What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

How come the unexpected bounce?

D

David-aviator

Well Known Member
I am logging 10 hours of dual RV tail dragged time (insurance) with an excellent pilot and have hit a learning plateau.

I can fly an RV - the problem is getting a decent landing consistently. There will be a really good one where the CFI says "do that again", I do and then the third one is a darned bounce.

I am an experienced pilot learning something new and know and practice self evaluation. I've been doing it for years. But this problem I can not nail down.

Why does the RV-6 unexpectly bounce so easily? What am I doing to cause it?
 
Wheel landings or 3 point?
No RV tail dragger landings but I have lots of C140 landings and found I would bounce wheel landing if pushing forward on the stick to soon (still slightly in the air). I needed to wait a fraction of a second to ensure main wheels on the ground before beginning to fly the tail.
 
Last edited:
David-aviator said:
I am logging 10 hours of dual RV tail dragged time (insurance) with an excellent pilot and have hit a learning plateau.

I can fly an RV - the problem is getting a decent landing consistently. There will be a really good one where the CFI says "do that again", I do and then the third one is a darned bounce.

I am an experienced pilot learning something new and know and practice self evaluation. I've been doing it for years. But this problem I can not nail down.

Why does the RV-6 unexpectly bounce so easily? What am I doing to cause it?
Click to expand...

David, not sure if you are talking about a 'bounce' or a 'skip'. The 'RV skip' is often seen when watching an RV-6 land.

Two factors can contribute to this:

The gear is not tall enough to allow the wing to be easily stalled. Combine this with trying to land just a few knots too fast and you will have your RV-6 flying again when the tailwheel touches down and the wing regains positive angle of attack.

The springy gear sure doesn't help this situation. A little too much vertical acceleration and the gear can bounce the wing back into positive angle of attack and your next (short) flight will begin. :)

Airspeed control is critical to landing the RV-6 smoothly, hit that very small window and you will love the landings. But miss it on the high side and you will be flying again when the tail touches down. Hit it on the low side and the rapid sink rate will bounce the plane back into the air....and you will be flying again. Landing on-speed is mastered with practice in smooth air, but landing in gusty conditions can be interesting.

The nose-dragger guys just can't fully appreciate what we are discussing. ;)
 
Welcome to the club, Dave

What Sam said. The good news is that they -8 is much easier to get consistently good landings. With well over a thousand hours in the -6, I'm still inconsistent with the -6 but find the -8 (and especially the -3) much easier to make smooth landings.
 
Sam Buchanan said:
Airspeed control is critical to landing the RV-6 smoothly, hit that very small window and you will love the landings. But miss it on the high side and you will be flying again when the tail touches down. Hit it on the low side and the rapid sink rate will bounce the plane back into the air....and you will be flying again. Landing on-speed is mastered with practice in smooth air, but landing in gusty conditions can be interesting.

The nose-dragger guys just can't fully appreciate what we are discussing. ;)
Click to expand...

+2 on what Sam and Louise said. I can make landing after landing with no problem and then when someone's watching .... Bam, bounce and landing again. :D

It's embarrassing when I have a passenger (most of the time too much sink that I failed to arrest and the springy gear gets me)

A lot of -8 pilots are chiming in but the -6 and -4 differ in the the landing gear and land different than a -8.
 
Last edited:
For me, bounces are caused by one of two things; either I haven't decided on the type of landing (wheel or three point) until the last minute or I'm too slow on short final and the sink rate goes up, causing me to drop it in.

If I'm too fast for a wheel landing, I tend to skip.

In the last few years I have migrated towards 99.9% of my landings being wheel landings
 
I know a guy who built a taildragger. He started building it in his sixties but by the time he finished it he was in his mid seventies. Then he decided to get his tail wheel endorsement but he really struggled. He had over a 1000 nose wheel hours but his coordination was just generally deteriorating with age (as it does). He got his tail wheel ticket finally but he was never really comfortable and only flew on windless, pristine days.

Personally I think that at his age he might have been better sticking with a nose wheel aircraft (the land-o-matic system:D).

Sometimes it's just a matter of old dogs struggling with new tricks. What does your CFI say. Surely he'd have a better idea of the problem than anyone here on this forum.
 
I wheel land (tail low) almost exclusively, and I've found there are a couple ways to cheat on landings to virtually eliminate the bounce.

