REFLECTOR: Tips - How to land smooth as a roockie
Lou Stedman
stedmanlou at adelphia.net
Sun Jun 24 19:52:14 CDT 2007
Thanks Dennis that sounds terrific. I can't wait to go out tomorrow and try it.
Lou Stedman
Velocity N7044Q
Olean, NY
----- Original Message -----
From: Dennis Martin
To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
Sent: Sunday, June 24, 2007 7:10 PM
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Tips - How to land smooth as a roockie
I saved this post on "Soft Landings" from Dave Dent. I'm still building my 173 Long Wing FG, but will be landing soon and some of these concepts apply to all Velocities. Ihope Dave doesn't mind me posting it again:
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I could go on for a long time how hard it was to land the XL. I found it one of the most difficult planes I had ever landed. I tried every mechanical add on I could to correct my inefficiency to land the plane right. I was all over the runway trying to put it down. I was never told how to it make it right without thinking I was going to brake something. I had been landing Long EZ's and Cozy's for a number of years and thought I would never have a problem landing the Velocity. But when I started flying the Velocity I was rudely awakened. I didn't know all about big canards like the Velocity. I do believe one of the problems comes from the larger wetted area of the fuselage. So doing makes it makes it act more like a boat then a plane when it comes into ground effect.
I have well over 4000 hrs flying light aircraft and every landing is a new experience as it is with most pilots. So don't think you are a lone. Birds are not meant to land they are meant to fly. Great effort is put into planes to make them fly better and faster, not land smoothly. Just to withstand the landing. I have seen aircraft that have been designed for NASA by some of the best. They take off fast, they fly fast, they fly high and can also fly very slow, but when it comes to landing they still look like something looking for a place to hit, so that when the parts start flying off they cause the least amount of collateral damage.
So I came up with a method of landing that seems to work over 90% of the time. This is my method and it may help for those still seeking a good way to get over the idea that they are going to brake their plane on the next landing.
Now I'm dealing with the XL/RG first but the method works on the smaller Velocitys as well.
When setting up on your approach speed, with gear down or speed brake down doing much the same, set up the best angle of attack based on your visual or glide slope needle angle. Then while holding that angle trim the aircraft nose up to take the pressure off your hand then trim it up about one second longer till you just have to push the stick forward to maintain that same angle, ever so slight. Then when you start to slow the plane down by reducing the power more you will have to keep applying more trim to have the same forward pressure you need to keep the nose at that angle. Now when you come over the first set of numbers on the runway start looking at the numbers on the other end of the runway and don't take you eyes off them till your main gear is planted and you will find that you will have to relax on the stick to let the nose settle onto the ground. I'll guarantee you, that if you look at the runway beside you our just in front! of you , you will hit it, and hit it hard. So keep your eyes on the end numbers. It works most every time. Don't ever let the canard go above the horizon. If you can't see the end of the runway because the canard is in the way your nose is to high. Most likely it won't be.
I still remember the picture of the plane planted in the middle of a tree in the meddle of field and there is only one tree in the wide open field. If you aim to miss it you will hit it for sure. It all came back to me one day when I was thinking about the helicopter training I had. During hovering to flight transitions. I was taught to keep my eyes way out in front to keep from hitting the nose on the ground. The instructor showed me then, if I looked at it, you'll would run into it. So by using this technique I have made much better landing and not to concerned about braking something on landing.
Another thought on this. When once lined up with the runway keep your feet off the rudders till you absolutely need them. It just makes more work out of it. It will make you use a great deal more stick movement and get you into a minor PIO, that will make you sweat. So use as little rudder as you can during your approach.
I hope this gives a little more confidence into those that have just started flying these beautiful planes.
Dave
On 6/23/07, Ramin Yavrom <yavrom at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
Hi Lou,
I have only 25 hours in my Vel, not more of an expert than you. However, I used a trick that really helped me land much smoother.
Since I am new to Velocity I decided I will use an airport nearby that has a 6500 ft and 11000 ft runway so that i could come in with a bit of power to make it a smoother landing.
Meanwhile, repeated practice with power landings allowed me to slowly get a hang of the plane and its landing nature.
Eventually, as you get more and more comfortable with it, you will be able to land with less and less power, untill you come in with full idle.
I also feel no mater how good you get, even an expert Vel pilot will occasionally have a terrible landing with full idle. I have seen it.
So, you may wish to do some thing like I did.
Have fun.
Ray
LHOSK at comcast.net wrote:
Lou,
Go get some training at velocity. I am a retired airline pilot and Navy trained pilot with I don't know how many hours and I felt it prudent to get checked out. (I had not flown a light plane in 30 years). Just land the velocity on the mains and hold the nose off , it may take quite a bit of back force, slowly lower the nose before the canard stalls. In other words fly the airplane don't let it fly you. It's just another airplane no magic involved.
Good luck,
Lon
-------------- Original message --------------
From: "Lou Stedman" <stedmanlou at adelphia.net>
Thanks Bob. Where are you based?
Lou Stedman
Velocity N7044Q
Olean, NY
----- Original Message -----
From: SlvEgl99 at aol.com
To: reflector at tvbf.org
Sent: Saturday, June 23, 2007 1:44 PM
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Tips
Lou, Likely nothing. Most of us let the nose gear hit pretty smartly, I think. At least I seem to do that. I try to round it out a few feet above the runway but seem to hit pretty smartly in any case. Velocity has a strong gear (mine is an XL FG) and it seems to stand it pretty well.
Bob Wood
260 hours, N658SE
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From: "Lou Stedman" <stedmanlou at adelphia.net>
To: "Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list" < reflector at tvbf.org>
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Tips
Date: Sat, 23 Jun 2007 19:07:15 +0000
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All the best,
Dennis
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