Normal Landings

Private Pilot License (PPL) Notes

This section provides an overview of normal landing procedures for new student pilots, covering radio communications, traffic pattern entry, approach, and landing techniques.

Radio Communications:

1. For non-towered airports:
   1. About 10 miles out, call on the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF).
   2. Announce your plan to land and request an airport advisory.
   3. Be aware you may not get a reply; making the call alerts other aircraft.
   4. Make additional position reports as you enter the pattern and on each leg.
2. For towered airports:
   1. Contact the tower from 10 miles out.
   2. The controller will assign pattern entry, landing runway, and next radio call.

Traffic Pattern Entry:

1. Descend to traffic pattern altitude before reaching the pattern to spot other aircraft.
2. Avoid descending entries into the pattern due to collision hazards.
3. Standard pattern entry at non-towered airports:
   1. Enter at a 45-degree angle to the downwind leg, abeam the midpoint of the runway.
   2. This is where other pilots expect incoming traffic.
4. Alternative entries from the opposite side:
   1. Cross over midfield at least 500 feet above pattern altitude (e.g., 1,500’ AGL).
   2. When well clear (approx. 2 miles), scan for traffic and descend to pattern altitude.
   3. Turn right to enter at 45° to downwind at midfield.
   4. Alternatively, enter on a midfield crosswind at pattern altitude if the pattern is not busy:
      1. Carefully scan for traffic.
      2. Turn downwind, giving way to aircraft on the preferred 45° entry and those already established.
5. At towered airports:
   1. Pattern entry is as assigned by the controller (e.g., right/left downwind, base leg, straight-in).

Pre-Landing Checklist:

1. Seats and seatbacks upright.
2. Seats and seatbelts secured and locked.
3. Fuel selector on "Both".
4. Mixture full rich.
5. Landing light on.

Flying the Traffic Pattern:

1. Enter mid-downwind on a 45-degree angle parallel to the landing runway.
2. Maintain a distance that allows for a safe landing in case of power loss.
3. Adjust as necessary at tower-controlled fields per ATC instructions.
4. On downwind:
   1. Reduce power while maintaining altitude to slow to flap operating speed range (white arc).
   2. Lower flaps as per instructor guidance (incrementally or all at once on final).
5. Opposite the intended landing point:
   1. Further reduce power to about 1400 RPM.
   2. Hold level flight pitch attitude to slow to around 75 knots.
   3. Begin a descent of approximately 500 feet per minute.
6. At 45 degrees past the touchdown point:
   4. Initiate the turn to base leg, ensuring no conflicting traffic.
   5. Compensate for wind drift by adjusting the turn angle.
7. Before turning to final:
   6. Look for traffic on long final approaches.
8. On base leg at a 45-degree angle to the runway:
   7. Adjust descent as needed:
   1. If too low, start a shallow turn to final.
   2. If too high, delay the turn and make a medium bank to final.
9. Turn from base to final:
   8. Should not exceed medium bank angle.
   9. End aligned with runway centerline.
   10. Adjust bank as needed for alignment; do not exceed medium bank.
   11. Practice to improve turn accuracy.

Final Approach:

1. Extend full flaps for normal landing.
2. Trim for recommended final approach speed (e.g., 65 knots for Skyhawk).
3. Establish and maintain the glide path to the touchdown point:
   1. Never allow the airplane to go below the glide path or approach speed.
4. Adjust for wind:
   1. Headwinds reduce groundspeed; decrease rate of descent to stay on glide path.
   2. Calm winds increase groundspeed; increase rate of descent as needed.
5. Control descent using pitch and power:
   1. To increase rate of descent while maintaining airspeed, reduce power.
   2. To decrease rate of descent while maintaining airspeed, increase power.
   3. Pitch and power adjustments affect both glide path and airspeed.
6. Visual cues for glide path:
   1. Runway shape and apparent slope.
   2. Aiming point movement on the windshield:
      1. If it stays stationary, you're on the correct glide path.
      2. If it moves down, you're overshooting (too high).
      3. If it moves up, you're undershooting (too low).
   3. Select an aiming point (reference) down the runway.
7. Align the airplane with the runway centerline.
8. Adjust focus between the nose of the airplane and the touchdown point.

Flare and Touchdown:

1. Begin flare (round out) about 10-20 feet above the runway.
2. Gradually reduce power as you pitch up to slow the aircraft.
3. Trade airspeed for reduced descent rate by increasing pitch.
4. Hold the airplane just above the runway, slowly increasing back pressure.
5. Allow the airplane to settle onto the runway as it stalls, touching down on the main gear.
6. Keep the nose wheel off the runway until it gently settles down.
7. Maintain directional control with rudder pedals during rollout.

After Landing Procedures:

1. At non-towered airports:
   1. Announce when clear of the active runway.
   2. Taxi to the parking area.
2. At towered airports:
   1. Exit the runway at the first available taxiway unless instructed otherwise.
   2. Await taxi instructions from the controller.
3. Follow after landing checklist:
   1. Adjust aircraft lighting as required.
   2. Lean mixture for taxi if field altitude permits.
   3. Raise flaps.
4. Upon reaching parking area:
   1. Pull throttle to idle.
   2. Turn off all avionics and electrical equipment.
   3. Check magneto switch and wiring by briefly turning ignition off; engine should stumble.
   4. Shut down engine properly:
      1. Pull mixture to idle cutoff.
      2. When prop stops, turn off magnetos and master switch.
   5. Install control lock.
   6. Turn fuel selector to left or right to prevent cross-feed.
   7. Secure the airplane as needed.

Consistent practice of these procedures will enhance your landing skills and ensure safe and efficient operations.