Scudrunners

We need some interaction here so I decided to see if I can get some going.

When I was in the advanced flight training business this was one of the most prevalent weakness I found in my clients regardless of experience levels.

So who wants to toss this subject around?

Fine I start as the sucker here.


Well.....some say as you begin the flare -- by the way the runway widens out in your field of vision -- when it spreads all the way out you're there. Can use peripheral vision to to see the ground out your side window.


Can be a bit tricky moving from your 50 foot runway to your 200 footer, where the edges just disappear. 


As I age I do find the last few feet at night to a dark runway not as easy, either.  I  do judge using the lights. Maybe glasses are coming one day.

you look at the altimiter

[code]

Can be a bit tricky moving from your 50 foot runway to your 200 footer, where the edges just disappear.  [/code]

Runways are only one surface you land on, if you do not have the runway edges what visual clues would you use, for instance you go to an airport that is just a big grass field.

And of course there are many other surfaces that are landed on such as water and snow/ice surfaces.

What I am looking for is what exactly do you look at on approach, flare and touch down?

Over the many decades I taught flying I taught people where to look during each phase and what to look for.

Generally they did not have the correct picture to determine closing rates to accurately judge height.

I have a real bullet proof method to teach height judgement which I will explain here as we progress with the discussion.

Well, I can say I'm not staring at the altimeter..........

Strega is O.K. Rookie he just has a sense of humour.


Accurate height judgement is critical in a lot of flying such as aerial application, you must be able to get down very close to the ground in a short space and maintain an accurate height as you fly over the field, generally two to five feet off the crop.


And trust me if you are not looking in the correct place to get the correct picture your life expectancy may be short.


Strega understands this.

[quote author=Chuck Ellsworth link=topic=2298.msg7097#msg7097 date=1457060162]
Strega is O.K. Rookie he just has a sense of humour.


Accurate height judgement is critical in a lot of flying such as aerial application, you must be able to get down very close to the ground in a short space and maintain an accurate height as you fly over the field, generally two to five feet off the crop.


And trust me if you are not looking in the correct place to get the correct picture your life expectancy may be short.


Strega understands this.
[/quote]


O0

It's hard to know exactly how it's done...like LC says, it's a bit like taking a shit. You just know how to do it, but can't really explain it.


I think I look about 300ft down the runway in front of me. I don't have any trouble judging my height above the runway to within a foot or two. I think it's mostly just down to experience.


You said on avcanada a while ago that looking too far (at the end of the runway), or too close, results in inability to judge height. That is understandable, as depth perception only works to a certain distance.

[quote]Its hard to know exactly how its done.[/quote]


Someone should know how it is done, and that someone is those that teach it.


Are you an instructor?

[quote author=Chuck Ellsworth link=topic=2298.msg7100#msg7100 date=1457064367]
[quote]Its hard to know exactly how its done.[/quote]


Someone should know how it is done, and that someone is those that teach it.


Are you an instructor?
[/quote]


No, I'm not an instructor. However even instructors seem to have varying ideas on where to look when landing, and some of the techniques seem to result in pilots not being able to judge height above the runway.