Don't Bounce On Porpoise!

Inappropriate bounced landing responses can lead to spectacular (and pricey) landings! You must avoid stalling and avoid a porpoise. (No, Flipper is not on the runway!)

First, if you bounce EXCESSIVELY or you’re just not comfortable, execute an immediate go-around. Good pilot judgement is required when deciding whether or not to continue landing after bouncing.

Porpoising can occur if you continue the landing and you relax back pressure after bouncing. The immediate loss of lift will rapidly plummet you toward the runway. You then counter with back pressure but too late! You contact the runway and your back pressure launches you back into the air. Once again, you push the yoke forward - yank back - hit the runway -bounce and repeat this out-of-synch process several times until the prop and nose gear dig in. (In tricycle gear aircraft, of course.) It would look as if you were pumping the yoke back and forth.

To avoid porpoising, you should recover from your “gentle” bounce or skip by HOLDING THE REASONABLE PITCH ATTITUDE YOU HAVE. Pitch should be relatively flattish indicating you have excess airspeed with which to work. (Otherwise, go around.) Don’t relax the back pressure. The aircraft goes up a short distance then descends back toward the surface. You then simply initiate a second flare on the way back down, always ensuring the pitch attitude never gets exceedingly high If you get a bit high and have sufficient runway length, add enough power to maintain a safe pitch attitude and fly the plane back to the runway, but don’t let the aircraft climb when you add the power. Then reduce power just above touchdown as you flare the second time.

The important thing is avoiding the natural tendency to push the nose down if you bounce gently. Hold the pitch you have and flare again on the way back down or go around with an excessive bounce. A picture is worth a thousand words. Or the cost of a new nosewheel! To graphically see the dreaded porpoise, please watch “Piper Warrior Crash Landing at Bethlehem” on YouTube. Then DON’T DO THAT!! Happy and Safe Flying, Folks!!