Hey Folks:I have been having some hassles with landing lately. The aircraft bounces despite VREF +5 and flaring - as instructed in the PMDG manual.I was speaking with a "real" 737 pilot and he said that the 737 was meant to fly onto the runway and not to be flared.Ok so I tried his advice and didn't flare to the last 10 feet or so (if at all). No bounce whatsoever.Is this information correct - "the 737 was meant to fly onto the runway and not to be flared"?Thanks.....Iain

I don't believe I've ever heard that it's not meant to be flared - autolands have a "FLARE" FMA mode, doubt Boeing put it in there for no reason.

Yes I agree. I met this guy whilst overseas and he said he was a pilot - who know for sure!Still, when I flare at the last possible moment I hardly ever bounce. But, when I flare I usually bounce. Perhaps I'm flaring too high? What's the correct flare height?Cheers....Iain

The bounces in the PMDG 737 add to the realism. The real 737 will bounce ocastionally too. Flying the airplane smoothly onto the runway is still a flare manuver. Initiate the flare when the main gear is approximately 15 feet above the runway by increasing pitch attitude approximately 2-3 degress. Smoothly retard the thrust levers to idle and make small pitch attitude adjustments to maintain the desired descent rate to the runway. A typical flare manuver can take anywhere from 4 to 8 seconds at the proper approach speed. Pilots that have a good feel for the main landing gear can ususally reduce the flare to 4 seconds whereas pilots that are new to the airplane and don't have a good feel for the main landing gear will typically feel for the runway and extend the flare time. This can turn into floating which quickly uses up available runway. Floyd

Thanks Floyd. I have been initiating my flare way to early. I'll keep practicing. Iain

I also read in a manual that you should retard the throttle very smoothly. I read a line saying that you should retard around 15 feet and be at idle just when your are just about to touch down. This was taken from a 737 classic manual.