How to Land an Airplane | Landing a Cessna 172 

Want content like this and other articles and quizzes on a weekly basis? Get in touch with the link here and get started! www.flight-insight.com/subscribe

I am exactly 8 flight hours into getting my PPL. When I left the classroom and made my first flight with my CFI, I did very well on the take off, cruise and turning, holds, etc. Then I lined up for my landing. Folks, the first landing in your career will never be forgotten. I was in a 1978 Cessna 172 with steam gauges. I botched the approach and had to go around. But the second approach I stayed right on the line. Then I made what is known as a "porpoise landing" I touched down 4 times before I kept rubber on the pavement. My CFI glanced up at me and said "you don't get to put 4 landings in your logbook, so let's just keep it down to one, okay?" lol I thing every new pilot has made a multiple TD landing. But you're 100% correct, airspeed is the most important variable you must control. Once you have airspeed under control, everything else just seems to fit into place.

I struggled with landings until my instructor taught me pretty much the way you describe. He had me repeatedly fly all the down the runway at a height of about six feet. Once I was able to demonstrate that to him he had me set up at six feet, cut the power, and try to hold the plane at six feet. Of course, as you say, the plane slowly sinks and kisses the ground. What a sensation!

This was a nice video, but a couple of points if you don’t mind. First, it is critical that students understand that they must re-trim every time they change power or flap settings. It is almost impossible to maintain a stable approach if the airplane is out of trim. Also, using a road for a landing reference is fine…but I would never teach a student that it is okay to stall an airplane that low to the ground.

Just did my first landing, touched down pretty hard because I didn't add enough back pressure, you're totally right about trying to keep the plane up in the air as long as you can so you just descend very smoothly onto the runway, hopefully next time is a lot better

Well, that was fun. I learned to fly in the mid-1970s in Cessna 150s at New Orleans' Lakefront Airport (no airliners), and then I flew around south Louisiana and Mississippi for about a year for fun, mostly in 172s but also in the occasional tail-dragger and low-wing Piper. I only made two trips out of that area, one to Laredo, Texas, to visit Mexico and another to Albany, Georgia, to visit family. I was in a flying club, but it got too pricey for me, so I stopped. I've forgotten how to do it almost entirely. What I notice most on this video is the electronics which did not exist in 172s in the early 1970s. Time flies on.

Excellent advice! On approach it's airspeed, airspeed, airspeed, and when the pavement gets close, slowly ease back on the yoke all the way to your belly so that the mains touch down with almost no lift remaining. The nose will settle and the airplane becomes a truck, with no bounce being possible. If you get queasy with how the airplane flys at very low airspeed then go out and practice slow flight. Get good at that and you'll automatically be good at controlling the landing, though you will still need to develop your eye for height above the runway. Also, there is no perfect landing. At every point in the pattern you will tweak something-- airspeed, altitude, distance from the runway, something. Nothing is perfect. Fix it.

After this RU-vid Tutorial, I'm confident that I can land a plane in an emergency situation. Thank you.

Just had my first solid landing yesterday, may instructor was clapping, I was so happy!! Pitching back so far is a weird sensation, but it totally makes sense to bleed off airspeed. I had a number of porpoise landings, and a whole bunch of flat landings prior to yesterday. I’m sure the guys in the tower have been entertained.

I used to fly in a single engine Katana (DA20). I miss those days. When I was learning to fly, my favorite part was just going around the pattern and practice landing. Anyone can takeoff. Each landing is different.

Thank you. I maybe watched this video many months, if not years after it was published. Both the content and the presentation were exemplary, and most informative. I have finally been taught how to land by a very informed “pilot”. Once again thanks.

This is excellent. I'm just below 200 hrs as a PPL and I'm gunna try this. I have a "lack of flare" issue when I fly Cessnas still.

Haven't flown in 8 years, can't wait to go back and get current. You describe things so well. I actually was never tought detailed enough to watch the runway markings and then shift to the end of the runway.