First off is to trim the airplane slightly nose heavy on final and maintain some back pressure on the stick for airspeed control. When flying the -8 solo, you're going to find that this is your only option anyway, as you'll run out of nose up trim well before you find touchdown speed. Anyway, at touchdown, you simply release the back pressure on the stick (rather than push forward to "pin the mains").

In conjunction with the above is to land one wheel first - if only an inch low. This gives you a "feeler" of sorts and a split second warning to unload the back pressure. Touching down one wheel first almost never results in fuselage rotation and the subsequent AOA increase.
 
Have never flown a 6 but on my short-legged -4 getting a no bounce landing is hard to do. The slower the better and it takes some getting used to how slow these things can fly. I've gotten so wheel landings seem more consistent as I can essentially fly the thing on at such a low descent rate that forward stick after touchdown is practically nil. Very good technique for long runway where I can then extend the landing roll with tail high to minimize taxi time.

For three points I can't achieve a three point landing by stalling just at impact. The AOA at three point attitude just makes it near impossible to achieve. I have greased three point landings but I suspect they are in fact tail low wheel landings where the mains and TW hit simultaneously or the tail touches down just after the mains with such little vertical velocity it sticks. In any event it is very hard to do consistently and impossible unless very slow.

If it try to do a three point by stalling it onto the ground I hit tailwheel first.

Like I've said before these planes are easy to land but hard to land well.
 
David-aviator said:
I am logging 10 hours of dual RV tail dragged time (insurance) with an excellent pilot and have hit a learning plateau.

I can fly an RV - the problem is getting a decent landing consistently. There will be a really good one where the CFI says "do that again", I do and then the third one is a darned bounce.

I am an experienced pilot learning something new and know and practice self evaluation. I've been doing it for years. But this problem I can not nail down.

Why does the RV-6 unexpectly bounce so easily? What am I doing to cause it?
Click to expand...
First off, 10 hours is nothing, I thought I knew how to fly one of these at 10 hours, that was a joke, your sing off is just a license to continue learning on your own.

Second, as mentioned, trim nose low and touch down on one wheel first, works great.
 
Last edited:
Sam Buchanan said:
David, not sure if you are talking about a 'bounce' or a 'skip'. The 'RV skip' is often seen when watching an RV-6 land.

Two factors can contribute to this:

The gear is not tall enough to allow the wing to be easily stalled. Combine this with trying to land just a few knots too fast and you will have your RV-6 flying again when the tailwheel touches down and the wing regains positive angle of attack.

The springy gear sure doesn't help this situation. A little too much vertical acceleration and the gear can bounce the wing back into positive angle of attack and your next (short) flight will begin. :)

Airspeed control is critical to landing the RV-6 smoothly, hit that very small window and you will love the landings. But miss it on the high side and you will be flying again when the tail touches down. Hit it on the low side and the rapid sink rate will bounce the plane back into the air....and you will be flying again. Landing on-speed is mastered with practice in smooth air, but landing in gusty conditions can be interesting.

The nose-dragger guys just can't fully appreciate what we are discussing. ;)
Click to expand...

Thank you, Sam. What you say sure makes a lot of sense. We flew this afternoon in very gusty conditions and had a good experience recovering from the skip-bounce.

Thanks to all who had comments here, I do feel like this will all come together eventually. Nothing like trying to learn something new to keep one interested in life. :)
 
David-aviator said:
Thank you, Sam. What you say sure makes a lot of sense. We flew this afternoon in very gusty conditions and had a good experience recovering from the skip-bounce.

Thanks to all who had comments here, I do feel like this will all come together eventually. Nothing like trying to learn something new to keep one interested in life. :)
Click to expand...

Sounds good, David.

Yep...just a tiny skoosh of power is all it takes to arrest the sink following a bounce. Keep flying the plane until it has settled down but never hesitate to power up for the go-around if you bounce big twice. You will learn the RV-6 is landed as much with the throttle as with the elevator.

Have fun!
 
One thing worth mentioning. The RV6 even though within the CG limit gets very pitch sensitive with a aft CG. Our aircraft required merely a slight pressure change on the stick in the flare. If it was bumpy and this caused arm movement you got pitch changes. I would lock my arm on my leg to hold it steady.
We added 1 lb at the nose and took 3 lbs out of the tail. The difference in handling qualities in the flare was dramatic. Night and day difference and much easier to land.

