Techniques for Adjusting a Delayed or Excessive Flare during Touchdown
V appreciated the unexpected rush as the runway boundary blurred past, quicker than anticipated. Consequently, you instinctively yanked back on the yoke, triggering an unwanted scenario. This circumstance is commonly known as a late flare. Let's dive into the reasons behind it and the implications of a late flare...
Late Flare: Why Does It Happen?
A late flare is primarily due to lack of focus on visual cues down the runway during the roundout and flare. However, sometimes the illusion of a narrower-than-usual runway can also lead to this issue.
Three Outcomes of a Late Flare
If you experience a late flare, three outcomes typically unfold:
- Ballooning Without Touchdown:
- Swiftly pulling back on the yoke can save you from a hard landing but may cause ballooning. During this state, the aircraft ascends, draining airspeed and placing you perilously close to stall speed as you drift farther from the runway. To correct this, use a modest increase in power to slow your sink rate, hold your pitch attitude, and touch down gently on the runway. If the balloon is significant, maximize power and go around for safety.
- Hard Landing:
- Application of excessive back pressure too quickly leads to exceeding the critical angle-of-attack, resulting in a stall and a harsh landing. To counter this, amp up the power gradually to slow your descent rate. If rapidly closing in on the runway, the best move is going around and attempting again. Remember, you might touch down during the go-around. Maintain power, re-enter the pattern, and give it another go.
- Nosewheel-First Impact and Porpoise:
- If you fail to flare at all or react incredibly late, a nosewheel-first landing is likely. If the plane弹回 (bounces back) into the air, resist forcing it down onto the runway. Immediate go-around is crucial to prevent porpoising and risk of prop strike or nosewheel collapse.
Recovery or Go-Around: Which is Better?
The key to overcoming a late/rapid flare lies in rapid power application. Though there are scenarios where a slight power increase can slow descent rate for a smoother landing, generally, prompt go-around is safer in most cases.
Preventing a Late Flare
The popular saying an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure rings true here. To nip late flares in the bud, learn more about flare timing and visual cues here.
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- The unexpected rush during the flight made the runway boundary seem to blur past faster than expected.
- In that situation, reflexively pulling back on the yoke can cause an undesirable event known as a late flare.
- A late flare is often the result of inattention to visual cues on the runway during the roundout and flare.
- Sometimes, the illusion of a narrower-than-usual runway might also lead to a late flare.
- Pulling back on the yoke too quickly in response to a late flare can cause ballooning, where the aircraft ascends, depleting airspeed and getting close to stall speed.
- To correct ballooning due to a late flare, a modest increase in power can help slow the sink rate, while maintaining the pitch attitude for a gentle landing.
- Excessive back pressure applied too quickly during a late flare can lead to a stall and a harsh landing.
- In such cases, gradual power increase can help slow the descent rate, but in many situations, promptly going around is the safer choice.
- If the plane bounces back into the air after a nosewheel-first landing, an immediate go-around is crucial to prevent porpoising and potential prop strike or nosewheel collapse.
