How to land. (Landing Procedure)

For the benefit of any newbies I would like use to go through the basics of landing a model.

I know there may be differences depending on the type of model ect.

What realistic advice would you give to a beginner wanting to learn to land?

First step - learn how to fly slowly at altitude, and learn where the stall happens, and what the model does. (and how to recover from a stall!!!)

What a subject!!

This is the commitment. You dont have to take off, you dont have to fly, but when you have done the first two, then the landing is a commitment, in other words , you have to do it. It is the most difficult thing to do for a newcommer.

The only way I have found success is to teach the pupil to do slow fly by s over and over again till they are not scared of being near the ground. As they get lower and lower, with throttle, not elevator, until they are at the stage of being a foot from the ground, then the command close throttle will put the model down gently on the deck.

In my flying, I always use the four point method. 1 fly past yourself into wind at normal flying speed, and travel 150 yds at about 100 ft. turn 90% and reduce throttle slightly fly maybe 100 yds and turn 90% again, reduce throttle slightly again. This will cause the model to drop slightly. Turn again, now you are going downwind, and continue until level with where you started from, ie this is the 3rd leg of the rectangle. Turn 90% again and you have finished at the point you started at, but much lower. Line up the model and fly it into wind again and reduce throttle all the time, and control the height with throttle, and as model come to 6 inch above the ground, feed in elevator to flair out the model, which should then alight gently on its wheels. Allow it to slow down, then use rudder to steer it towards the pitts. Job done. Always remember throttle controls height, elevator controls speed.

Garry

admin wrote: For the benefit of any newbies I would like use to go through the basics of landing a model.
I know there may be differences depending on the type of model ect.
What realistic advice would you give to a beginner wanting to learn to land?

You surprise me son, You're a pretty damn good flyer & an excellent forum creator, but you knock yourself.
I've seen expert flyers shit themselves in combat when you've come howling in for the kill ... you just have a natural flair for the hobby.
Don't ask how to land, .... tell everyone how you learned to do it. :silly:

Its simple really,a landing is a controlled crash.I find it fascinating to watch club members land,I think its a good way to learn the right and wrong ways.Landing is all about confidence and feeling comfortable come in slow and losing the speed.So many experienced fliers come in from to high and its like coming doen hill to fast ,as they arrive the model has gained speed and jumps back in the air.1 member of 30 years just cannot land.His approach is good but on his finals he suddenly loses it,the model gains height and he brings it in to fast ,to steep and always takes his wheels off.I found the confidence flying a Super Scorpion 3 channel.If you werent 4 feet from the ground as you arrived at the strip it would glide on through.It was having so much fun it didnt want to land.You had to lose height way out and glide it in,with almost no power.Some people do just that ,glide it in,others come in under a bit of power,of course the model your landing decides on the approach.

Polyphilla wrote:

admin wrote: For the benefit of any newbies I would like use to go through the basics of landing a model.
I know there may be differences depending on the type of model ect.
What realistic advice would you give to a beginner wanting to learn to land?

You surprise me son, You're a pretty damn good flyer & an excellent forum creator, but you knock yourself.
I've seen expert flyers shit themselves in combat when you've come howling in for the kill ... you just have a natural flair for the hobby.
Don't ask how to land, .... tell everyone how you learned to do it. :silly:

I don't think Mike's knocking himself Pol, I think He's thinking of newbie flyers joining the ranks. (am I right Mike?)
Everyone has their own twists same as each model has it's own quirks.

One thing's for certain as Garry said earlier.. once you're up, you're committed to a landing of one kind or another.

Sometimes when critical alfa male is at the field I keep flying around wanting to land but wait until he is doing something because he can be very intimidating.Its so peaceful when he is not there.

That's ok until the engine decides for you, that it is time to land! :evil:

The Beard wrote: Sometimes when critical alfa male is at the field I keep flying around wanting to land but wait until he is doing something because he can be very intimidating.Its so peaceful when he is not there.

Best thing is to ban him, if that cant be done, find when he goes, and go on different days to him.

After meeting you Stephen, it suprises me that he CAN intimidate you. He certainly wouldnt have that effect on me.

Garry

Have to admit that this year he has quitened down and Im not as intimidated as I was.It depends on how New you are.he tends to pounce on new members and at first take them under his wing(get it) and is very helpful.Then you finally pass your "A" he isnt as needed so he starts his critisising.But as you become less of a Newbie so he tends not to bother you anymore.If poor Sarah joined the club she would have him all over her.When any lady member arrives its all kisses and cuddles from him whilst they cringe.He has a lovely wife as well poor girl does absolutely everything for him.But if in trouble he can land anything he has his uses.I still get him to maiden everything and most of us do.

Wouldn't get many kisses and cuddles back- more like a knee in the groin from me

Is this topic in the " how to learn" section? do we have a "how to learn" section?

Have landed a helicopter, albeit it was more a erm weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee splat but it ended on the ground so guess object fulfilled :woohoo:

Was advised to get a tricycle undercarriage for my first plane - does this help make landing easier?

Not s much the landing itself, but the roll-out after. A trike doesn't normally try to swap ends on you, like a tail-wheeler will, and because of the wheel layout, with a trike trainer, the wing is normally at a slightly negative incidence when all the wheels are down, so it holds itself onto the ground, while with a tailwheeler, as the tail comes down, the wing wants to fly again!

Gotcha except for the " slightly negative incidence" ??

You posted while I was adding the sketch.
Wing incidence, the way the wing is tilted - fore and aft.
Positive incidence, (front higher than back) lifts upwards.
Negative (back higher than front) 'lifts' downwards!

Very crude explanation.

does the job well