[pjl953]

With my skills test coming up on Saturday, this week has meant a couple of lessons practicing for it. One of the aspects was of course the PFL. Mine mostly went ok, a couple were too high, but it brought a query into my mind.

There is never the perfect field (based on the 5 S's I have been taught on field selection - shape, size, surroundings, surface and slope), so some form of compromise has to be made. But which of these factors should be prioritised? Personally the one I (comparatively) care about the least is shape, as long as it is big enough in the into wind direction I'm not bothered where the other sides of it are, as long as it isn't ridiculous - but what does everyone else prioritise (my instructor is most keen on surface and shape), and is there an 'accepted' order, or is it always just preference.

Peter

[Cessna57]

I went through a phase of concentrating so hard on choosing one that I spent all my time choosing a field rather than working out what to do.
To cure this my instructor started pulling PFLs and EFATO's on me all over the place.

Including PFL's on the climb out from a PFL !

I ended up just looking for any reasonably big space without trees or wires.

I've never done a real FL, so I can't really recommend if my method works, but for me it's wires and trees that worry me most.

I learnt the 5 S', but I think it's just intuitive. I trained on grass, I think that helps, you naturally know what a reasonable bit of green looks like after a while.

Slight Drift

Early PFL, looking for a field and there is an absolutely perfect one, it's like an into wind runway.

One problem, a big combine harvester and hay bales on it.

"There" I say

"where ???"

"There, the one with the harvester and hay, right there"

"You sure ???"

"Yeah, look at it, it's perfect"

"Erm... What about the harvester and all those hay bales"

"Oh they're fine, don't worry about them, not dangerous at all, I mean, we're not actually going to land are we?!"



Where's the smiley for an instructor slapping his forehead !

[leiafee]

After size I suppose I probably am most concened about surroundings - cables get everywhere and if there's almost as suitable fields near or next to the one you want it allows a little more leeway if something goes wrong late in the approach.

[MercianMarcus]

As you say, shape is irrelevant in of itself. But I think it is in the list, and high on the list, to force you to consider the non-obvious options. A square field may be too short or have poor approaches unless you land on the diagonal.

Like leiafee I'd also prioritise surround. A bowling green surface is bugger all use if you can't get to it because there are trees or pylons on the approach.

MM

[ChrisRowland]

Remember that a square field is 40% longer on the diagonal. OTOH not many fields are square.

One thing I'd stress is not to change your mind late. A good landing in a bad field is probably more likely to end well than a bad approach into a better field - if it really is better why didn't you choose it in the first place?

A low approach is worth a lot, it's difficult to judge how much distance into the field needing a high approach will add.

[Genghis the Engineer]

I like practicing PFLs, being in good practice has served me well a few times. I practice one most months, and have no plans to change that habit.

Five Ss, frankly I don't think about them overtly. Most of it for me is about the whole picture, not breaking it down using any artificial mnemonic.


My approach to life....

(1) Oh ****, engine's misbehaving.

(2) Point somewhere sensible, aggressively trim around best glide.

(3) Height available? Take the time to sweep across the cockpit and see if I can solve the problem.

(4) Fully failed, or partial? Full - okay, we're going in a field. Partial - can I maintain level flight? If not, still going in a field, just more choices. If in level flight, limp to the nearest runway, from field to field so I always have the ability to land.

[Have I time to make a radio call? If I do, make one. If I don't, don't worry about it. Aviate, Navigate, Communicate, etc.]

(5) Look for best fields - ideally pick one in the middle of a cluster of useable fields. How do I define useable? Long enough axis, into-windish,and/or uphillish, reachable at current rate of descent, no unavoidable obstructions. After that, next priority is surface - no tall crops, doesn't appear ploughed, waterlogged, overly soft. Don't lose sleep about the surface if you have no choice, just get on with it. If the field is right in front of you, unless you are very low TURN! Unless you are turning, you have very little touchdown point adjustment. especially in something relatively slippery like a PA28 DO NOT TRY TO FLY A LONG STRAIGHT AHEAD APPROACH IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER CHOICES.

(6) Use curving flightpath to adjust for touchdown point. KEEP REVIEWING THE CONDITIONS AND OPTIONS. If you aren't going to make the field, you must be prepared to switch to another nearby (hence picking a cluster), and adjust your turns to make it. Flaps are available on some types to reduce landing speed and increase rate of descent - use them IF you have capacity to do so.

(7) Of course, aim for a full stall landing. Of course, keep flying the aeroplane until every single bit has stopped moving.


I couldn't give a damn about turning fuel, battery switches, etc. off until all the bits have stopped moving. If it's an enclosed cockpit, and I have a passenger to do this for me, have them open canopy /door / whatever when close to the ground.

A lesson I learned the hard way last year. Once you are down, probably nobody can hear your RT.

