We've had some pretty strong HW's here lately, and I'm struggling, especially on short final (seems like there's a vacuum on the threshold). I was wondering if anyone has good advice or if there's any tricks of the trade someone could provide so I can stop having to go around. I have to really fight with the PCL just to get it into flare. Is there something I can do on my 180 set up before I perch to counter this? Experienced pilot advice appreciated. Thanks. dave
-
Please take a moment and update your account profile. If you have an updated account profile with basic information on why you are on Air Warriors it will help other people respond to your posts. How do you update your profile you ask?
Go here:
Edit Account Details and Profile
Any advice for strong HW's on final?
- Thread starter USMC_NA
- Start date
Not sure I'm understanding which way the "vaccuum" is going. Usually head winds make the flare a lot easier and smoother since you have more lift versus the ground speed. Care to elaborate a bit more?
***Disclaimer*** Not a T-6 guy, so the final flare might be a bit different than what I'm used to since you guys come in faster than the T-34.
***Disclaimer*** Not a T-6 guy, so the final flare might be a bit different than what I'm used to since you guys come in faster than the T-34.
yeah, my advice is to talk to every IP you know. In person.
You'll get a hell of a lot more out of it than 3rd hand "there I was" gouge on here. There is no magic formula for any airframe.
Scan, scan, adjust, wait, scan, scan, adjust, wait, scan...
You'll get a hell of a lot more out of it than 3rd hand "there I was" gouge on here. There is no magic formula for any airframe.
Scan, scan, adjust, wait, scan, scan, adjust, wait, scan...
Because they are. You're ahead of the game already, no matter where you end up.
And if you're lucky, you'll be able to move on past that whole "flare" concept and start nailing down on 3 things; your landings will be a LOT closer to the same if you can master...
Meatball
Lineup
AOA
Or just meatball and AOA if you're a Hornet guy.
I'm more curious than able to offer advice, but tell me, what do you do with the PCL going into a flare? Also, what are you guys taught as far as the numbers (altitude, speed, configuration) from the 180 all the way to touchdown?
By PCL, he means Power Control Lever, I'm assuming, though I was not a T-6 guy either. Not Pocket Checklist, like we are thinking. To help with your question, strong headwinds means an early perch so you're not drug in on final. The same power setting you learned off the perch for a calm day, which is what I'm assuming you're setting, will work initially off the perch, but once you turn into the headwind, you're going to be short, everytime. Don't shift your aimpoint, and recognize the sink, ie VSI or seat-of-pants, earlier, and it should help. This is something an instructor in person is much more effective at answering than us yahoos.
I am shaking my head in mock disgust. Take that Air Force talk over to baseops.net my friend! Do you remove your scarf before stepping to the bus ride across the 100' to the jet (STS)?
I got my wings at Vance, and I haven't used that disgusting term since my tenure there. Even then, I would throw out a "3 down and locked" call just to confuse the tower and piss off the "IP's" there.
Start your transition earlier, all depends on how much wind there is. That'll let you do your 180 earlier so you can roll right into the 90 on alt and a/s.
As for the short final and the transition, sounds like you might be spotting the deck a little too much. Maybe not, but if you overly focus on your landing spot instead of the flare picture and relationship to the runway, you'll probably have some issues with getting the flare at the right time. Plus, if you have hit your checkpoints at the 180/90 and trimmed for the airspeed, you don't even have to worry about the landing spot, just focus on the flare picture.
Well, that's at least how it's worked for me, been getting MIF and above so it seems to work out allright. Hope that helps, and good luck.
As for the short final and the transition, sounds like you might be spotting the deck a little too much. Maybe not, but if you overly focus on your landing spot instead of the flare picture and relationship to the runway, you'll probably have some issues with getting the flare at the right time. Plus, if you have hit your checkpoints at the 180/90 and trimmed for the airspeed, you don't even have to worry about the landing spot, just focus on the flare picture.
Well, that's at least how it's worked for me, been getting MIF and above so it seems to work out allright. Hope that helps, and good luck.
Haha, I find it hard to believe you don't use Air Farce terms anymore having been AF trained and then god forbid sent to an Air Farce base to fly something that probably should say Air Farce on the side of it anyways. I broke out those 80's terms for the shear fact that he probably has no idea what "meatball, lineup, aoa" is and I was hoping to give him a little help. BUT, all things being equal, thank you for enlightening me.
