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Mastering Short Field Landings (A Step-by-Step Guide)

Pilot Institute

Aircraft Weight and Limitations An aircraft’s weight affects inertia and stopping distance. The POH lists landing distances for specific gross weights. Smaller aircraft may only have short field landing distances for maximum gross weight. Any substantial changes to speed and descent rate will destabilize the landing.

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How to Improve Your Landings

Pilot Institute

Learn to use aircraft references to establish a stable descent rate and pitch, ending up in a smooth roundout and flare. Watch out for some common mistakes, such as over-controlling and reacting incorrectly to visual cues. A quick way to estimate the correct descent rate for a 3-degree glidepath is to multiply your groundspeed by five.

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COMBAT VIETNAM: The Threat Inside My Aircraft

Vintage Aviation News

Otherwise, our maintenance guys’ corrosion control team would rip me a new one. Besides, we had our hands full, fighting to maintain control of the airplane. Descent check!” That meant balancing aerodynamic forces on the flight controls with a large “trim wheel” linked by cables to tabs on the aft edge of our horizontal tail.