The quote below is self explanatory, so, I won't.


Landing Techniques
The highest percentage of accidents occur in the landing phase of a flight (37%).
There have been a couple good articles in the past discussing three point (full stall)
landings. Club members have been doing a good job keeping us informed about
aircraft maintenance information, but not much is said about what you have to do
every time you fly i.e., land the airplane. From the many pilots I've talked with (I
have over 300 180/185's insured). Most say they use a three point (nose
high attitude) full stall technique for the majority of their landings. They
indicated this is the way they were taught. Set up the airplane, full power
and flair a few feet AGL, hold the yoke back until the airplane settles on the
runway. For wheel landings carry a little extra speed and pin it on the
runway. Nothing could be further from the truth. Neither procedure is the
"best" way to do it.

I believe many of you were never initially trained to do wheel landings the
right way, I wasn't. Most are told you only do wheel landings in strong cross
winds. Some are afraid of them.

Except for soft field landings, I believe a wheel landing is actually the preferred
way to land, it's easy. I'll briefly discuss why. Many of you know of the
"MAF" Missionary Aviator's Fellowship out of Redlands, CA. For
over 20 years they have been training their pilots to fly C180/185's and 206's
in countries all around the world and still have over 40 180/185's in service.
Their training consists of hundreds of classroom and flight hours with several
training flights to Idaho to fly the back country. They have instructors with
over 10,000 hours of 180/185 time alone. I know there are other training
facilities, but for my money these guys are the real experts. They have to fly
these aircraft for a living in all conditions. Obviously they had to
develop, standardize and use procedures and techniques to insure consistency and
safety.

Guess What? They use the wheel landing 98% of the time, except on soft surfaces.

Landings depend on feeling, reaction, and response. You want each landing to
be as "predictable" as possible and a wheel landing is the most
"predictable". Landing on wheels allows you to
1) better see the approach, touchdown, and rollout.
2) Puts all the weight on the main wheels for most effective braking (a
three point landing puts 500-600 pounds on the tail, this weight is now "free wheeling"),
3) eliminates more lift because the angle of attack is less, keeping you on the runway,
4) there is less chance for floating, or drifting in cross winds, and
5) better directional control on a bounced or a bad landing.

Misconception: Wheel landings are done at a higher approach speed.
Truth: A typical good wheel landing approach is at 60 knots IAS unless
conditions require differently. Yes you saw it correctly 60 knots.
Remember a 10% increase in approach speed equals a 21% increase
in landing roll! That's a lot folks!

Misconception: You should "pin it on" the runway at touchdown. Truth:
If done correctly you never pin it on, you fly it until the wheels 'touch', then chop
the power and apply the brakes and there is very little or no
bounce. With this approach you have to resist cutting power until the wheels
touch. It takes practice.

Here's the technique: Get established on final. At 1 mile out you should be
at 60 knots IAS (depending on wind conditions), 500 feet above the
runway and descending at 500 FPM carrying about 13"-14" MP with
full flaps. Trimmed to hands off. The aircraft should come over the
threshold almost level. Do not flair and do not pull your power until you
'feel' the wheels touch (resist the temptation). This has to be learned
because your natural instinct is always to pull power. Almost
simultaneously when you pull power at wheel contact, come on with as
much brakes as you need and hold neutral yoke. The torque from
braking will help keep the tail up. Then as the speed is reduced and the
tail settles come back with the yoke. Power controls rate of descent, if
you reduce your power your descent rate will increase (even at 2'), then you'll have
to flair to compensate and you'll be chasing the airplane. You want as few
changes to correct as possible. This technique takes out the guess work - if
you're low add power, if high reduce. Never change attitude or trim, it's simple.
A full stall landing has everything changing at the same time which
includes: power, speed, attitude, yoke, visibility and pitch. This is not as
predictable because you're waiting for things to happen, you're chasing it.

This wheel landing technique is near bulletproof if learned correctly. It is
being used all over the world by pilots much more knowledgeable than I.
"MAF" uses wheel landings at all the airports in Idaho they fly into. That
includes Soldier's Bar, Allison Ranch, Bernard, Krassel and more. All you do is
cut power, brake and turn off the runway.

Until you learn it correctly, stick with the technique you're most comfortable with if
it works for you. I recommend you practice this with a CFI that really knows
the technique. He can better see your mistakes. I took several hours of training
from "MAF" a few years ago. It really improved my proficiency. Once correctly
learned, you'll wish you had known this years ago. Happy Flying!

Bill White

I have read this I tried multiple times in a 185. The bounce was incredible. As written, it does not work. I learned that it does not work because he left a part out. This was originally part of a thread on another website. In a subsequent post the author added that you do arrest the descent before the wheels touch. Had I read that addendum earlier, I would spared the control tower several good laughs.

Do not fly the airplane onto the ground at 500 fpm without a slight roundout.