I've to date landed an Auster in a ploughed field with an engine failure, a Stinson on a disused crosswind runway with an EFATO, a flexwing on a stubble field with an engine failure, a Thruster on a stubble field because I saw a glider down and thought he was in trouble, and a handful of flexwing precautionaries with power on a mixture of fields and beaches (and one golf course) - usually because of weather. So far, I've not put a scratch on any of these aeroplanes - so I'm happy with my technique, although I may be setting myself higher standards than a PPL examiner will set a student on their skill test: that's my personal choice, but also why I practice at least one PFL a month.

What I don't buy into, incidentally, is the ill-informed bullshit line I've heard from a number of instructors "once the engine stops, the aeroplane belongs to the insurance company". If I keep the aeroplane intact and the right way up, I'm most likely to protect the occupants as well. So aim to fly so as to achieve minimal, better still no, damage to the aircraft.


I've also had 5ish engine failures that turned out to be due to manoeuvres I'd flown and/or maladjusted engines. In all but one of those cases I restarted in the air, the last I was on final, so landed on a runway anyhow. A chap I'd instructed for his biennial last year, a month later had a blocked fuel filter in one of the wing tanks, which he correctly diagnosed by following the cockpit sweep drill I'd been beating into him not long before. If he'd gone straight into "engine's failed - pick a field" drill, he'd possibly have written the aircraft off, possibly killed himself off. As it is, the aeroplane was flying again 2 days later. So, where height is available THE COCKPIT SWEEP AND RESTART ATTEMPT MATTER.

G

[T67M]

Normally I hang on every word from GtE, but...

... especially in something relatively slippery like a PA28...

... had me hanging on for dear life lest I fell off my seat! Compared to most of the stuff I fly (Diamond, Slingsby), the PA28 is a veritable brick!

[Genghis the Engineer]

Well compared to anything Cesssna only fitted with a single engine, or most of the microlights I fly (and certainly the Auster!). In, say, a flexwing or a C150 with full flaps I can to a large extent dive off height and it won't build up all that much speed - therefore I can still pick my touchdown point quite accurately.

You are of course absolutely right, everything's relative - your T67 is much more slippery than a PA28, making that statement even more true. But both will be very unforgiving of diving off speed, even with full flap - the speed will build up, and you will float forever.

Try it in a motorglider, and your T67 will feel like a barn door ! Also diving off height only works in a limited number of types, whilst turning to correct touchdown point works in absolutely anything.

G

[ChrisRowland]

Do people side slip to get rid of excess energy?

[mick w]

Do people side slip to get rid of excess energy?

Every landing

[Genghis the Engineer]

Do people side slip to get rid of excess energy?

Yes. But it's second choice after good speed and flightpath control.

G

[David Wood]

To my mind the least important factor is the shape (provided that the into-wind element is long enough) and the factors that most pilots have difficulty judging from height is the Slope and the Surface of the available fields.

Of these two I personally regard the Surface as one of the most important to get right. Many times I have seen students carry out a PFL approach into fields that are freshly ploughed (if autumn), deeply cropped (if summer) or waterlogged (in winter). Often these fields appear superficially attractive from height if the visual clues are missed. Many light singles (especially tail-draggers) will turn over onto their back if landed into this sort of field or at the very least will suffer significant damage to their undercarriage. And in any event they will almost certainly have to be low-loaded out. So, whilst I fully accept that the priority after an engine-failure is the preservation of life and that most of these accidents can be walked away from, if there are more suitable fields available (ie ones, all other factors acceptable, with more suitable surfaces) then I take a slightly dim view of a pilot who elects to land in an unsuitable one.

[akg1486]

With my skills test coming up on Saturday, [...]

Congratulations! Good luck!

There is never the perfect field (based on the 5 S's I have been taught on field selection - shape, size, surroundings, surface and slope), so some form of compromise has to be made.

You'll be making this mental compromise for the rest of your flying life. If something happens, you shouldn't have to start with scanning the surroundings for suitable places but select one from a shortlist.

However, most pilots I have spoken to have the same experience as me when it comes to PFL during the check ride. That part of the test usually happens when there is a good choice (or more!) close by. Usually on the right-hand side of the aircraft.

So: a really good question and some really good answers here. But for the skills test, don't worry: there will PROB90 be a suitable field close by.

/Peter

[pjl953]

Thanks guys, with the skills test postponed to next Sunday due weather, I have more time to worry now! I think one thing I have been guilty of in the past is getting too hung up on choosing a field, and not just choosing one, once having trimmed for best glide, and then going through restart checks etc, so certainly that is something I will pay attention to.

[lobstaboy]

The best field is one that is near enough for you to make a good approach into it. Only then, if you've got a choice, worry about the 5s thing.