The ideal flare results from one continuous motion, beginning with raising the airplanes slight nose-down attitude to arrest the descent, all the way through touchdown on the mains in a nose-high attitude. Few of us are that good-or that lucky-so we fall back to doing it in stages: pitch slightly up to slow the descent rate and begin decelerating, wait for the effect to be known, then add more nose-up. Rinse, repeat. The timing and rapidity with which we pitch up the second time depends on everything thats happened before on this approach: How high are you? How fast? How much power are you carrying into the flare? How heavy (or light) is the airplane? How stiff is the headwind youre flying into, if any? Based on the answers to these questions, well either add more nose-up input or hold what weve got. Then we do it again until establishing the desired nose-up pitch attitude, right above the runway at stall speed.
Pilots typically perform the flare in stages, gradually pitching up to slow descent and decelerate, adjusting input based on flight conditions until achieving a nose-high attitude at stall speed just above the runway.
During the flare, it's critical never to lower the nose beyond a level attitude to descend to the runway, as this risks nosewheel-first touchdowns or bounces.
To correct a ballooning event, relax nose-up pitch input to establish a shallower angle, allowing the aircraft to continue decelerating.
The ideal flare results from one continuous motion, beginning with raising the airplane’s slight nose-down attitude to arrest the descent, all the way through touchdown on the mains in a nose-high attitude. Few of us are that good—or that lucky—so we fall back to doing it in stages:
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