If you’re anything like me, the quality of my landings as a Student Pilot were… not great. Sometimes I floated down the runway in Ground Effect. Sometimes I landed so hard I thought I may have damaged the landing gear. Sometimes I ballooned, and sometimes I landed flat. But after perseverance and practice, my landings got consistently better. Yet it wasn’t until I became a CFI that I figured out the missing ingredient, and it’s how I taught all of my students how to land going forward. The missing ingredient is what I call the “Zone of Patience”. The Zone of Patience is the time between the roundout and touchdown, and what you do in the Zone of Patience has an impact on your landings.

In the Zone of Patience, Straight-and-Level Flight plays a major role in your approach to landing procedures. It may seem counterintuitive, but it works. Yet, in order to master the Zone of Patience, and ultimately your approach to landing procedures, you need to understand & respect both the Stabilized Approach and Ground Effect.

 

The Stabilized Approach

What is a Stabilized Approach and why is it important?

According to the FAA, “A pilot is flying a [S]tabilized [A]pproach when he or she establishes and maintains a constant angle glidepath towards a predetermined point on the landing runway” and it is a critical, lifesaving way to conduct each approach to landing. The goal is to for the pilot to descend the aircraft on final approach at a constant Rate of Descent (ROD) and airspeed in a straight line towards a spot on the ground ahead, commonly referred to as the aiming point (e.g., the runway numbers, the second runway stripe, the 1,000’ markers, etc.). In essence, if the pilot does not perform the roundout above the runway surface, the pilot would fly the nose right into the ground at the aiming point (which we obviously do not want to do).

My very first flight instructor once told me that he knew whether my landings would be good or not when I was abeam the numbers on the downwind. At the time, I didn’t understand how he could possibly know this. But after some practice, I understood. And it was usually because my airspeed was too fast or too slow on the downwind, I didn’t configure the aircraft when I should have, or I started my descent too early or too late.

A Stabilized Approach tees you up for a safe & successful landing. So, what are the Stabilized Approach criteria? Per the Airplane Flying Handbook, a Stabilized Approach includes the following:

• Glide path. Typically, a constant 3 degrees to the touchdown zone on the runway (obstructions permitting)
• Heading. The aircraft tracks the centerline to the runway with only minor heading/pitch changes necessary to correct for wind or turbulence to maintain alignment. Bank angle normally limited to 15 degrees once established on final
• Airspeed. The aircraft speed is within +10 /-5 KIAS of the recommended landing speed specified in the AFM/POH, 1.3V_SO, or on approved placards/markings. If the pilot applies a gust factor, indicated airspeed should not decay below the recommended landing speed
• Configuration. The aircraft is in the correct landing configuration with flaps as required; landing gear extended, and is in trim
• Descent rate. A descent rate (generally 500-1000 fpm for light general aviation aircraft) makes for a safe approach. Minimal adjustments to the descent rate as the airplane approaches the runway provide an additional indication of a stabilized and safe approach. If using a descent rate in excess of 500 fpm due to approach considerations, the pilot should reduce the descent rate prior to 300 ft AGL
• Power setting. The pilot should use a power setting appropriate for the aircraft configuration and not below the minimum power for approach as defined by the AFM
• Briefings and checklists. Completing all briefings and checklists prior to initiating the approach (except the landing checklist), ensures the pilot can focus on the elements listed above

If the aforementioned criteria are not met, the pilot should execute a Go-Around. And please, do not think you’re a lesser pilot for performing a Go-Around. The Go-Around is a normal maneuver. You’re actually a better pilot when you recognize the need for a Go-Around and then execute one.

 

Ground Effect

Now that you understand the significance of a Stabilized Approach, you need to understand Ground Effect. If someone (including your DPE) asks you, “What is Ground Effect?”, your response should be, “Ground Effect is the reduction in Induced Drag due to its interference with the ground.” To put it in the simplest terms possible: drag that was once there is significantly reduced because the ground physically gets in the way. While in Ground Effect, the aircraft has better performance (i.e., it has greater lift due to the reduction in Induced Drag). Less Induced Drag means more lift. Have you ever floated down the runway after you performed your roundout and wondered why? It’s because your final approach speed was too fast when you entered Ground Effect, a time when your aircraft has less drag and more lift. To prevent floating, you need to keep your final approach speed in check (see the stabilized approach criteria above). Ground Effect will always be there, but you can manage its effect on your landings by respecting it and keeping your speed under control.