I spent 200 hours flying jumpers in a C185. Based at a squirrelly grass field but often went to a paved runway for fuel or maintenance.

3-4 landings per hour. Landed empty which is harder, the winds blow the thing around more. Always light on fuel and it had no interior so it was very light.

Wheel landings at low speed is correct, although I did not use brakes with the tail in the air. I know you can at higher speed, not lower. I chose not to.

I only refused a landing once in a strong gusty cross wind. And it was at a paved strip. Grass is forgiving. Diverted to a airport with a runway aligned with the wind.

Cancelled a takeoff once when a trace of snow on the grass prevented me from taxiing in the crosswind. Couldn’t get to the end of the runway.

Once it needed to be repositioned from the grass runway to another airport. Very strong crosswind. The runway was 100’ wide. At a 45 degree angle (right into the wind) it was maybe 150’. Strong winds. Empty airplane. Low fuel. Very light. I put in flaps 20 and blasted off right across the runway.

JGG: I Fully agree, as that "smidge" of power keeps a bit of breeze going over the tail feathers, giving complete authority during the touchdown phase (I only use about 11"). This was taught to me by the Jungle Aviation and Radio Service many years ago.

Where three-point landings may be OK in a Cub or Pitts, they place a great amount of stress in the tail sections of heavier airplanes, potentially leading to structural damage.
An additional tip in wheeling it on is to plant the upwind main wheel shortly before the other, thus "robbing" the undercarriage of 50% of its "bounceability". In a crosswind, one can keep the upwind wheel planted for quite a good distance with enough aileron input, to assure directional control. That becomes an art form, and separates the wheat from the chaff.

Mastery of the craft is what brings such great satisfaction to those fortunate enough to possess these wonderful airplanes.

Coincidentally, that is the same technique I was taught when flying the DC-3. whether loaded or empty.

TN

Tom,

Up wind wheel first is also the preferred technique on a Beech 18.

On the 180, I pretty much stick to 14" mp.

I agree that three points are tough on the airplane, mains and tail wheel. I only three point when the crosswind is so strong I have no other choice.

Jg

I no longer three point any tail dragger as I don't see the "point" or benefit of doing this. Stuff it on the mains is my SOP. Maybe a Champ I'll three point but a Widgeon; I think you are asking for something bad to happen.

Not sure what he was trying to convey there....loop maybe?

AgTruck and Pawnee Brave, can't think of a single full stall landing...always rolled it on and maybe didn't "Pin It", but certainly used forward pressure at touchdown.

When I instructed in Citabrias (especially the spring gear) I said to never anticipate the touchdown on a wheel landing.... Usually full stall in the Citabria with students.

Perhaps use more flair in your flare.

So how does one arrest the descent? Add a smidge of power? Ease the yoke back a hair? Both?

Eric,

Like most "things", sometimes, the simple gets complicated by too much talk.

The Missionary Position is simple and basic.

1. Approach with 14"-15" MP, three or four notches of flap. Note: I sometimes find it takes a little more MP with three notches.
2. Establish your approach speed at 60-65 mph.
3. Break your descent with a roll out to level pitch.
4. Pull power when a main touches. DO NOT PULL POWER before a main touches or you will end up with a three pointer.

The "trick" is that the flare and pull power sequence are reversed from a "normal" flare where you pull power first and then flare.

The "one main first" as offered by Tom helps you find the runway and pretty much assures a greased landing.

Jg

I used a little back pressure to round. Under this technique, you are already carrying 15 inches of power until touch down. My point is that if you follow the technique as written (which I did) you will get an horrendous bounce because you are hitting the runway at 500 fpm. Not good.

I don’t disagree with the overall premise of a 60 mph stabilized approach to a wheel landing in a 185.

I do 3 point my cub 90% of the time, even in gusty crosswinds. If the wind is more than 10 kts, I tend to land diagonally across the runway. At Fort Worth Meacham, I often line up my landing with the high speed taxiway when winds are strong from the southeast. If I touch down by the centerline, I am at taxi speed before exiting the runway on the high speed without changing direction.

What you’re describing sounds very similar to a glassy water landing, which can use up a lot of runway. How is this different?

In a glassy water landing (from what I remember) you trim for a landing attitude and set power for a 200 fpm descent. You do not change attitude or power until the floats are on the water. You specifically don't look or "feel" for the water.

In this technique, right before touchdown, you arrest the descent. Touchdown should be firm, not a greaser. At touch down, you pull the power and brake, using elevator to control pitch attitude during braking.

Stuart,

There is almost no difference in landing distance with this technique.

Best not to apply brakes until you can apply some back pressure and get the tail down a little.

Jg

I almost always wheel land the 120. You definitely don’t want to do any braking until tail is down, especially if you don’t have wheel extenders. Scared myself a couple times trying that.

Greg