> "80 mph in the pattern, > 70 mph on final, 60 mph at flair"
I'd agree to that as a starter - only if you hold it off the runway, level, a yard or so high, until the remaining speed bleeds off and you touch down at the slowest speed possible. Fred Weick was insistent that the touchdown should be made at minimum speed. I found it to be nicest when I could stay level at a yard high till I ran out of up elevator and it settled gently to the ground. Advanced pilots can improve on the touchdown (with long enough runways) by adding about 200-300 rpm above idle speed just as you flare, holding the plane at that yard or two high with the nose held up medium so it looks like it touches the far end runway lights. The 200 rpm and ground effect combine to gentle the sink rate. You hold it till you run out of up elevator and then, when it settles down, you about always get the perfect squeak-squeak and a touchdown you can barely feel. Ed Ed Burkhead http://edburkhead.com/Ercoupe/index.htm East Peoria, Illinois ed -at- edburk???head.??com (remove the ? marks and change -at- to @)