The Zone of Patience

So, what is this “Zone of Patience”? The Zone of Patience occurs after the roundout and before touchdown while your aircraft is in Ground Effect.  In the Zone of Patience, you need to fly the aircraft in Straight-and Level Flight. That’s the key procedural step that so many instructors neglect to teach their students. It’s a concept that I identified, developed, and coined, and I’m sharing it with you because it’s an important step and no one else talks about it.

In Ground Effect, there is a reduction in Induced Drag, but there is still Parasite Drag (Note: the three types of Parasite Drag are Form, Interference, and Skin Friction, but generally speaking, Parasite Drag is the backwards force created by an object as it moves through the air). When you’re in the Zone of Patience, the power is at idle and you’re letting Parasite Drag work it’s magic. It’s slowing the aircraft down; you’re burning off airspeed, which will cause the plane to gradually lose lift and slowly sink towards the runway. This slight sink towards the runway is your cue to gently pull back on the yoke to put the aircraft into a landing attitude. Be patient when you’re flying in the Zone of Patience. I cannot stress this enough. Be patient and do not make any abrupt movements on the aircraft controls. Fly Straight-and-Level and maintain centerline. The aircraft wants to land; let the aircraft do its thing. Identifying the slight sink towards the runway can be a challenge, but after some practice your eyes will be trained and more capable of recognizing it.

A common mistake I see when students are learning how to land single-engine training aircraft is they tend to pull back on the yoke too much after they roundout. Sometimes it’s so excessive that the aircraft proceeds down the runway in a nose-high attitude with the engine cowling obstructing all visual references. There’s no need for this; in fact, you run the risk of stalling and slamming the aircraft on the runway, losing control during your landing, and possibly having a tail strike. Furthermore, how do you know where the centerline is if you can’t see it? If you’re in the Zone of Patience and flying Straight-and-Level, you are in control and you have all of your visual references & cues.

 

Basic Approach to Landing Procedures in a Cessna 172:

A quality approach to landing starts with good speed management in the traffic pattern. A well-respected DPE once told me, “Your target airspeeds in the traffic pattern should be 80-70-60. 80 on the downwind, 70 on base, 60 on final.”  And be sure to run your checklists.

On the Downwind:

• Airspeed: 80 KIAS
• Altitude: Traffic Pattern Altitude (i.e., 1,000’ AGL)
• Abeam your touchdown point: Power 2,000 RPM/Flaps 10°/Maintain Altitude
• At 45° from the runway: Power 1500 RPM/Flaps 20°/Turn Base

On the Base Leg:

• Airspeed: 70 KIAS
• Power: 1500 RPM
• Flaps: 20°
• Rate of Descent: 500 fpm
• Trim, as necessary
• Before turning Final: Flaps 30°
• Turn Final

On Final:

• Airspeed: 60 KIAS (Note: in a Cessna 172, you’re really shooting for 60-65 KIAS on Final Approach; the 80-70-60 represents nice, round, target numbers that are easy to remember. Flying slower than 60 KIAS on final is too slow)
• Power: 1500 RPM
• Flaps: 30°
• Rate of Descent: 500 fpm
• Choose an aiming point
• Make small pitch, power, and trim adjustment, as necessary

Landing:

• As you approach your aiming point, perform the roundout
• Enter the Zone of Patience; Power is idle/Fly Straight-and-Level to burn off airspeed/Maintain centerline
• Be patient
• When you see the aircraft slowly start to descend/sink towards the runway, gently pull back on the yoke to raise the nose slightly and touch down on the main landing gear

 

And remember: even though the tires are on the ground, whether you’re performing a Touch-and-Go or taxiing back to the ramp, you still need to fly the aircraft!