Optimal landing speed

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CFIDave
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Re: Optimal landing speed

Post by CFIDave »

Sara: You didn't mention (unless I missed it) what you've been doing with power. As Colin also noted, it's possible to make nice smooth DA40 landings by keeping some power in until touchdown.
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Re: Optimal landing speed

Post by rwtucker »

Nothing like a "how to land discussion" to bring us out.

Your original question goes to speed but the CFI I purchased my DA40 from demonstrated two things while we were flying the aircraft back from the factory: 1) minimal flare attitude (fly it on slightly nose high like a C130, flaring only enough to keep the nose safely off the ground, and 2) maintain slight throttle until just before touchdown. The flare part was hard for me because I was used to my PA28-201T north star flairs and the endless float you get for being 2 kts over. Once I mastered the fly-it-on technique, I could make a fair percentage of greasers even if landing well above stall. This is subjective, but I also sense a greater degree of control.

I don't know about your CG but I can easily bang the tail if I pull the stick back too far during landing. It takes practice to hold the NW off a foot or two until authority is lost.
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Charles
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Re: Optimal landing speed

Post by Charles »

I find my landings to be decent but then again I've never flown a Cessna. I thought my instructors weren't pretty good at landing my plane because they mostly taught on Cessnas. Based on that, I would recommend avoiding flying Cessnas in order to be good at landing a DA40 :mrgreen:
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Re: Optimal landing speed

Post by BlueYonder »

Dave, check the messages just before yours. This discussion has really brought home the need to give up the Cessna habit of pulling out power and letting it settle. Keeping power in will be the very next thing I try.

And Charles, I agree. No more Cessnas unless it's that or nothing. (Let's not get *too* crazy about this.)
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Re: Optimal landing speed

Post by carym »

Sara,
I have the solution for you, and I am surprised no one suggested this. Buy a DA42 :) . In my 900 hours I put on that plane, I can't recall a single bad landing. I am sure that Colin will agree that a smooth landing in a DA42 is a given.
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Re: Optimal landing speed

Post by CFIDave »

carym wrote:Sara,
I have the solution for you, and I am surprised no one suggested this. Buy a DA42 :) . In my 900 hours I put on that plane, I can't recall a single bad landing. I am sure that Colin will agree that a smooth landing in a DA42 is a given.
Shhhhhh.......don't let the DA40 pilots in on "our little secret" that the trailing link gear on the DA42 makes it nearly impossible to make a bad landing -- or that the 42 is much easier to fly than the 40 in virtually all respects. ;)
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Re: Optimal landing speed

Post by Colin »

I have had two flat tires on my DA42 and I consider those the only bad landings.

And don't rule out Cessnas because I hear that Mustang jet is sort of nice for short hops.
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Re: Optimal landing speed

Post by BlueYonder »

DA42s. Mustangs. You're just full of great ideas for how to spend my retirement money, aren't you?

(I'm not old. If I want to remain a Lady of Leisure, I need to pace myself. One toy at a time....)
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Re: Optimal landing speed

Post by Colin »

I look at a Mustang as a business opportunity. But you need to get there first. I'm studying for my commercial written and once I have that I'll see if I can find someone that wants to sponsor my rating in a Mustang so that I can be their mentor pilot. There seem to be herds of people in California that needs someone to sit right seat.
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Re: Optimal landing speed

Post by Don Stewart »

My wife and I are both pilots. We land the plane by the numbers. On short approach we have the MP set around 12.5.
This puts us over the fence at around 75 knots. My wife had not flown for over eight months so she went up to do some T& G's. Using this landing technique she greased 5 out of 6 landings. She floated on one due to wind gust. Actually, I was pretty impressed. See video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe0P4PSJRPk
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