Designed for X Plane 11 – MSFS 2020 – Prepar3D
Learning how to land a Cessna 172 or any other aircraft is certainly quite a challenge. I am fortunate to have some real world flying experience having a Light Sport Aircraft license and flown Jabiru Aircraft. This guide will give you a perspective on the processes and the challenges of landing an aircraft in nice clear conditions. We will look at crosswinds in a future tutorial.
How to Land a Cessna 172 – The Basics.
Landing an aircraft in a flight simulator like X Plane 11 or MSFS 2020 for example is certainly quite realistic especially if your flying in virtual reality. This will bring the 3D vision you need as well as depth perception to make the rushing of the ground toward you more realistic. The one thing you don’t get landing in a flight simulator normally, is the anxiety flying toward the ground at speed. Again using VR will make this a lot lot more realistic.
How to Land a Cessna 172 – The Pattern.
Getting your landing correct starts with a great preparation. A circuit is where this preparation starts. IF your not sure how to enter the pattern from a cross country flight check out how you enter the pattern here. The pattern itself is where you slow to your circuit speed for the approach as well as configuring flaps and fuel systems plus managing your altitude and height correct as well distance from your touch down point.
Let’s look at the parts of the pattern and how they work together but more importantly the technique for flying the aircraft and its options.
AMSL – Above Mean Seal Level and AGL.
This height of your traffic pattern is 1000Ft above runway height. This may be listed as AMSL which is Above Mean Sea Level. If your airport is above or below sea level you have to make allowances for this altitude change even when slight. Your traffic patter is going to be a height Above Ground Level or AGL. This is the airport height above AMSL plus the pattern height of 1000ft. I am using both Circuit and Pattern height as people use both terms.
What is my Airport Traffic Pattern?
If your airport is like my home airport at YGAW which is 165ft AMSL then your airport is 165ft above the seal level. To fly at your airports pattern/circuit height you have to add 165Ft to 1000 Ft and you get 106f Ft as your pattern height.
The Pattern and Crosswind or Upwind Leg.
The pattern itself consists of four sections called Upwind/Crosswind – Downwind – Base – Final. Its important to fly these correctly and the formulae is in 500ft increments. Maintaining a sterile cockpit is the best practice during these crucial phases of flight. Talking to passengers should be avoided and you should ask them not to talk to you. Concentrate on the task at hand! Speed as well as attitude and power management and being ready for any emergency.
From a take off you initially climb 500Ft on the runway heading before turning left onto crosswind/upwind leg. On the upwind leg you climb a further 500Ft to take you to 1000ft AGL Above Ground Level).
The climb out to crosswind legs are the most dangerous times as engine failures often cause crashes with pilots not recognizing the condition quickly enough. On occasion they can get distracted then lose control and stall the aircraft. This most often ends in a spin as well causing a crash and fatality.
Turning Downwind we align ourselves with the runway at the correct height and speed. In a propeller aircraft like the Cessna 172 about 90 knots is a good speed initially. Ensuring your distance to the runway is correct you need to reference the wing strut and the runway. Normally the runway will be about halfway down the wing strut and this will give you the correct distance from it.
(Please note patterns are most often flown in a left hand direction but where this may take you close to terrain or a built up area the direction can be changed to a right hand circuit. )
How to Land a Cessna 172 – Downwind Leg.
Turning downwind and preparing your aircraft in this phase is crucial when learning how to land a Cessna 172. Ensuring you are at the correct height firstly is important. You should be stable and at 1000ft AGL and have yourself spaced with the runway halfway down the strut. Ensuring your at the correct speed.
A guide for the Cessna 172 is the runway is parallel to you and about halfway down the wing strut. Ensuring your at the correct speed and ready to configure the aircraft. 90 knots is a good speed to fly down the downwind leg I would suggest in your flight simulator. Slowing to 85 knots nearing the end of the downwind to allow you to be in the white zone and extend 10 deg of flap.
Generally you will slow the aircraft so it is in the white zone on the air speed indicator and deploy 1st stage of flaps as you pass the numbers at the far end of the runway.
How to land a Cessna 172 – Base Leg.
So landing your Cessna 172 in the base leg entails your speed and attitude control maintaining 85 knots as you turn from downwind to base and descend 500Ft to then turn final.
Anticipating your turn to final is also very important as turning late then trying to get back on centerline can also cause pilots to over control and send the aircraft into a Yaw induced spin and this is normally fatal.
Gentle control and power adjustments are what’s required here. Start your tuen to final as your about to reach the extended centerline and line up and trim for landing. You should have about 500ft to go and about a 3 degree decent path.
Learn to land a Cessna 172 – Final.
You should see a sight picture similar to above with the VARSI lights showing 2 red and 2 white to be on glide slope. You should remember this attitude as not all small airports and airstrips have these VARSI lights to help you.
Slowing your aircraft to about 65-70 knots as you descend you can add more flap as desired, 20deg to 30deg once you confident you will make the runway. As you cross the threshold you need to reduce power to idle and move your focus from the black area on the runway you were focused on as your landing point. If you do not move your sight picture to the horizon in front of you it is most common you will fly INTO the runway!
How to Land a Cessna 172 – The landing sight Picture.
You need to maintain the sight picture with the glare shield being up near the horizon. Here you will continue to fly just above the ground until the aircraft can no longer fly. The stall warning will likely be screaming in your ear. Ignore it and keep flying till the aircraft stops. Apply brakes and get stopped. You’ve made it congratulations!
