Penguin
Too Short a Member
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2009
- Messages
- 1,613
- Location
- Satellite Beach, FL
- Aircraft
- Dominator, 582, 23' Dragon Wings, 60" Warp Drive
- Total Flight Time
- 250+ hours
Amen, Birdy.
I power down to idle just before or after turning base and put my throttle hand in my lap. Every landing should be a practice deadstick, IMHO.
I have seen gyro "pilots" descend to landing height at the downwind end of a runway and power up and down three, four or five times before finally putting it down, at the far end. Disgraceful.
Of course, use throttle if necessary to go around, or to save yourself if you get tossed by a gust.
It is a bad habit to rely on throttle routinely in landings, though. Your goal shoud be to glide in at idle, with sufficent airspeed to allow you to level out, flare and touch down, all at idle. Then turn it off on final and practice the real thing.
Landings are very easy once you get the hang of it. The gyro's steep glide angle, and very limited float, make it easy to aim the machine at a selected touchdown spot.
Well said, Birdy, Doug and Resasi.
This is a point of some ... controversy ... in our hangar. :argue:
Not to hijack the thread, but advice on practicing power out landings might be useful. I know that it would be to me.
I go to about 300' AGL, chop power to a fast idle of about 2200rpm (to prevent 'chatter' in the drive train), begin a vertical descent, nose down to maintain an airspeed of about 40 mph, round out at about 50' and land as normal.