Landing Tips

[Apollo]

The best tip here, besides the speed, is that TRIM is the #1 factor for a good landing.

I actually put in SO MUCH up trim, that I then have to 'force' the airplane down to maintain an 80mph airspeed. This is CRUCIAL in the flare because the mooney likes to go nose heavy over the runway and if you don't have any up trim will make it really hard to flare.

The other problem you're having, is you don't have your sight picture. Get in the cockpit the same way, everytime.

Basically, make sure your seat is in the same notch, every time. Even having the seat go back bout one notch makes my sight picture go ballistic and I goof another landing.

If you need to, go out to the airplane for an hour and just sit in it on a taxiway or something. That way you can 'learn' what the airplane looks like from the cockpit from the ground.

LAST tip. Keep 80mph until about 50 feet from the runway. At that point, cut all power and let the nose drop a little so you can maintain speed, after that just pull up and flare and let it glide horiztonally above the earth, and then have a great touchdown.

[4044N]

Order Don Kaye's video on landing a Mooney...best $20 bucks I ever spent. Went from near disasters to greaser landings the very first outing after spending a couple hours watching the video. It's not very long, so in two hours you can watch it a lot!

[DAVIDWH]

Ditto on Don's video.

[Oscar Avalle]

Ditto on the video. It is really a great investment

[teethdoc]

Fly it down the runway.  Ease out the power and try to fly it a few feet off the ground until it eventually settles to the pavement.

[aviatoreb]

Ditto don kaye

[flyboy]

I try to think control pressures in the flare rather than control movements. It helps me from overdoing things and then having to correct my corrections.

[Mooneymite]

Always fly with an airedale terrier. Close your eyes on short final. When the dog wimpers, pull back; if he growls, pull back agressively. If he pees, bail out.