Control Theories – How to Land a Cessna 172.
There two perspectives are hotly contested by pilots and instructors on how you control the aircraft. I will explain the two concepts below and you can try them to see if one of the other suits your style of flying.
In the video below I have included I got plenty of opinions on these.
The two variations are on how you control the Cessna 172 aircraft speed and its decent rate. This applies from a decent from altitude to the circuit and landing.
Your Choice!
The Two Scenarios :
Concept 1
The first technique for controlling your Cessna 172 Is to use attitude control your speed and engine power controls decent rate & the second perspective on this technique is to have your aircraft attitude control decent rate and engine power to control your speed.
In scenario 1, you adjust your speed and power to get your say 80 knots in a downwind for example. All is in balance with you holding 1000 ft above the runway, and power set at 80 knots for example. If you need to climb you add some power and to descend you simply remove power. You don’t change your pitch just engine power!
Descending to land removing power only can set up your 4-500 ft per minute descent rate without adjusting anything else. You can turn to base leg by making a gentle turn and add power to maintain the descent rate as the turn will add some drag. Once established in the base leg you will be able to reduce power to maintain the required decent rate again.
Landing Using Concept 1:
Attitude for Speed – Power for Decent Rate Option #1
In Scenario 1 when learning how to land a Cessna 172 at an airport or just in general descents or climbs. It is just a mindset and you can adopt either version but stick to one.
In flying at a specific speed you can set the attitude of the aircraft to hold the aircraft at a given altitude when power is set. You want to remain at 1500ft AMSL you simply set the power the aircraft will settle to its cruse speed of say 90 knots. It will settle to an particular AOA or angle of attack and you can trim to maintain that altitude.
Mot so hard so far, Yes?
Power for Speed and Attitude for Decent rate Option #2
This scenario is simply the opposite of the above choice. If your at your 1000ft above runway height you adjust your power to remain at altitude and trim the Cessna 172.
When its time to turn base to land you adjust the nose attitude down slightly to get your decent rate on the VSI and reduce power to ensure speed is controlled. If your speed increases reduce power more and if your decent rate is to slow you adjust the attitude a little more.
To maintain the decent rate add or reduce power as you need to maintain speed. Once over the threshold reduce power and raise the nose a little to flare. Hold the nose up attitude till you hear the stall horn and the aircraft touches down. Brake and stop.
Learning to Fly a Cessna 172 – Full Approach .
Descend to the Airport
Power for Descent & Attitude for Altitude.
So your set in your 110 knots at 2500ft and you decide to descend to 1000ft to join the circuit. You can maintain your attitude and speed without compromising your speed and arrival time. You simply reduce the power by a few hundred RPM to descend.
Generally with a lot of aircraft the decent rate is about 100Ft per minute per 100 RPM of reduction. If you have a gentle decent you can reduce the RPM by a few hundred RPM without compromising speed and changing the attitude of the aircraft.
Approach & Landing.
As you enter the pattern area you can now reduce power some more. Your speed will decay slowly and as it reduces to the required 80 knots for flap extension you and adjust your attitude and trim again. Now add power to remain at the 1000Ft AMSL attitude for the pattern. Your attitude remains fixed and power holds your 1000ft requirement.
Adding flaps will change the aircraft attitude more nose down and increase drag. Adding power and trimming for the new attitude is now done. A little power and trim maintains the attitude.
Downwind to Base Leg – Power Controls Descent Rate.
Landing a Cessna 172 requires minimal input in calm weather. From your 80knotdownwinfd leg you simply reduce power to increase your decent rate and make a turn onto base leg. This should be controlled by power and make a 500ft decent rate.
As you approach 500ft above runway height turn final and maintain the decent rate. If the decent rate increases add power to counteract this. There will be some additional drag as you make the turn.
Final to Landing.
Tuning on to final as you land your Cessna 172 you adjust power only for your decent rate. If its increasing then add a little power. Honestly there is always enough power in this phase of flight. Make sure your maintaining your speed but if its set up before you turn from downwind little work is normally required to maintain this.
You will want to reduce your speed as you approach a little to say 65 knots so add a little back pressure and trim once the speed is achieved. You will likely need to add some power here as well.
Threshold and Touchdown.
Arriving at the threshold you can add power to reduce the decent rate to minimal. As you gently approach the runway you can now flare the aircraft by raising the nose and reducing power to IDLE. Hold the aircraft just off the ground till it decides to stop flying.
The stall warning horn will be sounding if your slow enough maybe just for a moment before you touch down. Your nose would be at the horizon height and the main wheels will touch down gently before the nose wheel on a Tri gear aircraft like the Cessna 172 touches down.
Touchdown and Rollout!
Apply brakes firmly and keep your eyes outside the aircraft steering with the rudders and nose wheel steering. Once you have slowed down you can then worry about things like pulling up the flaps and taxying in to park.
Author.
Brendon McAliece is a multi lingual-expat who brings over three decades of flight simulator/PC building experience as well as over two decades of real world jet fighter experience as a weapons/egress technician. He holds a sport pilot certificate giving him real world flying experience. Hi travels have taken him from Europe to the Middle East, Asia and his home of Australia. He has a passion for travel, languages, flight simulation as well as guitaring and coffee. You can read more in his blogs below.
Learn more @
DreamingGuitar.com – DreamingCoffee.com – LetsFlyVFR.com
As an Amazon affiliate I may earn on qualifying sales.
