Short-field landing
Encyclopedia
Short-field landing is a high-performance landing
for aircraft
, utilizing minimum length of the runway
or landing ground, while still allowing clearance of obstacles in close vicinity to the landing approach
.
The short-field landing technique should be used to land at an airfield which has a short runway, or a small landing ground, or where the approach to land must be made over significant obstacles.
for this landing. The approach is made with minimum engine power commensurate with flying towards the aiming point on the runway. Minimum engine power will cause a steep approach to the aiming point. Speed must be reduced progressively as the aircraft's height reduces, and after reaching the airspeed
for final approach it must be maintained accurately. After touch-down, the pilot applies maximum wheel braking and maximum up-elevator
. Wing-flaps are sometimes retracted to allow better braking performance.
Landing
thumb|A [[Mute Swan]] alighting. Note the ruffled feathers on top of the wings indicate that the swan is flying at the [[Stall |stall]]ing speed...
for aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
, utilizing minimum length of the runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
or landing ground, while still allowing clearance of obstacles in close vicinity to the landing approach
Final approach (aviation)
A final approach is the last leg in an aircraft's approach to landing. In aviation radio terminology, it is often shortened to "final".In a standard airport landing pattern, which is usually used under visual meteorological conditions , aircraft turn from base leg to final within one to two miles...
.
The short-field landing technique should be used to land at an airfield which has a short runway, or a small landing ground, or where the approach to land must be made over significant obstacles.
Technique
Light airplanes utilise maximum wing-flapFlap (aircraft)
Flaps are normally hinged surfaces mounted on the trailing edges of the wings of a fixed-wing aircraft to reduce the speed an aircraft can be safely flown at and to increase the angle of descent for landing without increasing air speed. They shorten takeoff and landing distances as well as...
for this landing. The approach is made with minimum engine power commensurate with flying towards the aiming point on the runway. Minimum engine power will cause a steep approach to the aiming point. Speed must be reduced progressively as the aircraft's height reduces, and after reaching the airspeed
Airspeed
Airspeed is the speed of an aircraft relative to the air. Among the common conventions for qualifying airspeed are: indicated airspeed , calibrated airspeed , true airspeed , equivalent airspeed and density airspeed....
for final approach it must be maintained accurately. After touch-down, the pilot applies maximum wheel braking and maximum up-elevator
Elevator (aircraft)
Elevators are flight control surfaces, usually at the rear of an aircraft, which control the aircraft's orientation by changing the pitch of the aircraft, and so also the angle of attack of the wing. In simplified terms, they make the aircraft nose-up or nose-down...
. Wing-flaps are sometimes retracted to allow better braking performance.