George
 
The 6 is the hardest one of all the vans taildragger to consistently land smoothly. After owning mine for two years now, and hundreds of landings in it.... every landing is still an adventure. When I think a landing is about to turn into a bounce, I end up greasing it on... whenever I think I'm going to pull a greaser, I end up bouncing. :rolleyes:
I learned to fly taildragger RVs in a -4 and it was much easier to get consistently good landings in it. Next I got to fly a friend's 8 for a couple years and it was even easier to land. Then I bought a 6 and I love the plane, but I always say a little prayer on final to ask for a smooth touchdown and straight rollout :D
 
My problem was the wheel landing.

During my transition training - also in an RV-6 - I couldn't bring myself to push enough forward stick and would bounce or porpoise or call it what you want.

Finally, the instructor did two things. First, he said, "it's my airplane ams I'm telling you to do it". Second, he put me in the plane, positioned the prop vertically, and lifted the tail. I was surprised how much more prop clearance there was and that a "strike" was farther from happening than I had imagined.

My wheel landings improved on the very next flight.
 
My transition training in Texas wouldn't allow wheel landings at all. My first RV wheel landing was at the end of my planes first flight. Personally I found my few hours in the decathlon to be a better training for the RV8 than the time I spent in the -7, but insurance required the dual. YMMV.

As others have said, trim a tad nose heavy, fly it down to the runway the hold it just off while speed bleeds...it will settle onto the mains with the tail low, release back pressure a bit and grin.
 
Toobuilder said:
In conjunction with the above is to land one wheel first - if only an inch low. This gives you a "feeler" of sorts and a split second warning to unload the back pressure. Touching down one wheel first almost never results in fuselage rotation and the subsequent AOA increase.
Click to expand...

Agree 100%.

This is the key to landing a RV. One wheel first, just slightly, takes half of the springiness out of the equation. Been doing this for years. The only times I've screwed up landings is when I touched down on both wheels.
 
Another thing that helps with wheel landings (which I do nearly all the time after abandoning three-pointers many years ago) is to land with full flaps. This lowers the nose (or raises the tail...) and makes the arrival easier to time without driving the tailwheel into the runway and making the wing go positive. It also reduces the amount of forward stick needed to hold the plane in the wheelie configuration, which as many have stated, is actually a slightly tail-low position.

But bottom line..it is all a matter of timing. Somedays it works great, other days you feel like a dump truck driver.
 
I can feel for you Dave - I've flown every model of RV, and the -6 is the only one that occasionally surprises me on landing. I actually find that my best -6 landings come when I think the least about them.
 
Again, thanks to all for the commentary on this subject. There is wealth of experience and wisdom here and I do appreciate your sharing it.

The RV-8 is read to fly. I need be patient, wait for the next weather system to pass and go fly with my friend Frank Baldwin to get back in the groove and log the final 4 hours. It will all work out.

Nationair did a great job finding some insurance for this old geezer and I don't want screw it up. There are no restrictions IF I get the 10 hours if dual. No restriction on phase one flight testing other than no PAX for 5 hours, that's easy to comply with.

Again thanks to all for your thoughts on this subject.
 
Thanks to Sam for finally giving me a plausible excuse when I just can't get a good landing out of the -6. I'm going to print his first post and tape it to the panel...

Oh, the little girl you see in my pic just graduated from HS! She still loves flying in the -6 of course...
 
Last edited:
600+ hours in mine, three points are still a mixed bag. I just make sure I bounce or skip straight. I'll try the one wheel first three pointer.
 
ColoRv said:
As others have said, trim a tad nose heavy, fly it down to the runway the hold it just off while speed bleeds...it will settle onto the mains with the tail low, release back pressure a bit and grin.
Click to expand...

I have a different perspective. I have never understood the desire to trim nose heavy. Not only does it defeat the purpose of using trim to aid in airspeed control on final, but it gives an artificially heavy feel of the elevator, if you are the type of pilot who likes to feel the "weight" of the stick in your hands as an indicator of your airspeed, and the "lift" left in the wings as you round out. To me, either releasing this nose-heavy trim or physically pushing the stick forward the moment the wheels touch involve a deliberate action. I have never found a deliberate and quick 1/2" forward movement of the stick to be any more difficult than "relaxing back pressure". To each their own, but I have always been able to do wheel landings just fine from using the trim normally - as in trimming for your desired speed on final, and simply applying forward stick as required. It doesn't take much forward stick - many pilot use way too much, with a large pitch over as the wheels touch. A half inch of stick movement is all it takes. The timing of the forward stick the moment the wheels touch is the most important thing. Using too much forward stick can actually cause the gear to springy rod gear compress enough during a firm touchdown, and cause a small bounce and a less than graceful landing.
 
