No Flap Landings
Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2022 10:21 amDoes anyone have data on no flap landing distance?
Not in the sense of coming down final with flaps zero at the higher stall speed and so longer landing roll.
But on final with flaps 20, engine at idle and runway made - I use the flap bar to add 30 degrees as needed for drag and as soon as I three point her - I get rid of all the flaps by letting go the lever firmly but smoothly as I touch down. It dumps the cushion of air out from under the wing and helps make you "stick". Though it will not save you from a bounce if you have too big a vertical descent going on. Speed and attitude control are still paramount.
Shown to me by an Alaska bush pilot who has to "stick" a plane on tiny sand and gravel bars. It gets maximum load on the mains as soon as possible and maximum traction for braking.
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In the high wing Cessna 100 series - I flick the ELECTRIC flaps to zero when still about 10 ft above the runway - by the time they get moving significantly - you are touching down and get the same effect.
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I recently read an article discussing that some models of Airbus - in certain configurations will do something similar - raising the flaps just before touch down AND even adding reverse thrust before the wheels are on the runway to make the plane stick. As I THINK I recall it was because an approach might have to be flown faster than normal because of wind shear risk and then the speed lost rapidly for the touch down.
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Ramble ramble...... :-)