How to Land a Small Airplane

1
How to Land a Small Airplane

• By Linda Gaskill
• LSC 528
• Dr. Herbert Carson
• April 21, 2004

2
Welcome to Intro to Survival 101

• Your first lesson is How to land a small
  airplane in an emergency situation.
• Remain calm and you will be fine, probably.

3
Some Helpful Hints

• Progress through the lesson by using the arrow
  keys.
• Click on words that are highlighted in yellow for
  further definition.
• A button like this one will return you to your
  place in the lesson.
• Lets begin.

4
If the plane is flying level on automatic pilot

• You are very fortunate. You have time to orient
  yourself to the controls and radio for help.

5
Not so fortunate, remain calm . . .

• If only one set of controls, remove disabled
  pilot from control area if possible.
• Take your place at the controls.
• Proceed to stabilize plane.

6
Stabilize Plane

• Identify the instruments and look around you to
  determine if the plane is level in relation to
  the horizon.

7
Identify the yoke, or steering wheel, and the
foot pedals

• Pull back on the yoke to bring the nose up, push
  forward to point the nose down. These are subtle
  movements, proceed gently!
• Turn left by turning the yoke left while
  depressing the left foot pedal and turn right
  accordingly.

8
Check the Altimeter

• This is the dial, located in the middle of the
  instrument panel that indicates altitude. The
  three hands indicate number of feet by hundreds,
  thousands, and ten thousands. It is calibrated
  in feet above sea level, not ground level. This
  is important to note!

9
Attempt to Establish Radio Contact

• Locate either the push-to-talk button (release to
  listen) on the yoke or on the CB-like microphone
  on the instrument panel.
• Say, Mayday, Mayday, and give the following
  information
• Your situation.
• The call numbers, located in the top of the
  instrument control panel.

10
Emergency Channel

• If Mayday call does not receive a response, tune
  radio to station 121.5.
• Emergency station will be manned by knowledgeable
  personnel who will talk you through landing.

11
Landing On Your OwnRequired Instruments

• Heading indicator this instrument, a compass,
  has the image of a small plane at its center
  which points in the direction you are going.

12
Required Instruments

• Airspeed This dial, calibrated in knots, is
  usually to the left of the instrument panel.
  Less than 70 knots is dangerously near stall
  speed.

13
Required Instruments

• Throttle This lever, located between the seats,
  controls airspeed and nose altitude. Pull it
  toward you to slow the plane and cause it to
  descend. Push it forward to increase speed and
  ascend.

14
Required Instruments

• Fuel Gauge located on the lower portion of the
  instrument panel. The pilot should have carried
  enough fuel to reach your planned destination
  plus a half hour reserve.

15
Required Instruments

• Flaps Ignore these for now. Use the throttle to
  control airspeed. Flaps are too complex to use in
  this situation.

16
Begin Your Descent

• Pull back on the throttle. As the plane slows the
  nose will drop. To descend the nose should be
  about four inches below the horizon.

17
Deploy Landing Gear

• Fixed Gear do nothing.
• Retractable Gear The lever will be between the
  seats, near the throttle. Deploy gear unless a
  water landing is required.

18
Find Safe Landing Site

• Ideally, find an airport.
• Second choice, a mile-long field.
• Third choice, open area within your fuel
  allowance. Bumpy terrain will do.

19
Line up the landing strip

• If you have ample fuel, fly over field to look
  for obstructions.
• Circle for landing so that landing area is
  centered in front of the airplane.
• Reduce power by pulling back on the throttle. Do
  not let the nose drop more than six inches below
  the horizon.

20
Landing the Plane

• The plane should be about 100 feet off the ground
  when you are approaching the landing area. The
  rear wheels should touch first. You want the
  plane to be at stall speed 55-65 knots when the
  wheels touch the ground.

21
Landing the Plane

• Pull all the way back on the throttle. Do not let
  the nose dip too steeply. Gently pull back on the
  yoke as the plane touches ground.

22
Landing The Plane

• Using the pedals on the floor, steer and brake
  the plane as needed. The upper pedals are the
  brakes and the lower pedals control direction of
  nose wheel. Depressing the right pedal will turn
  the plane to the right and the left accordingly.
  Decreasing your speed will increase your chance
  of survival dramatically!

23
Landing The Plane

• If headed for trees or obstacles, steer between
  them so that the wings will absorb the impact.

24
Landing The Plane

• When the plane is stopped, get out quickly,
  taking the pilot with you if possible.

25
Congratulations!

• You have finished your first lesson and landed
  successfully!

26
Lets ReviewClick on the correct response.

• The altimeter indicates (airspeed, direction,
  feet above sea level).

27

• The yoke is used to (restrain the pilot, control
  the direction and altitude,
• indicate the heading).

28

• The heading indicator shows the (wind speed,
  airspeed, direction of flight).

29

• The foot pedals control the ( the wing flaps,
  ground speed and nose wheel direction, altitude
  and airspeed).

30

• The throttle controls (airspeed and altitude,
  direction, the flaps).

31
Quiz Time

• Please Participate in the following quiz to aid
  in determining the effectiveness of this lesson.

Go To Quiz
32
Whoops!

