Fun with trailling edge dive brakes

Scott Elhardt wrote:
I've been happily flying my H303 Mosquito for a year now and my
landings seem to be getting worse as time goes on. I have tried a lot
of approaches to the process, but inevitably I'm faster that I want to
be and don't touch as lightly as I'd like especially with a lot of
brake out.

Any trailing edge dive brake experts care to describe your accumulated
perspectives?

Scott

I'm flying a Mosquito now, and had a Ventus for a few years too, not
that I'm an expert.
I get my best landings by having the brakes/flaps out prior to the
flare. There's less work load in maintaining the correct pitch for the
airspeed when I've sill got some altitude, like 20 + feet. Even at 20
feet the nose must go down some, or I run out of air speed and drop it on.
If I've flown an accurate pattern, at 50 feet or so I pull full brakes
and maintain 53-55 kts. At about 5 feet I fairly abruptly arrest my
steep descent, then I perform a normal flare rotation to a slightly tail
low landing. Probably looks awful from the ground, but maintaining
pattern speed even with full brakes provides enough speed to rotate
through the flare. As for speed, the manual recommends 49 kts. I don't
feel comfortable that slow. Roll control is fairly weak, plus there's
not a lot of energy to flare. In calm conditions I fly the pattern at
55 kts.
Another poster advised to watch the airspeed with everything out. I
developed a good picture of the pitch attitude required to maintain
about 55 kts while at altitude (nose WAY down!). Also do some flying
around high up with everything out at minimum maneuvering speed so you
can see how low the nose *must* be, or else. With full brakes it takes
a long time to get going too fast, so too steep is not usually an
issue-unless you land in the fence at the near end of the strip. I pay
much more attention to attitude than the ASI when the brakes/flaps are
fully extended (not that I ignore it).

The Mosquito seems to be less draggy than the Ventus in the flare, and
wants to float more. Something I'm still adjusting to (23 flights in
the Mosquito so far). Also, the Ventus has three brake settings, Off,
half, and full. The Mosquito has lots more modulation, especially with
the dive brake. Once I extend full brakes/flaps within 20 or so feet of
the ground, don't mess with them. Just fly it to the ground that way.

Cheers,
Shawn