Fixing Your Bounce

The primary cause of a bounced landing is flaring too high above the runway, perhaps with too much speed. In our ideal, perfect landing, the airplane will quit flying just inches above the runway. Instead, a bounce results when the flare occurs a few feet above it, and the airplane has the energy-resulting from excess altitude, excess airspeed or both-to rebound back into the air. In any event, a bounce results when the airplane isnt finished flying.

Aviation Safety

Sunday, January 27, 2019 at 12:00 AM ET

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Key Takeaways:

Bounced landings primarily occur when flaring too high or with excessive airspeed, causing the aircraft to rebound off the runway.
While an initial bounce itself is often harmless, an improper pilot response can lead to loss of control and potential damage.
Pilots can recover from a bounced landing by either initiating a full go-around or by adding controlled power to stabilize level flight before re-flaring for a smoother touchdown.
Prevention involves refining flare technique to touch down closer to the runway at appropriate speeds, and addressing depth perception issues through practice.

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Whether you’re a pre-solo student or an experienced pilot always flying the same airplane, getting a smooth landing every time can be a challenge. Unfortunately, landings are the yardstick by which many gauge our abilities as a pilot, so anything other than a smooth, picture-perfect return to terra firma is cause for discussion and grading.

According to the old saying, if there’s no damage, any landing is a good one. Great landings, on the other hand, have a few characteristics, among them is lack of a bounce or two. The thing is that a bounced landing usually has well-understood causes. Happily, there also are well-understood remedies.