• Please use the navigation buttons.
• Press the return button below to get back on
  track.

33
Thats not correct.

• The altimeter is the dial, located in the middle
  of the instrument panel that indicates altitude.
  The three hands indicate number of feet by
  hundreds, thousands, and ten thousands. It is
  calibrated in feet above sea level.

34
Whoops!

• Please use the navigation buttons.
• Press the return button below to get back on
  track.

35
Thats not correct.

• Heading this instrument, a compass, has the
  image of a small plane at its center which points
  in the direction you are going.

36
Whoops!

• Please use the navigation buttons.
• Press the return button below to get back on
  track.

37
Thats not correct.

• The yoke is shaped like a steering wheel. Pull
  back on the column to bring the nose up, push
  forward to point the nose down. Turn left to turn
  the plane left and right accordingly.

38
Whoops!

• Please use the navigation buttons.
• Press the return button below to get back on
  track.

39
Thats not correct.

• The upper pedals are the brakes and the lower
  pedals control direction of nose wheel.
  Depressing the right pedal will turn the plane to
  the right and the left accordingly.

40
Whoops!

• Please use the navigation buttons.
• Press the return button below to get back on
  track.

41
Thats not correct.

• Throttle This lever, located between the seats,
  controls airspeed and nose altitude. Pull it
  toward you to slow the plane and cause it to
  descend. Push it forward to increase speed and
  ascend.

42
Whoops!

• Please use the navigation buttons.
• Press the return button below to get back on
  track.

43
Correct !
44
Whoops!

• Please use the navigation buttons.
• Press the return button below to get back on
  track.

45
Correct !
46
Whoops!

• Please use the navigation buttons.
• Press the return button below to get back on
  track.

47
Correct !
48
Whoops!

• Please use the navigation buttons.
• Press the return button below to get back on
  track.

49
Correct !
50
Whoops!

• Please use the navigation buttons.
• Press the return button below to get back on
  track.

51
Correct !
52
Whoops!

• Please use the navigation buttons.
• Press the return button below to get back on
  track.

53
Identify the yoke, or steering wheel

• Pull back on the column to bring the nose up,
  push forward to point the nose down. These are
  subtle movements, proceed gently!
• Turn left to raise the left wing and right
  accordingly.

54
Whoops!

• Please use the navigation buttons.
• Press the return button below to get back on
  track.

55
Identify the yoke, or steering wheel

• Pull back on the column to bring the nose up,
  push forward to point the nose down. These are
  subtle movements, proceed gently!
• Turn left to raise the left wing and right
  accordingly.

56
Whoops!

• Please use the navigation buttons.
• Press the return button below to get back on
  track.

57
Check the Altimeter

• This is the dial, located in the middle of the
  instrument panel that indicates altitude. The
  three hands indicate number of feet by hundreds,
  thousands, and ten thousands. It is calibrated
  in feet above sea level, not ground level. This
  is important to note!

58
Whoops!

• Please use the navigation buttons.
• Press the return button below to get back on
  track.

59
Required Instruments

• Throttle This lever, located between the seats,
  controls airspeed and nose altitude. Pull it
  toward you to slow the plane and cause it to
  descend. Push it forward to increase speed and
  ascend.

60
Whoops!

• Please use the navigation buttons.
• Press the return button below to get back on
  track.

61
Required Instruments

• Throttle This lever, located between the seats,
  controls airspeed and nose altitude. Pull it
  toward you to slow the plane and cause it to
  descend. Push it forward to increase speed and
  ascend.

62
Whoops!

• Please use the navigation buttons.
• Press the return button below to get back on
  track.

63
Required Instruments

• Throttle This lever, located between the seats,
  controls airspeed and nose altitude. Pull it
  toward you to slow the plane and cause it to
  descend. Push it forward to increase speed and
  ascend.

64
Whoops!

• Please use the navigation buttons.
• Press the return button below to get back on
  track.

65
Required Instruments

• Throttle This lever, located between the seats,
  controls airspeed and nose altitude. Pull it
  toward you to slow the plane and cause it to
  descend. Push it forward to increase speed and
  ascend.

66
Whoops!

• Please use the navigation buttons.
• Press the return button below to get back on
  track.

67
Required Instruments

• Throttle This lever, located between the seats,
  controls airspeed and nose altitude. Pull it
  toward you to slow the plane and cause it to
  descend. Push it forward to increase speed and
  ascend.

68
Whoops!

• Please use the navigation buttons.
• Press the return button below to get back on
  track.

69
Landing On Your OwnRequired Instruments

• Heading this instrument, a compass, has the
  image of a small plane at its center which points
  in the direction you are going.

70
Whoops!

• Please use the navigation buttons.
• Press the return button below to get back on
  track.

71
Required Instruments

• Fuel Gauge located on the lower portion of the
  instrument panel. The pilot should have carried
  enough fuel to reach your destination plus a half
  hour reserve.

72
Whoops!

• Please use the navigation buttons.
• Press the return button below to get back on
  track.

73
You lost your way

• If you are reading this, you are way off track.
• Click this button to get one last chance to
  continue in this session (otherwise, the
  application will close and you will need to begin
  again)

Last Chance!