Just want to understand ...

David-aviator said:
<<<SNIP, SNIP>>>

Nationair did a great job finding some insurance for this old geezer and I don't want screw it up. There are no restrictions IF I get the 10 hours if dual. No restriction on phase one flight testing other than no PAX for 5 hours, that's easy to comply with.

Again thanks to all for your thoughts on this subject.
Click to expand...

Are you saying that you are of the view that you CAN carry passengers after the first five (5) hours of Phase I??

If so, please contact me offline.
jclarkmail
gmail

-----------
Separate comments.

Interestingly enough, I find the RV6 (and other Side-by-Sides) to be the "easiest" of the various RV tailwheel planes that I have flown.
I think then the RV4 followed by the RV8 (a different kettle of fish).
And for those who have "been there" you know that the RV-1 is "special".

<Of course, I should say though, I have on average about 100 times more time in the RV6 than the others. :) >

James
 
jclark said:
Are you saying that you are of the view that you CAN carry passengers after the first five (5) hours of Phase I??

If so, please contact me offline.
jclarkmail
gmail



James
Click to expand...

James, I am not of the opinion that I can carry passengers after five hours of solo, the insurance company simply states no passengers the first five hours.

The policy does not wave the operating limitations, I know that.
 
I am quite proud of the fact that, after 300 hours in our -8 I have never experienced an "unexpected" bounce when landing! (I fully expect to bounce every time and I am rarely disappointed) I am always amazed at how close to the ground I am when the wheels make contact.

Dave Cadugan
N842DK
 
I have 16 hours in my RV-8, so I'm no expert.
But I do have recent "early flight experience" in the RV-8, which you will soon be experiencing as well.
The brakes are sensitive, I thought my feet were not on the brakes during my first landing, but the video shows the puff and the chirps are clearly heard. Otherwise, the brakes are fine, they just apply very easily.
To me, it's all about pitch attitude. I fly it thru the round out, get close to the ground and hold it off until the pitch attitude has the tail wheel just above the 3 point attitude, then hold that attitude. the plane will settle in as it decelerates.
If the runway surface is irregular and you are pushed back into the air, I just maintain the pitch attitude (which is not hard in this plane) and it re-settles in.
I've tried to push the stick to lift the tail and 'pin' a wheels landing when landing too fast, that started a bounce, so quickly returned to the 'pitch attitude' and the plane settled down and proceeded to land just fine.
I do get some skips, just check some Youtube landings of Spitfires.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_3YuwerLCQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_VMhj-0ty8
The Spitfire bounce is your friend. This completely controlled event can occur over an uneven surface with good control.
 
Last edited:
Just my observations:

The -6 ate me alive for 5 hours. The gear legs are just like springs. I still don't know if I'd take one solo! Once you get the tail down though all is well.

The -8 is another story, it's easier to get the mains on with less of a clown show, but once you get the tail down, between about 30-60 kts it gets really tail happy. My goal is just to maintain centerline and I'm batting about .300 at that at about 20 hours in the airplane.

One thing that helped me big was someone told me to just leave about 1000 rpm on the motor in the flare, then just try and fly form with the runway. Hold it off as long as you can (but not beyond the 3 point attitude) and when the mains roll on, smoothly pull the power to idle. Fly the tail until it touches, plant the stick and start the rudder dance.

Every time I try and do an idle power landing, even with the same pitch attitude, I always get at least a few skips if not a couple of bounces.
 
SHIPCHIEF said:
The brakes are sensitive, I thought my feet were not on the brakes during my first landing, but the video shows the puff and the chirps are clearly heard. Otherwise, the brakes are fine, they just apply very easily.
Click to expand...

Just a tip - with stock pedals, keep your heels on the floor, and just the tips of your shoes on the bottom edge of the rudder pedals until you are on the ground - then slide your feet up so that you can use your toes on the brakes.

Sig600 said:
Every time I try and do an idle power landing, even with the same pitch attitude, I always get at least a few skips if not a couple of bounces.
Click to expand...

Pat, most experienced -8 guys know to add just a touch of power just before touchdown and keep it there until you're firmly on the ground - looks like you have discovered that for yourself. I never land at idle - there is just too much deceleration with the Hartzell. The touch of power makes for nice touchdowns every time. Exception - very short field landings. They are never pretty, but so long as they are safe....
 
