank and opposite rudder) to track in line with landing path
  • Reduce bank immediately before touch-down
  • Into-wind wing held low during the ground run
  • When stopped, use aileron to put the into-wind wing on the ground
  • Advantage: well suited to landing cross-slope when the wind is blowing up the slope – in which case landing into wind would be down-hill.
Landing Uphill & Downhill

  • Landing up or down-slope changes the perspective
  • Maintain the correct descent path by monitoring the ASI
  • Uphill landings require additional approach speed
  • Downhill landings are undesirable.
Recap

  • What is the purpose of the Reference Point?
  • Where is your focus after passing the RP?
  • What is the ideal stick position at the point of touch down?
  • When does the flight stop?
  • In a crosswind, what action is performed immediately before touch down?
TEM

Impacting the ground, hard

  • Look well ahead just before the round-out
  • Round-out progressively

Collision with objects on the ground.

  • Don’t point at anything you don’t want to hit
  • Avoid congested landing areas

Wing Drop & Ground-loops

  • Look well ahead just before the round-out, and throughout the ground run, to detect small deviations in angle of bank and direction.