From: RicArgente@cs.com
Message-ID: <f7.39ba02c.271c55d1@cs.com>
Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2000 09:00:01 EDT
Subject: LNC2: Landing-Mike Dehate's Definition of #5277 on Landings
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Mike Dehate's Definition of #5277 on Landings

I've refrained from writing a "technique" paper on landing the two-place 
Lancair because there are soon many volumes on the subject and one more would 
be a waste of time, or elicit the next great debate. But after reading Bill 
Russell's article, I felt compelled to inject my own time proven methods.

Let's start by understanding that there is more than one way to skin a cat, 
or land an airplane, and that the same technique will not necessarily work 
for every airplane. The axiom of "any landing that we can walk away from is a 
good one" is now and forever forgotten.  We are going to strive for a 
stabilized approach, and a controlled touchdown (My definition of controlled 
means pilot controlled, not destiny or gravity).

At my last CFI refresher clinic, I learned a very valuable lesson on teaching 
that critical time just prior to touchdown. It was presented in this manner: 
There is a period of time during the landing phase that must be mastered to 
keep us from driving the airplane into the ground or failing to find the run 
way at all. That period is just after we have initiated the flare and just 
before we arrive. You may remember it as "Hold it off, HOLD IT OFF, HOLD IT 
OFF!"  Now this takes from 2-3 seconds per landing and most students will 
solo in 12 hours, of which 3-4 hours may be spent in the touch and go pattern 
with an average of 6 landings per hour. My higher math shows that they must 
learn this critical time period in an average learning environment in 
approximately 54-72 seconds of that 12 hour training cirriculum. Not good 
enough. The solution is simple, after the roundout and precisely 6" above the 
runway, adjust enough power to maintain our altitude and airspeed, without 
landing, bouncing, or calling it a touch and go, and stay on the centerline. 
I've used this technique with great success with all the Lancair pilots I've 
checked out.

Let's fly a typical Mike pattern and see how it works.   But before jumping 
into the airplane, stand back 10 feet from the left wing and note the 
relatively short distance between the main and nose gear, also the relative 
short length if the airplane.  Of importance here is the short distance 
between the main and nose gear. No matter how well greased are bearings are, 
we will create "rolling resistance" with the tires, especially the mains. The 
result will be the tendency of the airplane to over-rotate on liftoff and to 
drive the nose gear into the pavement on touchdown. File the away!

Checklist complete and ready for departure, we line up on the centerline and 
smoothly add all the power available.
Rudder control should be sufficient immediately, so stay off the brakes.  At 
our predetermined rotate speed (VR), bring the nose up to a position slightly 
above the horizon and let the aircraft fly off the runway, watching for that 
overrotation. I teach Lancair pilots to visually keep the runway in sight 
over the nose until the aircraft accelerates to approximately 100-120 MPH. 
This gives a flat initial climb, but also gives us a little energy in case of 
engine failure.  Gear, of course, only comes up when we  can no longer land 
on the remaining runway, and the first power reduction after the climb has 
been stabilized. If staying in the pattern, you'll find yourself at pattern 
altitude and above gear operating speed (VLO) before getting the turn to 
downwind accomplished if you're not real quick on the power reduction. 
Downwind should be planned at no greater than 140 MPH (VLO) and I find 5 
degrees of flaps aids stability a bit.

Abeam the intended point of landing I: 1) lower the landing gear, 2) reduce 
power to 10-12" Hg, 3) mixture and prop forward, and perform my GUMP 
checklist while still maintaining pattern attitude. If properly planned I'll 
be approximately 45-degrees off the and of the runway at the same time I slow 
to 100 MPH, and I start the turn to base before adding about 1/2 flaps. Leave 
the power alone! Once established on final, we can extend the remaining flaps 
as desired, establishing our "stabilized approach", controlling our rate of 
descent with power, and the airspeed with pitch.

With proper execution and a little luck, we will hold 10-12" Hg Tight down to 
touchdown. So here goes with the last few seconds that results in a smooth 
landing. Leave the power set until touch- down. If we float a little too 
much, reduce the power enough to bear a power change, don't look for it. We 
do not round the airplane as high as the hangars and drift down to a final 
flare. Fly the airplane down to the runway, into ground effect. We round out 
the descent 6" above the runway and roll it onto the surface. Don't arrive 
carrier style, or fly a tree top final from 5 miles out like a B--52.  On 
touchdown, reduce power to idle and track that elusive centerline (watch for 
the initial rolling resistance that can pitch the nose down faster than you 
want, resulting in proposing and possible PIO).  If the airplane gets into a 
porpoise, add power and go try another landing.

After you have approximately 50 to 100 landings under your belt, and you are 
smoothly rolling the airplane on, you can slowly reduce the power when you 
round out the descent, resulting in less float, and a quicker touchdown. When 
you're really confident, start slowing your final approach speed down to no 
less than 85 MPH for short fieldwork. 

Keep in mind that this is not a low speed, high lift airfoil, and any attempt 
to stall it onto the runway can cause you embarrassment, and damage to your 
pride and joy. With the Lancair, the increased drag resulting from increased 
angle of attack is far greater than any trainer you have flown. In other 
words, when the nose goes up with no power added, the speed will drop fast!  
This is a factor of the Lancair 235/320 airfoil and its light weight.  

All this talk of "technique" and "stabilized approaches", is fine, but the 
most obvious problem I encounter with most new Lancair pilots is lack of 
recent flying experience and lack of experience in different types of 
aircraft. Are you finishing up your Lancair right now? Well, start flying (a 
lot), and fly different types of aircraft. The Beechcrafts are good for 
learning the higher power constant speed, retractable gear systems. The 
American or Grumman Yankee is a good transition into a homebuilt aircraft 
"feel", with its relatively quick controls and low landing flare altitude. 
Fly any homebuilt whose owner will let you. Biplanes, canards, any different 
kind of aircraft will give you more confidence in your ability to fly, 
period. And when you do fly your Lancair, you will be delighted with its 
pleasant handling characteristics compared to those other planes
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