Wierd feeling Apache/Aztec landing.

[newmei]

Hey guys,

I'm kinda new to the apache, heres the question. During landing right as I think I'm about to touch down I always feel this buffet wierd thumping then I feel the mains touch.....Its just kinda wierd, its sort of similar to the feeling you get while landing in a commercial airliner. Now, I know the apaches gear legs are fairly far behind me, (in comparison to other a/c I've flown) but what I think it is (because its a smooth touch down) that the main tires are spinning up (the thump/buffet) and the rest of the feeling of touching down is the shocks actually compressing as they get more weight put on them. This feeling is'nt bad, and like I said the landings are really smooth, but its just something I've never encountered in other a/c, any Apache/Aztec drivers that could address this one!??

 

[kabz]

Sounds like you are doing a great job. I've flown the seminole and senca and neither one seems to land near as smooth as a travel air ...

 

[TurboS7]

Your getting a stall buffet across the stabilater, release the back pressure once the mains touch if you want to get rid of it.

 

[B-J-J Fighter]

I know Turbo has a bunch of Aztruck time and so do I. One of my 1st jobs besides CFIing was flying around a lawyer in an Aztruck and I have no idea what your talking about. I flew an E model. Maybe the Apache is different.

 

[WrightAvia]

I don't have an MEI, but I have a ton of time in aztecs as a 135 pilot. If you want to schedule an appointment to recieve some training in how to land one, my fees are 300 a day plus expenses.

 

[Flechas]

that's the stall buffet you are feeling, try to bring the aiplane all the way untill the flare at 95-90 MPH and try no t to flare high, then you'll have a very smooth touch down.

good luck!

 

[newmei]

I think turbo is right on its stabilizer buffet, its not really that evident, and the landings are smooth I guess I just need to fly it a little farther to the ground then flare and come off of the power. The guy that checked me out was having me pull the power to idle at like 200 feet, (I never landed twins like that, the PA-23 should be no different) that I thought was just really a bad idea. I tried my way which was to progressively pull the power back to idle in the flare and that seems to work a little better but then I noticed the buffet, so I wait a little longer on the flare and power.

Thanks

 

[Timebuilder]

I've flown the seminole and senca and neither one seems to land near as smooth as a travel air

Right on. The seneca can be rather brick-like, although not as much as a Cherokee 140.

When landing a twin, I like to keep the power off of the idle detent well into the flare, and then smoothly pull back to idle for a gentle touchdown. I find this keeps the props from developing "flat plate drag" and causing a rapid loss of airspeed before touchdown.

Ditto on the stabilator stall buffet. I didn't have a problem with it when I used the "off idle" tecnique.

 

[newmei]

I have to agree with you on the seminole (not sure how much different the seneca is to fly though) The seminole is a well engineered bird but it is like brick to land, hard to get a smooth one in (like the arrow same deal). The duchess is basically the same bird but it has that trailing link gear which makes landings a little better. I have like five hours in the apache and like 60 in the seminole and I'm having a easier time landing the apache smoothly. If you ask me just personal opinon the seminole or duchess have not business with a T tail, just not enough air going over it on takeoff to smoothly rotate.

 

[Caveman]

Excellent! A pleasant conversation about actually flying and it didn't turn into a DAL/CMR/RJDC/RELIGION/POLITICS shouting match.

I don't have any time in Aztecs but I have a bunch in Seminoles and Senecas. Because of the instant drag caused by going to idle in light twins I always prefered carrying just a touch of power until in ground effect. Seemed to work well enough.

 

[Typhoon1244]

Excellent! A pleasant conversation about actually flying and it didn't turn into a DAL/CMR/RJDC/RELIGION/POLITICS shouting match.

I thought the little thumping he was talking about was God's way of telling you you're about to make a greaser...

 

[newmei]

I agree with you caveman, this board is great when we are all talking about aviation. Lately though it seems, to shift to religion, politics, etc. Its unfortunate. However the other nameless board is much worse about this especially with the name calling and just unneccasary posts.

 

[TurboS7]

There you guys go changing an aviation thread to another topic..................