Short-field landing is a demanding procedure for
pilots
An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...
in
aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air. It counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines ...
, utilized when the length of the
runway
According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and takeoff of aircraft". Runways may be a man-made surface (often asphalt concrete, as ...
or
landing
Landing is the last part of a flight, where a flying animal, aircraft, or spacecraft returns to the ground. When the flying object returns to water, the process is called alighting, although it is commonly called "landing", "touchdown" or ...
area is relatively short, or where obstacles in close vicinity to the
landing approach limit the available landing area.
In the latter case, the runway likely have a
Displaced threshold A displaced threshold or DTHR is a runway threshold located at a point other than the physical beginning or end of the runway.
The portion of the runway behind a displaced threshold may be used for takeoff in either direction and landings from the ...
.
Technique
The required procedure differs based on the aircraft type, so the
Pilots Operating Handbook (POH) should be consulted for the specific aircraft type. In general, the technique is to utilize maximum
flaps for this type of landing. The approach is made with engine power commensurate with maintaining the approach
airspeed
In aviation, airspeed is the speed of an aircraft relative to the air. Among the common conventions for qualifying airspeed are:
* Indicated airspeed ("IAS"), what is read on an airspeed gauge connected to a Pitot-static system;
* Calibrated a ...
listed in the POH. In cases where a POH is unavailable, a speed not more than 1.3
VSO should be used.
The use of full flaps will enable steeper approaches to the aiming point, which is particularly useful in cases where the approach must be made over obstacles. Speed must be maintained precisely in order to execute a stabilized approach. After touch-down, the pilot applies maximum wheel braking and
up-elevator to counter the pitch-over moment caused by braking and reduce the chances of a
propeller strike
In aviation, a propeller strike, or prop strike, also called a sudden stoppage, is an accident in which an aircraft's propeller contacts any object and is forcibly stopped or slowed. Propeller strikes can be the result of the propeller contactin ...
. Flaps are sometimes retracted to allow better braking performance by reducing lift on the wing.
Spoilers may also be used, where equipped.
Further reading
Airplane Flying Handbook Ch5Airplane Flying Handbook Ch8
References
{{Types of take-off and landing
Types of landing