Nobody has mentioned that one of the reasons to avoid aiming for the numbers
and to plan your touchdown point to be at the 1/3 point of a std 3000'
training rwy is to allow a margin for an engine failure on short final.

When doing a round base to touchdown approach this will also allow you to
see the runway sooner. In the real world you may be connecting a round
approach with a short field landing and will have to identify the features
of the extended centerline to navigate by. Caution, there are many
opportunities for CFIT.

Combining this approach with a constant slip allows you to control your
decent rate. I found it useful to practice this maneuver with some power on
to provide better engine temperature management. If you do this you will be
set up just right for soft field practice, and will avoid the inevitable
small stumble that often happens when you advance the throttle on a cold
idling engine.

At a busy training airport this maneuver, combined with a request to ATC for
simulated engine failure exercise(when making downwind call) will allow you
to pass a slow or underpowered&heavier aircraft or one that seems to be on a
xc circuit. ATC is not allowed to suggest this to you but they will know
exactly what you are doing. I have spent many practice hours doing this
exercise on every circuit, if ATC is not able they will deny your request or
sometimes give you a spacing or call your base if there is another ac that
has not yet cleared the rwy.

Aircraft with tandem seating are nice for this approach because they look
the same right or left. Aircraft without flaps really like this approach
especially in real engine out practice as it gives you great control of
decent. You can't do it for real if you don't practice when its not..

Caution YMMV as always, seek qualified instruction, a high time taildragger
instructor is a good bet, avoid 231 hr. wonders.

Blue skies to all


"Cub Driver" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 22 Jan 2005 11:28:26 -0700, Klein wrote:

I go to idle
abeam the numbers and fly a circular arc to touchdown. No flaps
(don't have any) in an Extra 300L. Drops like a rock. Holding 90 kts
to the flare retains plenty of energy for the flare. I'd probably do
it differently in a 172. ;-)

I'd love to try this, but I fear I couldn't see the runway in the arc.


-- all the best, Dan Ford

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