Always good to review the basics. Thanks.

Ah, happy memories! 😁 I got my PPL in a 172 in East Africa when my dad was with the Flying Doctor Service in Kenya in the late 1970s. I'm back in England, now, and my licence lapsed ages ago (I couldn't afford to put in the hours), but I'll never forget sitting alongside the (crazy!) expat Brit pilots demonstrating what genuine bush flying was all about; and I remember on my second solo landing having to go around because about a dozen zebras were grazing on the airstrip... 🦓 👀

I transitioned from a Tomahawk and Archer to the 172. Loved the 172. It made me pay attention to the air speed over the numbers. If not, she’ll float all the way down the runway.

I always came in high enough to glide in if I had to. This paid off big time when I had an engine failure while landing at Big Bear California.

Excellent video. When learning to fly my instructor told me to land like a butterfly with sore feet. I'm afraid I didn't always reach that target

I love the liberal use of the words back pressure and the references to trim. 👍👍😎 And especially the encouragement to keep your eyes moving and not fixate. Good job. Youre great👍 CP 55 yrs.

Best online flying advice I have found. You are a natural.

This is incredible stuff. That’s exactly the explanation a beginner such as myself needs to get started and build that confidence.

The 1st rule in landing is do not decend below the level of the runway.

Helpful video! I'm currently barreling towards the ground in the cockpit of an airplane, and this is a total lifesaver!

Sometimes on a landing approach the variables will change. Off of centerline or you balloon the aircraft after flaring too hard. Remember you can always go around and try again.

I would like to add that the threshold of the runway be kept about the center line of the windshield upon approach. There will a time when that changes but you are lined up, close to touchdown and ready to roll. This video shows this. Some say there is nothing finer then sitting in a recliner. But landing a plane is really a lot of fun. Never missed and never had to go around. Spins are exciting but the best part of the flight is landing. Helicopter. Even better. Love the cyclic control.

The Cessna controls always felt extremely heavy and primitive to me (compared to other planes I fly) until I started to use trim quite frequently.

Looking forward to having a go later. Thanks for the vid, great instructions

I used to fly radio control airplanes way back in the day, it was a hobby my dad and I enjoyed together. And landing the RC plane was the hardest part, at least a good landing was. But basically you would fly around the runway and line it up, give yourself a good distance, and back off the throttle and let it take itself in, as you get right above the runway, a few feet cut to idle and most of the time it's a smooth landing and your plane is ready to fly another day.

As a flight instructor once said - "Don't worry, you will land."

This is the best landing video for anyone who wants to pilot. If you can't learn from this video, then maybe you shouldn't fly. Instructor has great knowledge. superA+

The quickest, but, most useful flying tutorial, I have, ever, seen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A very thoughful video about landings with consice explanation ! Thank you !

really good video!!! love the calm, confident instruction, too!

By far the best video I've seen on landings and this includes Rod Machado video's

Full stall landings are fine in still air. If you have a 25kt crosswind, it’s exceptionally dangerous. Fly it in. Harder on tires, but you maintain control. In my 337, I nearly idle the front engine, while leading with rear power. The twin tails and elevator actually vector the thrust.

I love the expression *_"kiss the ground."_* It should have been used in this video, which I enjoyed and thanks.

Thanks much! Probably the best landing tutorial out there.

Best landing video so far in collection.

Pitch controls airspeed. Power controls glide slope. Also, no mention of using the trim wheel. The trim wheel is key to stable approaches.

Very nicely done and explained. Thanks for sharing.

172 is great for training, 182 and 182 RG are the dope. Performance, air speed etc. the best. I've had to hand crank a 182 before little overwhelming the first time.

That was very well done. Great use of words and a pleasant voice.

Your so good at keeping the 1000’ markers on the same line (top of compass) until the piano keys are under you and out of sight.

EXCELLENT summary!

I made my first completely unassisted landing in a 172 at Statesville Regional Airport. That was in 1980 and I still remember it like it was today.