Ironflight said:
Pat, most experienced -8 guys know to add just a touch of power just before touchdown and keep it there until you're firmly on the ground - looks like you have discovered that for yourself. I never land at idle - there is just too much deceleration with the Hartzell. The touch of power makes for nice touchdowns every time. Exception - very short field landings. They are never pretty, but so long as they are safe....
Click to expand...

I claim no credit for discovery, wisdom passed on from the older/wiser crowd in my never ending quest to suck less.
 
For the 7, Mike S teaches to maintain 70 mph, full flaps, and 1800 rpm until crossing the threshold, then cut throttle to idle, and maintain descent and rotate with wheels slightly off runway until they settle. It hops.

My theory on the hopping is that when the wheels touch, the 6 and 7 gear legs are the same stiffness in all directions, so with the rearward sweep of the gear and the drag force of the tires flex the gear upward. Then, after the wheels are turning the gear flexes back down and pushes the plane up a little, thus the little hop.

Your theory may vary . . . :eek:
 
It's real simple. RVs are not unique in this regard. Neither is the RV-6/7 compared to the RV-3/4/9 - Bounces and hops are caused by excessive descent rate AND/OR touching down on the mains instead of nicely 3-point or very slightly tailwheel first. Don't worry about it. Hang out at any fly-in where RVs flock together and you will likely see more bounced landings than non bounced landings.
 
Ironflight said:
Just a tip - with stock pedals, keep your heels on the floor, and just the tips of your shoes on the bottom edge of the rudder pedals until you are on the ground - then slide your feet up so that you can use your toes on the brakes.



Pat, most experienced -8 guys know to add just a touch of power just before touchdown and keep it there until you're firmly on the ground - looks like you have discovered that for yourself. I never land at idle - there is just too much deceleration with the Hartzell. The touch of power makes for nice touchdowns every time. Exception - very short field landings. They are never pretty, but so long as they are safe....
Click to expand...

I've learned quickly the 8 does not want to slow down, especially with the CATTO prop. Both landings yesterday were at idle power with a slow deceleration, just the opposite happens with a constant speed prop, it is a speed brake of sorts.
 
What?...You are not supposed to bounce landings? I am starting to think that's just how it's done in an RV. I flown lots of airplanes, none frustrate me more than my own. Like others, I have started leaving a little power in on touchdown and that seems to help...or hurt:confused: Touching one wheel first seems to help...or hurt:confused: No flaps, full flaps, partial flaps well...helps or hurts. Minimal airspeed, maximal airspeed...yep helps or hurts. I don't care what anyone says, just like Bumbles, RV's bounce. The key is what happens after the bounce. Even though I have lost track of how many times I have bounced my RV, I have NEVER had a "bad" landing. The low speed controllability is fantastic and either a burst of power, light control input or a go-around easily salvages my best attempts at greasers.

I wouldn't be too hard on yourself if you bounce often. Just as long as you aren't losing control after the bounce and are not "slamming it in". A little skip (that's what I am going to start calling them) is par for course!
 
My dear departed WWII test pilot and friend would not accept a "greased" landing on three points. The only acceptable landing was idle power, full stall, and associated "plop".
Most bounced landings feel much worse than they look.

If you want to grease your landings, keep that power in a touch and float it on. You will use more runway but if your definition of a good landing is a greaser, and you have the runway to do it, this might be for you.

Reminds me of when they flew the big Airbus 380 into OSH for it's debut. Lot's of comments about the "rough" landing. For those that knew what the challenge was bringing that beast in there, it was a perfectly executed.
 
JonJay said:
My dear departed WWII test pilot and friend would not accept a "greased" landing on three points. The only acceptable landing was idle power, full stall, and associated "plop".
Most bounced landings feel much worse than they look.

If you want to grease your landings, keep that power in a touch and float it on. You will use more runway but if your definition of a good landing is a greaser, and you have the runway to do it, this might be for you.

Reminds me of when they flew the big Airbus 380 into OSH for it's debut. Lot's of comments about the "rough" landing. For those that knew what the challenge was bringing that beast in there, it was a perfectly executed.
Click to expand...

I saw that landing, the pilot put it on exactly where he wanted it to be. The smoke from the tire contact was incidental to it. I thought he did a good job.
 
