Soft Field Takeoff and Landing

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Soft Field Takeoff and Landing
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Soft Field Takeoff

• Before landing, will you be able to take off?
• Complex and high performance aircraft often have
  poor handling characteristics

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Soft Field Takeoff

• Damage or extra wear on the aircraft
• Debris for winds
• Birds or animals in wheel wells or cowling
• Vandalism

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Soft Field Takeoff

• Walk the taxi route and takeoff runway
• Mark soft or wet spots
• Determine your takeoff abort point 75 of VR by
  halfway point on the runway

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Soft Field Takeoff

• Move the aircraft before getting in for it may
  have settled into the ground

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Soft Field Takeoff

• Objective - Exhibit your knowledge of the
  elements related to a soft field takeoff
• Get airborne as soon as possible
• Transfer as much weight as possible to the wings
  to minimize wheel friction

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Soft Field Takeoff

• Position the flight controls and flaps for the
  existing conditions to maximize lift as quickly
  as possible

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Soft Field Takeoff

• Verify wind direction
• If there is a crosswind use full aileron
  deflection at the start of the takeoff roll
• Full back pressure to remove stress from the
  nosewheel and minimize rolling resistance

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Soft Field Takeoff

• Visually check the flap setting
• Clear the area, taxi onto the takeoff surface at
  a safe speed, align your airplane and without
  stopping advance the throttle

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Soft Field Takeoff

• Before taxing on the runway clear the traffic
  pattern and runway
• Check mixture and prop set at high RPM

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Soft Field Takeoff

• Keep the plane rolling - Mud may require more
  power to taxi - Watch your Propeller blast
• Watch for debris being sucked into the propeller

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Soft Field Takeoff

• After aligning with the runway apply power
  smoothly - too quick can cause surging or or
  overboost of a turbocharged engine
• Applying power too slowly wastes runway

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Soft Field Takeoff

• Monitor the engine instruments listening for and
  indication of power loss or roughness
• Abort if there is any indication of trouble
• Check that the airspeed indicator is alive

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Soft Field Takeoff

• Establish a pitch attitude that will transfer the
  weight of the airplane from wheels to wing

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Soft Field Takeoff

• Back pressure should be applied to establish a
  positive angle of attack which will reduce weight
  on the nose wheel and create lift to transfer
  weight from the the wheels to the wings

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Soft Field Takeoff

• As speed increases decrease the back pressure to
  avoid excessive angle of attack
• Remain in ground effect after takeoff while
  accelerating to VX or VY as required

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Soft Field Takeoff

• Ground effect should cause the aircraft to become
  airborne below stall speed

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Soft Field Takeoff

• Failure to lower the nose will cause the aircraft
  to climb out at too slow an airspeed and the
  increase in drag could cause the aircraft to
  settle back to the runway

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Soft Field Takeoff

• Lowering the nose too much can cause you to fly
  back down to the runway
• With the proper level off you will accelerate to
  VX if there are obstacle present or VY ir there
  are no obstacles

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Soft Field Takeoff

• Maintain VY 5/-5 kts
• Retract the landing gear and flaps after a
  positive rate of climb or as specified by the
  manufacturer

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Soft Field Takeoff

• Before retracting the landing gear apply the
  brakes to stop the rotation of the tires
• Follow the POH on retraction of the gear
• Normally the gear will be retracted before the
  flaps

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Soft Field Takeoff

• Flaps are normally retracted after you have
  established VY and a positive rate of climb
• Raise the flaps in increments if appropriate to
  avoid sudden loss of lift and settling of the
  airplane
• Pitch for VY

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Soft Field Takeoff

• Maintain a takeoff power to a safe maneuvering
  altitude then set climb power
• At 500 reduce power to 25 MP and 2500 RPM
• At 300 below TPA reduce power to 23 MP

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Soft Field Takeoff

• Maintain directional control and proper wind
  drift correction throughout the takeoff and climb
• Complete the appropriate checklist

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Common Errors

• Improper initial positioning of the flight
  controls or wing flaps
• Allowing the airplane to stop on the takeoff
  surface prior to initiating takeoff
• Improper power application

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Common Errors

• Inappropriate removal of hand from throttle
• Poor directional control

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Common Errors

• Improper use of brakes
• Improper pitch attitude during liftoff
• Dragging tail of aircraft on ground

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Common Errors

• Settling back to the runway because of too high
  or too low a pitch attitude
• Failure to establish and maintain proper climb
  configuration and airspeed
• Drift during climbout

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Soft Field Landing

• Objective - exhibit your knowledge of the
  elements related to a soft field landing
• Similar to a normal approach but hold the
  aircraft off the runway and land with partial
  power

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Soft Field Landing

• Gradually transfer the weight of the aircraft
  from the wings to the wheels
• Follow the POH

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Soft Field Landing

• Consider the wind conditions, landing surface and
  obstructions
• Effects of the wind on landing distance may be
  significant

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Soft Field Landing

• If the surface is soft and there is a crosswind
  consider the impact of one main wheel touching
  down before the other
• Be aware of hazards and obstructions

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Soft Field Landing

• The descent angle may have to be steep is
  obstacles are present
• Select the most suitable touchdown point
• Identify it to the examiner
• After selecting the touchdown point select your
  aim point

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Soft Field Landing

• Establish the recommended approach and landing
  configuration and adjust pitch and power as
  required
• Use of flaps will aid touching down at minimum
  speed

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Soft Field Landing

• Flaps in low wing aircraft may suffer damage from
  mud, stones, or slush thrown up by the wheels
• Maintain a stabilized approach and the
  recommended airspeed with a gust factor applied
  5/-5 kts

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Soft Field Landing

• Use partial power during the roundout and
  touchdown
• Do not allow the aircraft to fall through

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Soft Field Landing

• Maintain crosswind correction and directional
  control throughout the approach and landing
• Touch down softly, with no drift, and with the
  longitudinal axis aligned with the runway

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Soft Field Landing

• Maintain some power to assist in making a soft
  touchdown
• Hold it off to slow airspeed and establish a nose
  high pitch attitude

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Soft Field Landing

• After touchdown maintain back pressure to keep
  the nose wheel off the ground
• Maintain full back pressure
• Maintain after landing proper position of the
  flight controls and taxi speed

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Soft Field Landing

• Maintain full back pressure
• Brakes are usually not needed
• Maintain speed so you do not bog down
• Use power as needed
• Do not taxi too fast

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Soft Field Landing

• Keep moving until you reach the parking area
• Complete the appropriate checklist

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Common Errors

• Improper use of landing performance data and
  limitations
• Failure to establish approach and landing
  configuration at appropriate time or in proper
  sequence

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Common Errors

• Failure to establish and maintain a stabilized
  approach
• Failure to consider the effect of wind and
  landing surface

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Common Errors

• Improper technique in use of power, wing flaps
  and trim
• Inappropriate removal of hand from throttle
• Improper technique during roundout and touchdown

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Common Errors

• Failure to hold back elevator pressure after
  touchdown
• Closing the throttle too soon after touchdown

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Common Errors

• Poor directional control after touchdown
• Improper use of brakes