Avoiding Hard Landings

Sponsored by AssuredPartners Aerospace and USAIG | A bounced or firm landing is typically not a hard landing. So, what is a hard landing? It happens when an airplane stalls or drops onto the runway with too high a vertical speed, resulting in damage to the aircraft. It’s not just the landing gear that takes the hit—structural damage also extends to the firewall and engine mount, fuselage skin, wings, and so on.

In Avoiding Hard Landings, our ASI team examines key causes that lead to hard landings. They also offer suggestions for making smooth landings your passengers—and your pocketbook—will appreciate.

Also, learn how a great flying exercise can polish your touchdown skills as you prepare to flare!

Sponsored by: AssuredPartners Aerospace
As AOPA’s strategic partner for aviation insurance, AssuredPartners Aerospace, one of the nation’s largest aviation insurance firms, provides the absolute best insurance protection to fit your needs. Whether you’re flying your own airplane, renting from others, instructing, or running an aviation business, we have an unmatched depth of knowledge and resources driven by the desire to set a new standard for service and responsiveness. With more than 25 years’ experience serving pilots’ aviation insurance needs, our expertise has been developed over years of working closely with the nation’s best insurance carriers. We understand the exposures that make aviation insurance unique.

Sponsored by: USAIG
A global leader in aviation insurance. For over nine decades, we’ve been a leading provider of insurance to the aviation and aerospace industries. While we insure some of the world’s largest flight departments, we also provide thousands of owner-operators the peace of mind of knowing that their risks are covered by the aviation experts. When you work with us you’re dealing with people who understand, first-hand, your concerns and challenges. Many of us are pilots - as well as AOPA members. And we operate our own fleet of four general aviation aircraft. Give us a call – you’ll find that we speak your language.

Other episodes in the series:

[PiyushTejwani]

Don't know what AOPA is paying him but get this man a raise, and more videos!

[Celsian]

I don't know who this man is, but I wish he'd teach me everything. Great delivery.

[Mr_Bones.]

Great, articulate, and witty presenter and a beautiful little single prop. I wish I could go around and give this video another thumbs up. Thank you for making this AOPA :)

[blancolirio]

Great delivery! Perfect audio!
Nice RV! I always enjoy peeking in other pilot’s hangars and admiring their collection of stuff. ;-). Juan

[marksteven]

Loving this presenter! Please, let us see more of him on videos like this.

[fmachine]

50 percent humor, 50 percent knowledge.

100 percent win.

I like this presenter. Keep more coming y’all.

[GrummanTiger]

"Sure, we've all had firm or bouncy landings...or 10..." 😃 ASI - good stuff! Just as a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, a dose of humor helps get your point across. Well done!

[tomsmith]

Best presenter so far from AOPA! Short and simple, serious but with a little bit of humor, no arrogance. Nice. The 5-6 min length is good, too. Nice work!

[damclean]

Probably the best Air Safety Institute video yet. Expertly written, filmed and hosted, with the right amount of cheeky humour. Bravo. Looking forward to more of these.

[grayvidz]

Great and concise video. Pilots really can’t watch too much of this channel - there is so much accurate and actionable information. Thanks!

[Dilandau]

The best tip I've ever seen for judging flare height came from Rod Machado (I don't think it's in his book, though). When you're looking down the length of the runway, there's a moment where the runway suddenly becomes a lot wider in your peripheral vision. That's when you flare. It works every time for me, at least in Cessna 172.

[PatrickJWenzel]

Have to agree, this man has got it. Thanks for the lessons.

[michelledavis]

That guy was really engaging. Great commercial! I feel like I can fly a plane now

[nickcormier]

I think the comments here have reached a consensus. More of this guy!!

[simonmouer]

just my observation that many light aircraft pilots I have flown with tend to fly very shallow vertical approach angles at what I consider way too fast final approach speeds. And by "way too fast" I mean 1.3 Vso+ all the way to the flare point, or even to touch down. The pilot creates his own problems doing this:
1) The shallow approach angle means if he had an engine failure, he would likely never make the runaway;
2) His 1.3 Vso+ airspeed means if he was trying to make an off-airport emergency landing, he would likely float past (overfly) his intended landing point. This is because the actual stall speed of a light aircraft in ground effect is much lower than the Vso measured out of ground effect (or, at altitude.)

Review the POH or Owners manual first to ensure that what is recommended below is suitable for your aircraft, , but assuming it is, what I would recommend to such pilots are:
1) practice much steeper approach angles - more like what the natural engine-off maximum glide ratio is, and control the descent angle with slips; and
2) Once on short final, and guaranteed to reach the runway if engine power failed, allow the airspeed to gradually decay until it decays to Vso right over the threshold. Then hold the landing attitude and the aircraft will settle into ground effect and on to the runway on its own as airspeed continues to decay below Vso. If the winds are gusty, add on half a gust factor to your airspeed. If the vertical decent rate appears too high for you, give the engine a little shot of power just before touchdown to cushion your landing. If you screw up, then go around and try again. Practice this for every landing, and when you do have an emergency, landing on or off airport, it will seem like a normal regular landing to you.

[atubebuff]

Very well produced & very well presented. Excellent.

[brentrichter]

Nice job! The '56 Chevy 2 door sedan in the hanger looked nice too.

[StevenLeoKorell]

I was doing this yesterday, wheelies down the runway, ground effect, pattern back and soft field. Good stuff.

[burkemounts]

This was such a high quality video! I’m glad it showed up on recommended!

[Hamperokken]

I want this guy as my instructor! Best video yet! Keep'em coming :)