JonJay said:
My dear departed WWII test pilot and friend would not accept a "greased" landing on three points. The only acceptable landing was idle power, full stall, and associated "plop".
Most bounced landings feel much worse than they look.

If you want to grease your landings, keep that power in a touch and float it on. You will use more runway but if your definition of a good landing is a greaser, and you have the runway to do it, this might be for you.

Reminds me of when they flew the big Airbus 380 into OSH for it's debut. Lot's of comments about the "rough" landing. For those that knew what the challenge was bringing that beast in there, it was a perfectly executed.
Click to expand...

So true. I see a whole lot of RV pilots trying to grease it on...after floating 2000' down the runway. If you touch down 3-point or very slightly tailwheel first, even a firm plop down will only cause a bounce of a couple inches. It will last about a second. No bounce recovery heroics needed, as is often seen from those touching down on the mains, and maybe a bit indecisive on the kind of landing they intended to do....which of course is not so much a true bounce, but just causing the airplane to continue flying.
 
Hi... my name is Don and I'm an RV-8 bouncer. It has been seven days since my last bounce...

Seriously, I was beginning to think I was alone. This thread has made me feel much better, but I am still trying to figure out how to modify the gear so one leg is longer, and to install a curb feeler that automatically deploys spoilers.
 
JonJay said:
Reminds me of when they flew the big Airbus 380 into OSH for it's debut. Lot's of comments about the "rough" landing. For those that knew what the challenge was bringing that beast in there, it was a perfectly executed.
Click to expand...

That was our own VAF member and RV-8 builder, Terry Lutz. Former F-4, F-16, airline and USAF test pilot.
 
Been flying my RV6 for 9 years. I wheel land it almost exclusively using the one wheel first technique described earlier.

I 3-point once in a while to see if i remember how to do it or for landing on grass.

I know of a few RV drivers who are nervous fliers due to 3-point landing concerns who are unwilling to try wheeling it on thinking they will end up with a prop strike.
They end up only flying on dead calm days or with an instructor. A real shame..
 
I have an MT 3 blade prop in a 7 with an IO-360 180hp motor and I never land fully fine - makes the landing and touchdown much sweeter as there is less braking in the flare.

If you figure 2400 cruise prop setting and leave it somewhere there it is sweet.

If you go around, 24 -25" of manifold pressure is fine for 90% of the time.

Common sense prevails - short strip - don't bother... :D
 
I am settled on landing the 8 - tail low wheel landings only.

No thought whatever of a full stall 3 pointer. The nose gets too high for me - can't see a thing - and this airplane wants to fly forever with its fixed pitch prop.

If I think wheel landing and spike it on at the first indication of touching down, its a piece of cake. This is happening at about 55 KIAS, stall is 47. Visibility is excellent until the tail comes down.

Even managed to stay on the runway with a slight cross wind at one hard surface runway. Landing on grass is most forgiving however. :)
 
One wheel trick

Thanks for the heads up on the one wheel landing. Doing it that way took me from a bouncer or skipper more than half of the time to nailing it most of the time now. I always wondered why my landings were a bit better with a crosswind. Now I know why. Great tip guys.
 
I use a SONY action cam on some of my flights, so I've reviewed many of my initial landings. My wheels touch the ground at a consistent 70 MPH (60.85 KTS) indicated airspeed with a tail low, but not three point landing. The tailwheel contact makes a distinctive sound (B'wangggg!)
It may be that I have one of those 'Falcon Airspeed Indicators' that reads a little "off".
So I hope any new fliers of RV-8s do some low speed flight & stalls before your first landing, so you don't get too slow on final.
I've pulled throttle during the round out a couple of times, while going slower than usual(about 85), on final. I experienced the low aspect ratio phenomena: The plane dropped to the runway without any flair, perhaps a weak accelerated stall or reduced elevator authority. I would suggest you pull throttle farther up hill on final, or after the round out while you are 'feeling for the runway' as they say, or after the wheels touch as some mention. I notice a consistent 10 MPH loss of speed from the round out, the energy consumed from changing vector from the glideslope to running parallel to the runway surface. The lift induced by engine thrust over the wing and tail should not be changed during the round out, at least in the first several hours of getting to know your RV-8. For me, it's too many variables at the same time, at a critical phase of flight.
I'm just a noob with 16 hours in type, but more than twice that many landings. I'm stalled out, switching the engine out this month. Hopefully, I'll be flying it again by August :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top