MDW Overrun - SWA

Pilots tend to sit on the left side and not look truly
straight ahead, but look a few degrees toward the center of
the airplane. Thus they think the airplane's longitudinal
axis is not aligned with the direction of travel, since
their reference point is incorrect. I've even seen pilots,
in calm wind conditions, setup a slip to align their
incorrect aim point. Then since they also fail to properly
flare and follow through with the landing, allowing the nose
to slam down when the torque from main wheel spin-up occurs,
the nose wheel tire makes hard contact with the ground while
swinging to the right as the CG corrects their direction of
travel.
The cure is to first get an accurate reference point
directly in front of the pilot, parallel and off-set from
the centerline; Then always get that point pointed straight
down the runway;And follow through with the flare so that
the pilot controls the nose wheel touchdown.

That will also make your airwork better, since that same
reference point is used for in-flight maneuvers and the
attention to detail makes you a better pilot.


BTW, I've actually had a professional pilot, CFI taking a
flight review want to come to blows when I told him what he
was doing. It took a few trips around the pattern before he
saw his error. This is not just a problem with SE trainers,
look at the tires on a Lear or King Air next time you have
the chance, it isn't uncommon to see all the tire wear on
the co-pilot's side because the Captain does all the
landings.


--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:HxCmf.394396$084.134791@attbi_s22...
| I will tell you that 90% of the nose wheel tires on most
| airplanes below 40,000 pounds are worn out on the right
side
| [left side when viewed from the front] and I can teach
you
| why this is so and improve all your flying technique,
but
| you'll need to send me more than $10 for that.
|
| Okay, 'fess up. Why is this so?
|
| (You'll earn ten bucks off your next stay at the Inn...
:-)
| --
| Jay Honeck
| Iowa City, IA
| Pathfinder N56993
| www.AlexisParkInn.com
| "Your Aviation Destination"
|
|

This is not just a problem with SE trainers,
look at the tires on a Lear or King Air next time you have
the chance, it isn't uncommon to see all the tire wear on
the co-pilot's side because the Captain does all the
landings.

Interesting observation, Jim -- thanks.

As a new pilot I used to occasionally have trouble landing in a slight crab,
even when there was no crosswind. (In fact, it was sometimes worse with NO
wind at all.) I cured that problem by consciously aligning the nose and
tail of the plane with the runway, not just aligning *me* with the runway.

Now, it's second nature, but it took some analysis to figure out what I was
doing wrong. It never dawned on me that this was common, and would result
in uneven nose-tire wear!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

It is not stressed during check-outs, to get a true sight
picture. In many airplanes the pilot sits about 5 degrees
from his eye to the only visible part of the cowl/nose and
that is the hump over the prop. Unless to conscientiously
avoid using it as a reference, your eye will use it as a
default reference for alignment.

It is very easy to fix as a pilot or instructor if you know
to look for the signs. If you are an instructor giving a
flight review to an owner, you can gain extra points by
telling him about his landing problem even before you start
the engine.

A grease penciled mark (I like crosshairs on the spot) makes
it easy to cure the pilot and teach the student. Soon they
won't need it.


--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm



"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
newsnFmf.394608$084.59578@attbi_s22...
| This is not just a problem with SE trainers,
| look at the tires on a Lear or King Air next time you
have
| the chance, it isn't uncommon to see all the tire wear
on
| the co-pilot's side because the Captain does all the
| landings.
|
| Interesting observation, Jim -- thanks.
|
| As a new pilot I used to occasionally have trouble landing
in a slight crab,
| even when there was no crosswind. (In fact, it was
sometimes worse with NO
| wind at all.) I cured that problem by consciously
aligning the nose and
| tail of the plane with the runway, not just aligning *me*
with the runway.
|
| Now, it's second nature, but it took some analysis to
figure out what I was
| doing wrong. It never dawned on me that this was common,
and would result
| in uneven nose-tire wear!
| --
| Jay Honeck
| Iowa City, IA
| Pathfinder N56993
| www.AlexisParkInn.com
| "Your Aviation Destination"
|
|

I look down the piano hinge line on the left side of the cowl..

Places the nose wheel on the centerline every time..

Well.... every time I have the hinge lined up anyway...

Dave



On Sat, 10 Dec 2005 18:45:55 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote:

This is not just a problem with SE trainers,
look at the tires on a Lear or King Air next time you have
the chance, it isn't uncommon to see all the tire wear on
the co-pilot's side because the Captain does all the
landings.

Interesting observation, Jim -- thanks.

As a new pilot I used to occasionally have trouble landing in a slight crab,
even when there was no crosswind. (In fact, it was sometimes worse with NO
wind at all.) I cured that problem by consciously aligning the nose and
tail of the plane with the runway, not just aligning *me* with the runway.

