"Common Sense, are You Born With it it or Screwed Forever?"

[Rookie50]

Good thread ----- I just learned something I've been doing, (wrong) from someone here (without even flying together), and have identified an improvement that immediately makes my landings softer, shorter, more consistent.

Possibly taught right from primary training -- or instinctive from a fear of landing short -- or from doing too many shallow ILS approaches -- I formed a habit long ago that more often than not, on final approach had my touchdown point in my eye prematurely move down the runway, resulting in beginning the transition to flare too early. This results in a float while trying to bleed off energy in ground effect -- which in my plane it's just not happiest doing. Makes landings too much work.

At least in high wing Cessna product -- what works great is a steeper final approach, a touch less (or no power), and a touch less speed, while firmly keeping the nose pointed right at a fixed point like the grass in front of the threshold until 50 feet, round out and flare while adding a hair of power. Soft, slow, and short. The key identified is I'm ridding most of the excess energy before the flare and ground effect, so there's little left to create float or possible ballooning, as light Cessna singles love to do.

Maybe for piper or heavier twins, "flying it on" works best -- not my airplane it would seem.

Just a "common sense" refinement I indentified ... With a little help!