rsultzbach
Active Member
Pitch changes during landing
I noticed this thread and watched this video closely. One thing I believe has not been discussed that is IMPORTANT for pilots to understand is the danger associated with bounced landings and allowing your nose to derotate. If you slow this video down you will see that indeed this aircraft bounced during its first touchdown. The nose of the aircraft pitched up due to the spring of the landing gear and the tail continuing in a downward flight path initially due to inertia. This increases the angle of attack of the wing resulting in an increase in lift and works in concert with the springback of the gear. Now comes the CRITICAL point to learn. If you allow or force the nose to pitch over after a bounced landing, you are reducing AOA and lift, which transfers the weight of the aircraft that is being supported by the wings onto the landing gear structure. The aircraft at touchdown usually is supported by the wings and the landing gear gradually accepts the load of the aircraft weight as the aircraft slows down and the weight is transferred from the wing to the landing gear. Additionally, if you lower the nose as a response to a bounced landing, each successive bounce is going to G load the gear with more and more G. Along with the aforementioned lowering the nose reducing the AOA and therefore the lift the wing is generating, this transfers the aircraft's increasingly violent G loads onto the gear structure. Key takeaway here is do NOT lower the nose to land when a bounced landing has occurred. A go around is the best bet. If a sudden sink occurs due to wind shear do not move the nose in an attempt to correct the flight path. Add power or go around. There is an awful lot going on in this video around the 10 second mark but look at the pitch attitude changes in slow motion and you will see a contributing factor as to why this nose gear collapsed. That factor is pitch derotation in response to a bounced landing.
I noticed this thread and watched this video closely. One thing I believe has not been discussed that is IMPORTANT for pilots to understand is the danger associated with bounced landings and allowing your nose to derotate. If you slow this video down you will see that indeed this aircraft bounced during its first touchdown. The nose of the aircraft pitched up due to the spring of the landing gear and the tail continuing in a downward flight path initially due to inertia. This increases the angle of attack of the wing resulting in an increase in lift and works in concert with the springback of the gear. Now comes the CRITICAL point to learn. If you allow or force the nose to pitch over after a bounced landing, you are reducing AOA and lift, which transfers the weight of the aircraft that is being supported by the wings onto the landing gear structure. The aircraft at touchdown usually is supported by the wings and the landing gear gradually accepts the load of the aircraft weight as the aircraft slows down and the weight is transferred from the wing to the landing gear. Additionally, if you lower the nose as a response to a bounced landing, each successive bounce is going to G load the gear with more and more G. Along with the aforementioned lowering the nose reducing the AOA and therefore the lift the wing is generating, this transfers the aircraft's increasingly violent G loads onto the gear structure. Key takeaway here is do NOT lower the nose to land when a bounced landing has occurred. A go around is the best bet. If a sudden sink occurs due to wind shear do not move the nose in an attempt to correct the flight path. Add power or go around. There is an awful lot going on in this video around the 10 second mark but look at the pitch attitude changes in slow motion and you will see a contributing factor as to why this nose gear collapsed. That factor is pitch derotation in response to a bounced landing.
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