Tips on flaring

[haztronic 1]

There are many opinions to this topic, many people prefer certain ways to others but for me, its always a good day when I get the flare correct. First off, I want to start by saying that FSX is quite inaccurate when it comes to flaring in my mind/. For example in real life I fly a piper archer iii, flaring that thing is nice but once you get into fsx, the plane will most likely shoot off back into the sky.

 

I need tips on flaring jets, like the ngx, airbus etc. I've ready in many places that you should idle at 20ft then slowly pull back on the yoke however when I try this its just too late and my engines don't react quick enough to the idling so when I pull back it just starts floating and if I don't pull back enough it will just be one big bang onto the ground. So normally I idle at 40ft which gives fsx time to fully idle the engines and means I can flare without hopefully floating.

 

I'd like to hear others opinions on this, when you think its best to idle/flare. I want to learn from others.

 

As always, thanks a lot.

[Kosta 122]

I can flare with the NGX some 90% of the time. But that is only since I have the yoke, as it's way more precise than a joytick. I usually go for the idle around 40-50ft, depending on my speed, if it's on the ball with the approach speed or not.

I noticed that if I idle to early just a bit more pull on the yoke is needed, so not so bad.

If too late, then I'll land a bit after the touchdown zone.

I use the HGS on the NGX quite much, it helps immensly.

Or I watch my vertical speed, that's another helper... But I guess you know that being a real pilot. Just don't forget that your fov and your feeling are supporting you irl. In fsx you rely on a limited monitor and a still chair.

 

Beside that... Practice practice practice :-)

[BartEnder 2]

I do not flare in big Iron and try to land at the TDZ. To achieve smooth landing, I am always (or at least trying to) 40-50 ft above the threshold, on Vref (+1/2 wind correction) and gently decreasing the throttles in a smooth manner, having very close to idle (or at idle) just before main wheel touchdown, while trying to maintain constant pitch attitude. In this way I achieve 100-300fpm at touchdown.

 

It is not perfect for all the planes and all the weight/runway/weather scenario, but for me this is good place to start

[Chock 17,769]

I will normally flare an airliner in FSX based on judging the dynamic situation more than anything else, so I don't have a hard and fast rule on when that will be, but if you watch this vid of me landing at Bhutan in the EVO 737 (below), I would say that was about an average effort in spite of that being a tricky approach, flown purely by eye. You can hear the throttle coming back to idle just about a second before the start of the tarmac disappears under the nose, which is certainly when the aircraft is at much higher than 20 feet. The aircraft was at a light weight, but I had around 140 on the clock to get some penetration on the slight crosswind and in case there was wind shear off the hills (probably not necessary, but that is force of habit from the real flying I do into hilltop airstrips where wind gradient and shear is an issue), so it was a bit faster than would normally be the case for a 737 at that weight.

 

Thanks to the external windowed view on that vid, you can see that there is not a great deal of flare, as is correct for the 737, since you more or less ought to drive it onto the tarmac, i.e. just enough nose up to start bleeding the speed rather than pulling it into a climb will be enough, since the ground effect will arrest the descent, and you want a good solid touchdown to avoid too much tire wear. All aircraft will float somewhat if you let them get near the ground with too much speed, because the proximity of the ground breaks up the overspill turbulence from the wingtips where the low and high air pressure meet, and thus reduces drag (this is actually what winglets do, and why they make flight more efficient).

 

 

Al

[LAdamson 240]

There are many opinions to this topic, many people prefer certain ways to others but for me, its always a good day when I get the flare correct. First off, I want to start by saying that FSX is quite inaccurate when it comes to flaring in my mind/. For example in real life I fly a piper archer iii, flaring that thing is nice but once you get into fsx, the plane will most likely shoot off back into the sky.

 

I'd say it depends on the model, and not FSX overall. I know that I've often flared FSX GA airplanes from a exterior side view, and noted the airspeeds in which it doesn't want to fly anymore. With various sims, I've also seen planes that still wanted to fly, or easily raise the nose at 40 kias, which is incorrect. However, there are many times, in which I make what I think is an excellent simulated landing, and then use replay, to see that it did indeed look good.

[Johnny767 40]

No two landings are equal-- none. And going FSX is of course more of an imaginary thing than reality. i simply watch my speed and vertical speed, and height above the runway's threshold, pull back on the yoke, flare +/- depending on a/c speed, reverse (jet a/c), brake at or around 80 knts. ..Of of course this is only a general rule example...In FSX check what your Vspeeds is for your particular a/c.