Just like takeoffs, no two landings are the same. A landing, all so lovingly called by pilots, is a "controlled crash". Remember a good landing is one you can walk away from and an excellent landing is one you can walk away from and you can still fly the plane.
The following will describe a circuit landing. Once in the traffic pattern be sure to contact the tower, communicate intentions and position of aircraft.
Procedure:
On downwind, maintain traffic pattern altitude (usually 800 to 1,000 ft. above airport) and cruise speed. Check for traffic that may be descending or climbing.
When you are abeam the numbers fly straight until runway numbers are 45 degrees off your shoulder. At this point you should descend 100 to 200 feet.
Turn base. Once on base, the wind tends to push the aircraft away from the runway. To avoid this, use a maneuver called crabing.
On base make adjustments in altitude, airspeed, and distance from the runway as needed. If the aircraft is too high above the runway reduce power, extend additional flaps or both. If the aircraft is to low or to far away from the runway, retracting flaps is not an appropriate correction.
If clear, turn on final between 300 and 500 ft AGL and one quarter of a mile from the end of the runway.
Maintain recommended approach speed and descent angle as designated by your Pilot’s Operating Handbook.
Adjust pitch and power as needed to control descent angle and airspeed.
Have a point picked out on the runway before you even land and aim for that mark as much as possible.
Landing consists of three phases: 1) the flare, 2) the touchdown, and 3) the roll-out.
A flare reduces the speed and decreases the rate of decent. A flare should begin 10 to 20 feet above the runway.
Touch down on main landing gear and maintain back pressure on yoke to keep the nose-wheel off the ground. Engine should be idling at this point.
Once all the landing gear is on the ground apply pressure on the brakes and taxi off the runway.
