Variations in soft field landings

Maxwell wrote:
What is the general consensus of the group? Flaps up or down, after
touchdown on a soft field landing?

Flaps down! Unless it's a short, soft field, in which case you should
reconsider using it at all.

I was taught to go flaps-up on a short field for that reason, to
increase braking power. However, you have to consider the speed of
retraction available: it's a lot easier to do quickly in say a
Johnson-barred example than it is with a fully electric set (or hydraulics).

Plus, you have to consider your dedication to the landing (ie, will this
bounce and need a go-round), as well as your cockpit load. Nothing is
worse than coming down, slapping what you think is the right lever,
hitting a bounce, and coming in gear up (which lever *did* you hit? ).
It may be a better idea to sacrifice that tiny inkling of braking action
to ensure that you can make positive reinforcement of the controls.

TheSmokingGnu

Short, soft fields are really pretty easy to get into; they're a bitch to
get out of though

--
Jim Carter
Rogers, Arkansas

"TheSmokingGnu" wrote in message
...

Flaps down! Unless it's a short, soft field, in which case you should
reconsider using it at all.


TheSmokingGnu

Jim Carter wrote:
Short, soft fields are really pretty easy to get into; they're a bitch to
get out of though


Yes, you generally have to wait until the field is no longer soft ... or
truck out the airplane. :-)

Matt