Now, it's second nature, but it took some analysis to figure out what I was
doing wrong. It never dawned on me that this was common, and would result
in uneven nose-tire wear!

A hinge or painted line is always nice. But some airplanes
don't have such, sometimes you can't see any part of the
nose past the window frame. But what ever you fly you have
to find something to use as references.


--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

"Dave" wrote in message
...
|I look down the piano hinge line on the left side of the
cowl..
|
| Places the nose wheel on the centerline every time..
|
| Well.... every time I have the hinge lined up anyway...

|
| Dave
|
|
|
| On Sat, 10 Dec 2005 18:45:55 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
| wrote:
|
| This is not just a problem with SE trainers,
| look at the tires on a Lear or King Air next time you
have
| the chance, it isn't uncommon to see all the tire wear
on
| the co-pilot's side because the Captain does all the
| landings.
|
| Interesting observation, Jim -- thanks.
|
| As a new pilot I used to occasionally have trouble
landing in a slight crab,
| even when there was no crosswind. (In fact, it was
sometimes worse with NO
| wind at all.) I cured that problem by consciously
aligning the nose and
| tail of the plane with the runway, not just aligning *me*
with the runway.
|
| Now, it's second nature, but it took some analysis to
figure out what I was
| doing wrong. It never dawned on me that this was common,
and would result
| in uneven nose-tire wear!
|

Jim Macklin wrote:

Pilots tend to sit on the left side and not look truly
straight ahead, but look a few degrees toward the center of
the airplane.

A few hours with a taildragger will do wonders to fix this.

The cure is to first get an accurate reference point
directly in front of the pilot, parallel and off-set from
the centerline;

This is exactly correct. In my Maule, this point was the upper left mounting
screw for the AI.

George Patterson
Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to
your slightly older self.

Tailwheel airplanes are wonderful teachers, maybe the new
Legacy Cubs will spark a renewal of landing skills.


--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm



"George Patterson" wrote in message
news:l1Nmf.9752$Wo2.5041@trnddc04...
| Jim Macklin wrote:
|
| Pilots tend to sit on the left side and not look truly
| straight ahead, but look a few degrees toward the center
of
| the airplane.
|
| A few hours with a taildragger will do wonders to fix
this.
|
| The cure is to first get an accurate reference point
| directly in front of the pilot, parallel and off-set
from
| the centerline;
|
| This is exactly correct. In my Maule, this point was the
upper left mounting
| screw for the AI.
|
| George Patterson
| Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by
rights belong to
| your slightly older self.

On 2005-12-10, Jim Macklin p51mustang wrote:
The cure is to first get an accurate reference point
directly in front of the pilot, parallel and off-set from
the centerline;

The cure is also to learn to fly a tailwheel aircraft. That will very
rapidly get you out the habit of landing slightly crooked, since doing
that tends to send you on a short sharp trip to groundloop city!

--
Dylan Smith, Port St Mary, Isle of Man
Flying: http://www.dylansmith.net
Oolite-Linux: an Elite tribute: http://oolite-linux.berlios.de
Frontier Elite Universe: http://www.alioth.net

"Dylan Smith" wrote in message
...

The cure is also to learn to fly a tailwheel aircraft. That will very
rapidly get you out the habit of landing slightly crooked, since doing
that tends to send you on a short sharp trip to groundloop city!

--
Dylan Smith, Port St Mary, Isle of Man
Flying: http://www.dylansmith.net
Oolite-Linux: an Elite tribute: http://oolite-linux.berlios.de
Frontier Elite Universe: http://www.alioth.net

Or at least an up close visit with the nearest runway light.

Unless your tailwheel aircraft is a tandem cockpit, the need
to have an accurate reference point still is present. BUT
it is true that a tailwheel will immediately show the error
of your ways.

A little rephrasing, all aircraft pilots need an accurate
reference point for each axis, in a tandem cockpit, where
the pilot sits on the centerline, the selection of a point
is not as likely to wrong.


--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

"Dylan Smith" wrote in message
...
| On 2005-12-10, Jim Macklin p51mustang wrote:
| The cure is to first get an accurate reference point
| directly in front of the pilot, parallel and off-set
from
| the centerline;
|
| The cure is also to learn to fly a tailwheel aircraft.
That will very
| rapidly get you out the habit of landing slightly crooked,
since doing
| that tends to send you on a short sharp trip to groundloop
city!
|
| --
| Dylan Smith, Port St Mary, Isle of Man
| Flying: http://www.dylansmith.net
| Oolite-Linux: an Elite tribute:
http://oolite-linux.berlios.de
| Frontier Elite Universe: http://www.alioth.net