My new landing techniqure

[Ed Cesnalis]

My landings have evolved.  

I no longer 'play chicken with the ground' and I no longer try to enter ground effect with enough speed for any float at all.

I do use 30* most of the time and a steep approach that allows me to keep the numbers as my target with throttle at idle and nose trim forward enough to maintain 55kts.  I am waiting a bit longer to begin my descent or flying the pattern tighter.

@WmInce I think asked what my cue was to begin raising my nose and I have trouble identifying that point other than to say it remains late to maintain speed.  

My timing and attitude are, 1) in time to get my stick full aft prior to contact. 2) pitch attitude high enough while still descending to avoid nose wheel contact first.

I contact my mains at the point that used to be my round out but instead just sink through it now.

I do use the visual cue where the runway suddenly widens but only to confirm that my stick is almost full aft.

Once my stick hits full aft my hand is extra ready to advance the throttle but I usually here the upwind wheel spin first.  

[Adam]

Ed,  I wonder if you have tried your new technique at sea level?  (Wondering if your home base altitude 7000+ has any impact on the performance)

[ct9000]

19 minutes ago, Adam said:

Ed,  I wonder if you have tried your new technique at sea level?  (Wondering if your home base altitude 7000+ has any impact on the performance)

The altitude will not matter because we use IAS not TAS. At higher DA the stall speed TAS will be significantly higher but the IAS will be the same. What this means in practice is that if you come in over the fence at say 50kt. your TAS may be over 60kt. so the end result is the same except for ground roll, just like on take off the ground roll is longer because you need to get a higher TAS for the same IAS. 

[Ed Cesnalis]

It works the same at sea level.  Sea level at the same IAS is exactly the same with a different visual and for my money much more buoyant air.

[FlyingMonkey]

Ground effect in the CT is pretty pronounced in my experience.  Unless you are very slow (48kt or less) on approach there is a noticeable "pause" in the descent when you get into ground effect.  I have started using that as a good cue.  Once the "pause" ends and the airplane is sinking again, I start to work the stick back and then just work it by feel to hold off a few inches above the runway as long as possible until the mains contact.

If you are doing a minimum speed short final in the 48kt range (which I do solo in calm winds on shorter grass fields), the ground effect pause is absent and you have to judge it entirely by feel and visual cues.   

[Ed Cesnalis]

I think the ground effect is diminished if your angle is steeper.

[FlyingMonkey]

21 minutes ago, Ed Cesnalis said:

I think the ground effect is diminished if your angle is steeper.

I think it's also a speed issue, diminishing with the lift of the wing.