My CFI told me altitude was kind. I learned the dive and flare landings. A little scary but with slips it saved my B hind more than once..

Very useful advice , many thanks 🙂.

Great video you and Gary Wing nail it.

I loved landing the plane. 😁 However, with the spoilers in a glider, we had excellent and immediate control of the glide path.

Excellent presentation. Thanks

Would’ve looked slicker on the first approach if you’d been on centreline on finals rather than just late at the end of the approach. Also try and maintain centreline after landing. Good luck!

Happy to find this channel thanks!

Very helpful. Thanks a lot.

I thought that was real, wow, great advice, thank you.

Wow Excellent video on landing. Thanks for this information.

Great video, thanks!!

I ended up landing my planes just about this way. I hold it just off the runway, continuing to pull the nose up to keep it there. I feel like I’m imitating a bird as I reach forward with my gear to set it down. I think I’m only like a foot above the runway as I glide off the speed to touchdown. Be the bird😉.

Flaring on landing has been the most difficult thing for me as a beginner, will try to apply these tips and see how it goes.

Best feeling in the world when you land a plane!

As someone who is in a plane with no idea how to land it, this video came is clutch 👍 😄

Prachtig en duidelijk uitgelegd

My learning was il2 Sturmovik with ww2 prop planes. Those can take the punishment. I could get super fast, zigg zagg a bit to slow dawn fast push the plane down, pull up a bit not to crash land and then stall at few centimentres away from the runaway.

Great, concise tutorial! Thank you! :) (Y)

I’m alone in a airplane and my CFY just passed out. This video helped a lot! I have a bit of confidence now! A lot of people are yelling over the radio but they probably are yelling at the helicopter below me. We will see how this goes! 😜

Very helpful, thank you.

sounds like a good way to have a low altitude stall. good exercise at 3500 feet alright- above ground level, not sea level, unless the aitport is close to sea level!

Excellent video thank you

That was beautiful man

Never thought I would need this

Currently in my Cessna 152, hopefully this video helps me land it!

Well done. Thanks.

Love that video and your explanation 😅😅😅❤❤❤❤❤

One thing I learned from auto-racing is to look at where you're headed, not where you are - meaning, don't look right in front of you, but look into the distance at your real target. You look at the end of the runway and let your peripheral vision take care of the close-in mental data input. Let that computer between your ears work for you.

Hello! This video of yours is very interesting, I've been training these lessons of yours, but it's difficult to get a good calibration, X-Plane11 flight, Cessna 172, with an X52 Pro, would you have any tips for a good Joystick calibration? Thanks!

Outstanding video.

Try using your gps ETA for center field arrival. Take your altitude above air field. Use quick mental calculation altitude divided by 500 ft/min decent rate. Discover at how many minutes out. reduced power for a 500ft/min decent. Keep the airspeed required for the cargo-passengers on board. But usually 80mph is good. Add about one minute to your calculated decent initiation, since you're not landing center field, right?

Been a private now since 1994. Love it!!!

During WW II my father wanted to become a pilot. He was an excellent flyer except for one thing - he couldn't land the plane. He had a problem with depth perception that he didn't tell the army about. The army even brought in a specialist to try to teach him but he couldn't. So he had to give up flying.

Very interesting video. Thanks

Awesome lecture.

Kudos. Absolutely the best RU-vid video lesson on landing I’ve ever watched. I wish my flight instructor would have done this.

Great video I’m gonna go try it👍 surprised I got service up here wish me luck

Absolutely incredible that passenger landed this plane

My instructor said I was ready for my first attempted landing tomorrow and I’m lucky enough to capture it on my go pro. I’m both excited and a little nervous, not because I think anything bad is going to happen I just really want it to go well. It would be really nice to be able to say I buttered my first landing

We practiced emergency landings by trimming the tops of corn plants at the Jester Unit Prison Farm, Sugar Land, Texas.

Great Video. I like the way you explain landings in such a relaxed manner. Are you a CFI?

