How to Judge Your Landing Approach | Landing Aiming Points

Are you high or low on final approach? Here's a good way to train yourself to be able to tell, and perfect your landing approaches.

[HittokiriBatosai]

All great points. I remember a moment when doing circuits with my instructor, the first time I felt free enough to focus on how the overall landing profile looked. Before that point, I guess I was too focused on my airspeed and altitude, getting the flaps out and the engine pulled back at the precisely rehearsed times. My comment was, "it looks flat, doesn't it?" And his answer made it all click; "if it looks flat, it's because of something you did back there (pointing behind us). Now this is the look you've given yourself. Figure it out." The things we do from downwind to final aren't just steps on a checklist, they are to make the landing profile look just as you need it to look. And when things don't look right, adjust, and adjust early. By the time you're on short final your only remaining choices are to land or go around.

[martinm]

Another great video!

Heard this same advice from a CFI early in my training and have been putting the million scrapes on those old 172's windscreens ever since. One of the best advices i got!

[flyingtotheendsoftheearth]

Great as always. You seem to know what I need.

[Gerii]

Great video. I learned this technique years ago when playing Flight Simulations with WW I airplanes. It was mentioned in the manual. Thats also a way to tell if a airplane is on your level or going over or under, important for avoiding collisions.
As reference point you can take the planes hood

[pilotoHD]

Always an excellent video Dan! I was wondering if you could do a video on the differences between Precision Approach, Non-Precision Approach, APV and how it all fits into RNP, PBN, and GPS. Thank you so much for all of these outstanding videos!

[fortheloveofcake]

Runway marking distances are standardized. My instructor told me on a perfect approach, 70kts IAS a warrior should hit the 1000' marker if your aiming point is the numbers. note: On a perfect* approach.

[JustSayNO]

During IFR training, as I am currently undertaking, the hood comes off at 200 feet AGL. Given the significantly compressed time to make the judgement and adjustments described in the video, my landings have deteriorated compared to those of a non-training flight under VFR when there's 500 feet to descent during final. Suggestions are welcomed.

[omarijoseph]

yes this is for me..i always misjudge the landing..once i get it on the runway is good for me..but i know that's not the best way...

[blitz]

Dang, so that's why i always touch long. So if you plan to touch on the 1k foot mark, your aiming point should be before that. Thanks for the tip!

[shawnasadi]

Is it me or does he sound just like Sam Harris? Nice video!

[vedymin]

Can someone tell me what is the lustre of power-on approaches (especially for piston engine planes) ? Wouldn't it be better for safety if one just went all the way down power off ? This way, if the engine cuts out, you have enough energy to get to the runway and not land in the trees before it ? From what i heard it was often the way to land during ww II ? Is getting some fouling on your plugs really such a problem ? btw im just an armchair "pilot" so im prolly missing some vital piece of info but still... Even if would be for example harder to flare or less convenient for pax or smthn this way, its still worth it i imagine ? bush pilots do it too i heard ? (though they often go at minimum speed too..) Is it somehow a pain for atc ?

[keyogen]

Sim pilot here. I always come in too high and too fast. Even with full flaps and no power. Or i come in too low and have to level off or even climb. Then I land on the last 3rd of the runway.

[garypudup]

Funny how those wide thousand-foot markers are called "aim points". They are the point where if you follow the glide path it meets the runway. By using them as aim points you will necessarily be on glide path to the runway. Not too high, not too low.

[aaronhammond]

Didn't actually mention how to know if you're high or not, just where to aim.

Need to understand the correct shaped trapezium that the runway needs to make in your vision - long and skinny is too high - short and fat is too low. There will be differences due to the actual width of the runway, but you get a feel for it.

[faaacademyairportcertifica]

IFR IS 800 FEET AROUND THE AIRCRAFT GENERALLY?

[faaacademyairportcertifica]

THE TOUCH DOWN POINT OF THE AIR TRAFFIC SYSTEM IS WHERE YOU NEED TO ADJUST THE THROTTLE TON RELATION OF THE FLAPS? BY RULE THE THE THROTTLE MUST BE 2° MORE THAN THE FLAPS?

[faaacademyairportcertifica]

EACH TYPE OF AIRCRAFT HAS A PLACE PAST THE LANDING MARKS?

[faaacademyairportcertifica]

IF THE ALT MINIMUMS ARE SET THEN THE PLANE SHOULD LAND JUST PAST THE LANDING MARKS, IF NOT THEN DO THE CONTINUOUS APPROACH DESCENT ADVISORY?

[faaacademyairportcertifica]

AN APPROACH HAS SEPERATION MINIMAS OF OBJECTS?

[martinm]

Another great video!

Heard this same advice from a CFI early in my training and have been putting the million scrapes on those old 172's windscreens ever since. One of the best advices i got!