I don't know if KMSP still operates that way, but I always thought it was interesting that ATC would initiate the 'land long' requests/orders.

Its quite standard at LYBE for ATC to ask something like : recalculate touch down to exit via D" or so.

When flying an instrument approach, i.e. an ILS landing, you will be touching down at the two big rectangular markers when following the G/S (glideslope) or by descending according to the PAPI lights (2 red / 2 white). When flying a visual approach you can, as before, use the PAPI lights to land at the same two markers. Landing behind the markers doesn't make it a bad landing, it has just everything to do with sufficent runway length available to stop the aircraft. Imagine bad braking actions in snowy conditions, maybe some tailwinds or inoperative reversers and/or brakes! You will be needing the runway length ahead of you. Our flight-instructors teach us that if you land at a short runway you make a so called 'short-field' landing, to assure you have sufficient runway available to stop the aircraft. Then what you will do, is land at the treshold (piano stripes). This will require some more skills but it might help you in the end. Just remember, any landing you can walk away from, is a good landing!

 

As an answer to your other question, for every airport there are runway pavement strengths calculated and you will need to refer to tables for your specific aircraft to make sure that the runway pavement is strong enough for your aircraft! Most likely, if you take your 747 to a large international airport you won't have to worry about the runway strength.

From what I know you can leans anywhere on a runway above the threshold. As long as you can stop safely then i think it's fine. I was once on a flight from MBJ-JFK and on landing we landed more than halfway down the runway and still stopped well before the end. Granted that was a 738 which is a lot smaller then a 777 or 747. I usually try to land just past the threshold over the numbers or on the blocks. It also saves taxiing time. Just my two cents...

 

 

Remy Mermelstein

[email protected]

777-300 FS Pilot

The other thing you have to worry about is threshold crossing height(TCH). When I flew DC10s, we used pink and white on the VASI/PAPI instead of red and white. Big airports will have long body VASI/PAPI indicators to follow. The glide slope antenna is in the nose of most aircraft. The TCH listed on the approach chart is the altitude that the nose will cross the threshold. So imagine the altitude the mains will cross. Using pink and white in long body aircraft ensures wheel clearance.

The other thing you have to worry about is threshold crossing height(TCH). When I flew DC10s, we used pink and white on the VASI/PAPI instead of red and white. Big airports will have long body VASI/PAPI indicators to follow. The glide slope antenna is in the nose of most aircraft. The TCH listed on the approach chart is the altitude that the nose will cross the threshold. So imagine the altitude the mains will cross. Using pink and white in long body aircraft ensures wheel clearance.

 

This is absolutely something that needs to be considered and the main reason why when hand flying a 747 approach it is best to have 3 white 1 red. For me a lot of factors play into it. How long is the runway, where is my gate in relation to the runway, what are the weather conditions...etc. For short runways i usually aim for the blocks. If i have a long runway and the terminal is by the end ill try for a softer landing with low auto-brakes so that i don't need to taxi as far. I would say for airlines 1000-2000' is about your standard touchdown distance.and play with that as you feel comfortable. My "normal' approach would be aim for the blocks and then flare. prob land somewhere around 1500'.

I remember many GA pilots at KSGS who had landed at KMSP recall how ATC had requested that they land quite long...

 

Oshkosh during the EAA fly in is another interesting example. I've never been there in person. They have a rather long runway with a lot of GA aircraft (i.e. short roll outs) during this event. I understand they have some color system with orange, red, etc blocks and aircraft will get cleared 3 or 4 at a time, but with instructions to touchdown at different colors along the length of the runway.

 

Second and totally different topic is that by which materiel a plane's tires made? Is it Air in Tires? OR Plane's tires are without air...

 

Interesting in addition to the above responses are the varieties of air pressures used to inflate the tires depending on environment. Bush aircraft may have a fairly low pressure to allow the tires to conform to gravel/etc. in the bush. Some carrier borne aircraft have tire inflation pressures over 400 psi (a car is normally about 30 psi) to deal with the harsh carrier crashes...I mean landings. Not actually sure where airlines flal on this spectrum.

Any landing you can walk away from is a good landing. As long as you land on the actual runway and stop in time, it's perfectly legal. Personally I wouldn't want to land short or long on a 747! Good luck stopping in time if you land halfway down the runway, or if you come is a little too low you probably will take out a few trees and approach lights.

I don't think you will do any damage to the RWY.

I believe a hard landing such as

or

could damage the blast pads or displaced thresholds (i.e., inappropriate landing zones). However, only aircraft heavier than the design limits of a runway are likely to damage its appropriate landing zones, perhaps in the form of cracks and slight deformations instead of punctures.