Excellent.

What airspeed is recommended for the base too final turn. (in a 172) I always had trouble with landing when I moved to a cherokee 6 until I got the airspeed at exactly 70kns over the numbers.

Thanks!

Awesome video 👍

For the PPL or otherwise for cessna all instructors are teaching to put down as much flaps for approach and touch down to slow down the aircraft. But I don't know when teaching for a CPL. But in few indian videos I have heard that DGCA is strictly advised for only upto flaps four. If then how are the instructors training the student pilots for CPL on flaps while approach and touch down?

Nic video, man. One of the better flying, or in this case landing tutorials I've vern seen on YT. About the only thing I'd add, based on my fifteen years of flying and nearly thirty years of flight simming, is to understand how the landing characteristics of a light plane like the C-172 (approach weight and indicated speed, power, propellor pitch and mixture settings, flap setting) changes the exact approach speed you need to attain and control for the load and flap setting and power setting chosen. Above all, airspeed awareness and control around all three axes is paramount on approach and landing. By the way, landing your way is the easiest way to land a plane. Try doing it at night in limited visibility in a strong and gusty crosswind that is at or very near the aircraft's demonstated crosswind component onto a slippery or snow covered runway. Few things get your attention in flying more starkly than having either the rudder or the ailerons fully deflected in order to mainain control of the airplane right down to douchdown and beyond. The flight isn't over until the plane is shut down, the plane locked, the aircaft tied down or hangared and the paperwork and log entry completed. If anyone want to go anywhere in MS Flight Simulator 2020, anything from from short hops to treks half the way around the earth in transport category aircraft, they'll have to learn how to navigate. Naviating is flying specific tracks above the grout acertain altitudes and speeds depending on which category of airspace one is flying within. This includes radio navigation, using GPS to "go direct" and the most basic form of navigation: ded reckoning, aka flying from A to B using a map, compass and stopwatch. The way the aviation pioneers learne how to do in the old days, before moing maps and stopwatches changed to flat panel multi-feature displays and synthetic vision. Landings are are full stall sin ground effect, with the timing of the flare employed to arrest the aircraft's descent at two to four feet above the runway. Then holding tha altitude and attidue as rhe aircraft sinds to the runway, nose up. landings are sometimes the most challengng aspedct of flying. But they are but one part of what it takes, in the real world to earn the title "private pilot" or highe ratings on your license.

Superb....!!

Could you possibly circle or point to which guage(s) that are critical at each mark-point of landing process? Thank you.

30 years ago I was a passenger in the copilot seat on a 172 landing near Marianna FLA . At 50 yards short of the runway edge the stall alarm goes off and we touchdown on the grass and roll onto the tarmac. The pilot noticed I had a panicked look on my face he said “ I guess I should have told you we were going to land short I did that to save wear on the tires”

Little tip when instructor says “aim for the number” does not mean you gonna land on the number. You can use much runway as possible for the smooth landing if you feel like you got too much speed, number is just good aiming point to get ground effect. All my PPL I thought instructor was made me land on the number because he didn’t clarify that.

Turn the pinwheel off and glide into the asphalt nose first, ease the yoke back a tich and hit the binders when you make contact with Mother Earth

__ Haven't flown an airplane since 1976 (floatplanes, Canada). Didn't know this was a sim till the end of the video. I just thought it was a town that liked to have buildings near an airport. It's like the whole of VFR can live inside IFR now. Strange new world.

this is similar to the best landing advice i ever got almost using those exact same words... try your best to not land the plane... eventually gravity will take you down to the runway... well said..!

I have crashed so many 172s and 182s trying to get the "perfect" landing that I'm now an expert in aircraft accident reports. I know so many shortcuts through those long and tedious paperwork that I can now do them in 15 minutes even in a fatality (not my own, duh!). I think they make the reports so tedious so that if you fill one out it may be a deterrent to flying and you give up. One time I landed the plane upside down to see if I could and it caught on fire.