Are you struggling towards first solo? Part 1 of 3. This may be why…

The Jacobson Flare App highlights several critical issues with conventional flight training practices, particularly concerning landing techniques.  These practices, widely accepted since 1918, have led to inconsistent and poor-quality landings; these primarily due to flawed methodologies and non-standardised training approaches.

Airspeed and Flight path control

One of the primary issues discussed is the reliance on elevators to control airspeed. This is only valid when power or thrust is fixed or entirely lost.  This method becomes ineffective for heavier and faster airplanes; often resulting in a roller coaster flight path, unstable approaches, and passenger discomfort.  Such instability greatly contributes to inconsistent landings, as pilots struggle to maintain a steady approach path angle and threshold crossing height.

Inconsistent training

Furthermore, the Jacobson Flare App critiques the inconsistency in training methods. Instructors may teach different techniques for visual and instrument approaches; despite the control requirements being the same for both.  This lack of standardisation confuses students and undermines their ability to execute proper landings.

Inconsistent Flare Initiation Height

The Jacobson Flare App also addresses the challenges pilots face during the flare phase of landing.  Conventionally, pilots rely on subjective judgment, perception, experimentation and experience to determine the flare height; which is invisible to the pilot.  This reliance on personal judgment leads to variability in landing quality, as these skills develop differently for each pilot and are influenced by external factors such as aircraft type and environmental conditions.  The inconsistency in flare height judgment results in unpredictable threshold crossing heights and haphazard landing outcomes.

Transitioning Elevator use 

Another critical issue is the transition in control philosophy during the flare phase.  Pilots trained to use elevators to control airspeed must suddenly then switch to the normal and necessary use of elevators to control the flight path angle during the flare.  This abrupt transition is illogical and adds unnecessary complexity during a critical phase of flight.

Historically Overlooked: the Twenty-fold Mathematical Error

Additionally, the standard approach angle of 3 degrees exacerbates vertical errors in height judgment, magnifying them twenty-fold along the runway.  This compounding effect further contributes to inconsistent touchdown positions and landing quality.

Common Errors

The Jacobson Flare App also highlights common errors made by student and licensed pilots who have been taught the conventional method. Pilots who are high and fast on final approach often pitch up, worsening the situation; while those who are low and slow pitch down, which is counterproductive, to say the least!  These responses stem from the misguided priority of controlling airspeed with elevators on a normal, powered approach, leading to compounded problems during landing.

Conventional Wisdom

The overarching critique of conventional practices is their failure to provide a standardised, logical, and adaptable approach to landing training.  The Jacobson Flare App argues that it is illogical to teach different techniques for visual flight rules (VFR) and instrument flight rules (IFR) students, as the airplane itself does not differentiate between these modes of operation.  Instead, the focus should be on the distinction between powered and glide approaches, which is the true determinant of control requirements.

Even official flight instructor manuals state that, “Many students have difficulty in mastering the approach and landing. This is a matter of judgement and there is no simple way of teaching judgement to those to whom it does not come easily.” In other words, it’s all based on guesswork and you’re on your own.

In Conclusion

The Jacobson Flare App emphasises the need for a simple alternative to the flawed conventional practices.  By addressing the inconsistencies in training methods, eliminating reliance on subjective judgment during the flare phase, and adopting a logical and standardised approach to flight path control, pilots can achieve more consistent and predictable landings.

This shift in training philosophy is essential for improving the quality and safety of landings across all types of aircraft and flight conditions.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of 2, coming shortly: ‘Are you frustrated, struggling towards first solo You needn’t be – there is a solution.’

Wishing you many safe landings

 

Captain David M Jacobson FRAeS MAP

 

Would you care to experience that unsurpassed sense of accomplishment, derived from executing consistently beautiful landings, more often?

For starters, Download the FREE Jacobson Flare LITE pdf , our no fuss/no frills introduction. Here we demonstrate, step by step, the application of the Jacobson Flare on a typical grass airstrip at Porepunkah, YPOK.

 

We invite you to browse the consistently positive comments on our Testimonials page. Many pilots, of all levels of experience, have downloaded our Apps. Read about their own experiences with the Jacobson Flare technique and the App.

Then download the complete Jacobson Flare ESSENTIAL App – for iOS. You’re already possibly paying $300+/hour to hire an aeroplane: You’ll recover the cost of the app, in just ONE LESS-NEEDED CIRCUIT. Moreover, you’ll have an invaluable reference tool, throughout your entire life in aviation.

 

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offering a convenient way of staying abreast of our latest blogs.

 

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