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LANDING
There are three types of landing: (1) A
3-point landing, (2) Tail-low landing (tail approx-
imately 1-2 feet above the ground when main
wheels touch) This is actually a wheel landing. (3)
Wheel landing (airplane is in a level attitude when
main wheels touch).
1. You can make a 3-point landing in
a C-47 BUT this type of landing is NOT AD-
VISED. Reason: Weight of the airplane causes
undue stress on the airframe and gear.
2. Normally, make a tail-low landing.
You can reduce manifold pressure to a minimum
during round-out in this type of landing and cut
the engines after making contact with the ground
- or you can cut power before round-out and
land without power. As speed is dissipated, the
tail lowers and contacts the ground by itself. You
can aid this by slight back-pressure on the control
column providing your roll speed is slow.
3. Although a tail-low landing is desir-
able under normal conditions, you can make
a wheel landing with the DC-3. In this type of
landing, hold roundout to a minimum and allow
the airplane to settle on the main wheels from a
level-flight position. Contact the ground approx-
imately 10 - 15 mph faster than with a tail-low
landing and hold the main wheels on the ground
with slight forward pressure of the control col-
umn. As speed decreases, neutralise pressure on
the control column or use gentle back pressure to
allow the tail to lower to the ground.
CROSSWIND LANDINGS
There are three possible ways to land
cross-wind: (1) Hold the airplane straight and
level toward the landing strip and drop one wing
into the wind, just enough to counteract drift.
(2) Head airplane into the wind enough to keep
straight (crabbing). (3) Combination of both.
The best method is the third: Head into
the wind and lower the upwind wing. This meth-
od keeps the bank and crab to a minimum and
makes it easier to straighten the airplane when
close to the ground. Crab just enough to avoid
slipping. Any unco-ordinated movement may
raise the stalling speed of the airplane.
In cross-wind landings, correct for drift as
soon as possible on the approach. If the airplane
is making a straight path to the landing strip, the
only correction needed on actual landing should
be the angle of crab.
Use flaps at your own discretion. Less
flaps should be used in stronger and more direct
cross-winds. In a strong 90 degree wind, or in
gusty cross-winds, it is best to use no flap at all.
As the airplane begins to round out for
landing, bring the low wing up and straighten the
airplane so there is no side load on the gear as it
touches the ground.
In a cross-wind, wheel landings are de-
sirable as direction is easier to maintain. You can
hold your airplane on the main wheels by slight
forward pressure on the controls.
Once on the ground, maintain directional
control by use of rudder, power on the upwind
engine and by use of brakes.
Remember, you have not finished flying
your airplane until you have come to a complete
stop, especially in a cross-wind.
CROSSWIND LANDINGS
Tactical operation of the C-47, especial-
ly in combat theatres, often requires you to make
short-field landings. Field conditions and ap-
proach clearances vary in different parts of the
world. Landing fields may be small where little
landing space remains.
Runways and fields may be rough mak-
ing fast wheel landings dangerous or they may be
ice-covered making brakes useless. The following
landing techniques, however, are designed to get
you down safely under all these conditions.
Technique
Set the base leg to establish a normal pow-
er approach. Set the glide to undershoot slightly.
This is the key to a good short-field landing.
Hold a normal approach speed from the
top of the approach to the start of the roundout.
Make the roundout in the shortest possible for-
ward distance.
Make corrections early on the approach,
if you are undershooting too much. Use power
to clear obstructions - don't depend on judge-
ment alone from high on the approach. Correct
by varying power and angle of glide to maintain a
constant airspeed.
Increase the power slowly and go into an
approach to slow flying as the airplane approach-
es a tail-low attitude. Keep the airplane in this at-
titude for as short a time as possible. You should
be slow flying, at an airspeed at or slightly above
power-off stalling speed, just before you touch
the ground. Reduce the power completely when
you contact the ground.
If you are making an actual short-field
landing, use the brakes as much as necessary. For
practice, however, let the airplane roll to a stop as
you would if the brakes were not functioning.
Tips
Don't undershoot and slow fly long dis-
tance to reach the field. This leaves you helpless
if an engine fails.
Don't' use excessive speed early in the ap-
proach. This prevents a low roundout before you
reach the field.
Don't drop below a safe airspeed early in
the approach.
Don't use excessive power in the last of
the roundout. This causes the airplane to balloon
and destroys the value of the procedure.
NO-FLAP LANDING
Make your approach to a non-flap landing
lower and with speed slightly higher than in an
ordinary approach. As you normally approach in
a tail-low attitude it is better to make a tail-low
landing than a wheel landing.
During the landing roll, pull your flaps up,
open the cowl flaps, turn off the booster pumps,
place elevator trim in neutral and put the propel-
lers in high rpm.
Rudder control is available for the major
part of the roll. Use your rudder rather than the
brakes to maintain direction. At the end of the
roll, apply brakes evenly.
PARKING
Parking brake.......ON
Cowl Flaps............ as desired
Mixtures................Idle Cut-off
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When you park your airplane, lock the
tailwheel, pull the parking brake ON and pull the
mixtures back to IDLE CUT-OFF to stop the en-
gines. Once the engines have stopped firing, push
the throttles all the way forward to the stops.
Fuel selectors.......OFF
Ignition ........ OFF
Radios.......... OFF
Battery Switch......OFF
Landing Gear Handle .....DOWN
Flap handle .....UP
(FOR THIS SIMULATION)
Security Switch .......ON
This will leave your airplane with
chocks set, battery boxes lowered
and extinguishers deployed.
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