Landing the 738

[engwerda 0]

Ok, so I am landing in a no wind situation most of the time but I do find that the 738 is just so easy to grease on. Holding it off seemingly only a few inches abover the pavement seems a breeze. Is this an accurate modelling of ground effect or is the package making me look good? Or is it really difficult to land and I am just very skillful? Feel free to tell me that it is the latter. I wonder if the 744 will be just as user friendly?By the way I don't use an AP coupled approach. I always hand fly it to touchdown from about 10Nm out and at about 3000ft AGL. Gerry

[Guest neeraj.pendse]

If your difficulty settings in FS aren't "EASY", then you must be good! I can never "judge" holding off "inches above" though because to me, such a thing needs an important instrument that does not function in a fixed-base simulator -> the backside.- Neeraj.

[Orlaam 306]

The ground effect isn't modelled in the 737, but I'm glad since the GE, when modelled, just makes landing impossible sometimes. It's hard to model the effect in the sim and have it be realistic. IMO.You shouldn't hold off the runway though. These type of planes are meant to fly onto the runway, and pilots say it's no-no to try and "kiss" the pavement in a large jet.

[crvm 0]

Yeah a smooth landing is not always the best landing ;-) because you will float & drop which is not what you want to do.[h4]Randy J. Smith[/h4]

[Guest EDCS]

Jepp,I remember to read a statement from a 737 instructor, that a firm landing is a better one than a smooth landig out of the TZ. GreetingsStefan

[Guest aarskringspier]

Well if firm landing are goods then Im the best pilot in FS. Im very very skilled at "firm" landings.

[engwerda 0]

Thanks for all the replies. I take your point about flying it on to the runway but I am an old Cessna/Piper/Rockwell pilot and old habits die hard even when they are perhaps not appropriate. I have heard exactly what you have said to be true. 737s are not Cessnas.I have to admit to "Easy" settings and sometimes I do land about one third of the way down.Just the same it does seem very easy. Tonight I flew Singapore to Bangkok (WSSS - VTBD) and flew finals at 15 knots above stall speed ( as predicted by the FMC) so that I would run out of elevator authority in the flare. It did just that and I thought that I had touched down heavily. When I replayed the landing in the final moments I thought "this is going to hurt" as I flared above the runway some 20 feet up but then as it got to two or three feet above the runway, in rapid descent, it settled into ground effect, stayed at that height for 4 or 5 seconds and even with a nose high attitude it settled relatively gently on to the runway. Is this how a real 738 lands or is this being excessively kind? I do rely on the call outs and at 20 I slowly close the throttles and at 10 I bring the nose up and then "feel" for the tarmac with small nose up and down inputs as I was taught to do with prop singles. It seems to work with the 738. What does everyone else do?Gerry