brandonsavage
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2012
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When I did my primary training, I flew a Cessna 172. Since the flight school went out of business shortly after I earned my certificate, I moved to purchase my own aircraft, which is a Piper Cherokee 235.
Unlike the C172, the Cherokee 235 has a much heavier engine, and a much less effective elevator. The 172 could be balanced on the mains with full elevator and a little bit of power, while full power and full elevator won't raise the nosewheel of my 235 off the ground all that much.
I was taught in the 172 that a proper, correct landing was two main wheels on the ground, and a lowering of the nose wheel shortly thereafter. In my Cherokee, though, the heavier engine means that often after the two mains have landed, the nose wheel comes down of its own obligations to gravity, rather than by my specific inputs.
What I'm looking for is guidance on proper landing technique for this aircraft. Is it normal for the nose wheel to sucumb to the heavier engine and touch the ground on its own, or am I landing the plane incorrectly? Note that I'm *not* talking about bounced landings, flat landings, or nose-first landings; these are solid mains-first near-full-stall landings.
Unlike the C172, the Cherokee 235 has a much heavier engine, and a much less effective elevator. The 172 could be balanced on the mains with full elevator and a little bit of power, while full power and full elevator won't raise the nosewheel of my 235 off the ground all that much.
I was taught in the 172 that a proper, correct landing was two main wheels on the ground, and a lowering of the nose wheel shortly thereafter. In my Cherokee, though, the heavier engine means that often after the two mains have landed, the nose wheel comes down of its own obligations to gravity, rather than by my specific inputs.
What I'm looking for is guidance on proper landing technique for this aircraft. Is it normal for the nose wheel to sucumb to the heavier engine and touch the ground on its own, or am I landing the plane incorrectly? Note that I'm *not* talking about bounced landings, flat landings, or nose-first landings; these are solid mains-first near-full-stall landings.
