Landing an RV...sometimes on purpose

[rightrudder]

I've got most of my pre-RV hours in a DA-20, and I find the RV-9A at least as easy to land in terms of flare/touchdown...and if I hit my target over-the-fence speed, it's even less likely to bounce. I'd say the RV's elevator sensitivity is a little greater than the Diamond's, but you got used to it almost immediately.

I don't know if it was improperly maintained, but my rental DA-20 could get a SEVERE nose wheel shimmy at times. No such issue with my RV.

[Darren S]

We Canadians are the only ones that bounce our landings.....you'll be fine!

[flyboy1963]

Originally Posted by DavidK

Then I looked at a compilation of Canadian RVs showing take-offs and landings.

would love to see this video.
I also know of one showing a bunch of RV's operating out of Nelson BC, and there's some good 'rollers' in the runway, so everyone's bouncy whether taking off or landing.

( hopefully nobody ever catches ME on video!)

[jrs14855]

Originally Posted by RV8JD

I normally don't correct spelling errors (God knows I make enough of them), but I hope you'll forgive me here since Steve's contribution to aviation deserves it. The correct spelling is "Wittman".

You beat me to it, thank you.
Steve Wittman patented the flat spring gear in the mid thirty's, the round spring gear and leading edge flap somewhat later. The flat gear was used on both the racers in 1935. Copies of the first patent can be viewed in the Wittman hangar at Pioneer Airport. The rights to the flat gear and the round gear were sold to Cessna. Steve was a Cessna Dealer in the 40's and 50's and was close friends with Duane Wallace, then the President of Cessna.
If you have the opportunity to visit the Wittman hangar, the pictures on the walls include some well known names in aviation: Cessna, Ryan, Laird, Levier, Salmon etc.

[flightlogic]

I was told by a Cannuck friend that they only bounce due to being thrifty. For the same money, they log twice as many landings as me.
As a bush pilot in Alaska... I got to look down on the Canadians. And the Tundra tires could bounce at a three to one ratio.... but I was not close enough to a go pro to prove it. Well... they hadn't been invented yet...
In fact a selfie always involved another willing aviator and some Kodachrome.
BUT, have fun learning to fly. You will have many stories to tell your grandkids and they will all be true.

[RV7Guy]

As has been mentioned, the air speed is the key. Most, self included, approach too fast. The landing on a long runway is excellent advice.

I think what happens many time is that we fly around on our planes at 170kts for a while then have to slow down to 65kts for final. It doesn't feel right So we keep it a little faster. Becomes even more critical when landing on a short field.

You should have no problem with transition training and practice. The main goal, "Landings equal Take offs."

[Rupester]

Originally Posted by RV7Guy

I think what happens many time is that we fly around on our planes at 170kts for a while then have to slow down to 65kts for final. It doesn't feel right So we keep it a little faster.

I agree. Some time ago I tried to analyze why I was often a tad faster than the ideal approach speeds. I deduced it was lack of patience, for the just the reason noted. Even holding 70kts on base feels like walking.

[rvbuilder2002]

Originally Posted by RV7Guy

As has been mentioned, the air speed is the key. Most, self included, approach too fast. The landing on a long runway is excellent advice.

I think what happens many time is that we fly around on our planes at 170kts for a while then have to slow down to 65kts for final.

Originally Posted by Rupester

I agree.

Actually I disagree.

Approach speed being too fast is a big problem regardless of airplane model.....

You can watch this all day at any airport where there is a lot of GA traffic.
My home airport has a 3200' runway. It is rare that anyone lands shorter than using at least 1/2 of it, and a large percentage use 2/3's of it. For most lighter GA airplanes there is totally no reason for that.

A 172 or 182 with only a couple people in it can easily be landed nearly as short as an RV with two people in it, but the common scene is the airplane flying 1/3 the length of the runway in a level pitch attitude about 2' off the runway while the excess speed bleeds off.

BTW, this is the exact scenario that has cause a major majority of the "A" model landing accidents.

Pilot is way too fast... his approach was a little long to start with and then he uses up a lot of the runway waiting for the speed to dissipate.
The end of the runway is coming up fast so he tries to make the airplane land. The final outcome is almost assured.

Lesson for all of us.....
Any time you are tempted to make a trigear airplane land (not entirely applicable to TW doing wheel landings), you should instead be reaching for the throttle to go around. If not, it could be the start of a very bad day.

[airguy]

Originally Posted by rvbuilder2002

For most lighter GA airplanes there is totally no reason for that.

Other than tearing up your brake pads, you mean?

Other than that, yes you are entirely correct. Fast landings are a near-universal problem, and not just with RV's.

[rvbuilder2002]

Originally Posted by airguy

Other than tearing up your brake pads, you mean?

Other than that, yes you are entirely correct. Fast landings are a near-universal problem, and not just with RV's.

My example was talking about a typical small GA airport whose runway is usually at least 3000-3500' long. In that case, there is no reason that heavy braking should be required to stop in only half the runway length or less.

If proper technique of correct approach speed, rotate to (or nearly so) full stall AOA prior to touchdown, and then hold the nose off for aero breaking during roll out is used, a landing will still be relatively short (compared to the long landings from fast approaches that we are talking about here) without anything more than light braking (which would probably be less than what is being used to stop after the fast landing that still uses much more runway).