landing bounce
#1
Used to be highman123
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 3,541
landing bounce
So I was flying SK today OSL-ARN 737-800. There was quite a bit of turbulence going under 1,000 feet.
The back wheels touched down but the plane bounced back a couple of feet only to touch down hard a couple of (felt) seconds later.
Is that normal wear&tear? Any damage that can come from it? Never had that before so strongly.
The back wheels touched down but the plane bounced back a couple of feet only to touch down hard a couple of (felt) seconds later.
Is that normal wear&tear? Any damage that can come from it? Never had that before so strongly.
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: south of WAS DC
Posts: 10,131
before the planes were flown by people instead of computers, pounding one in was not unusual. remember an LH dc10 that was pounded so hard all the tv sets in the aisles and all the overhead storage doors popped open. lots of passenger applause.
i sort of think the gear can take it, but it really eats tires.
i sort of think the gear can take it, but it really eats tires.
#3
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Rockin' the Bakken
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I don't think that is an accurate description of the current state of aviation. Only when the visibility is below a certain minimum is the autopilot used to do an auto-landing, and that's only in Europe. Most landings are still hand flown.
#4
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: STL
Programs: HHONORS, AA, Delta, Southwest, Avis, Emerald Club
Posts: 120
So I was flying SK today OSL-ARN 737-800. There was quite a bit of turbulence going under 1,000 feet.
The back wheels touched down but the plane bounced back a couple of feet only to touch down hard a couple of (felt) seconds later.
Is that normal wear&tear? Any damage that can come from it? Never had that before so strongly.
The back wheels touched down but the plane bounced back a couple of feet only to touch down hard a couple of (felt) seconds later.
Is that normal wear&tear? Any damage that can come from it? Never had that before so strongly.
They did mention that some planes are much easier to land consistently than others.
I've felt a few of those myself, usually only on particularly windy days.
#5
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Manchester, UK
Programs: Flying Blue Gold, Emirates SkyAwards Silver
Posts: 319
I've certainly been on a few flights where there has been an almighty bump on landing, I can understand it freaking people out.
Personally, i dont find that as distressing as coming into land then suddenly aborting and climbing rapidly again. This has only happened to me twice (weirdly enough within a few weeks of each other). To coin a good Scottish phrase.....'it gives me the heeby-jeebys'
Personally, i dont find that as distressing as coming into land then suddenly aborting and climbing rapidly again. This has only happened to me twice (weirdly enough within a few weeks of each other). To coin a good Scottish phrase.....'it gives me the heeby-jeebys'
Last edited by SheBangsTheDrums; Sep 12, 2012 at 10:40 am Reason: Edited for appalling spelling
#6
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: ARN
Programs: Miles&More, Hemkp kundkort
Posts: 275
I'm comfortable with a bit of a bump at landing. It's when the bounce is off just one wheel, the plane is tipping slightly to one side and you feel like the wing is about to hit the ground I get nervous.
#7
Join Date: Jan 2012
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Serious damage is unlikely, the landing gear on commercial airliners can handle some pretty solid downward G-forces. If it was a hard landing it was probably just grounds for an inspection.
#8
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: US CP, HH Gold
Posts: 85
I think you would be surprised at the types of forces commercial airliners are built to withstand.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ai2HmvAXcU0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ai2HmvAXcU0
#9
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 634
This is not uncommon when there's a strong gusty crosswind. It's normal to land on one wheel when there's a crosswind, so that the aircraft is banked slightly into the wind. The idea is that the lift generated by the wings pull the aircraft to one side at the same speed that the crosswind is blowing the aircraft the opposite direction. The result, when done correctly, is that the aircraft is both pointing directly down the runway and travelling directly down the runway at the moment of touchdown. This is perfectly normal, and pilots are trained to do this. However, if there's an unexpected gust of wind just as one wheel touches down, or the pilot is clumsy, you can get the one-wheel bounce you describe.
#10
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,098
Happens to me all the time...and on all aircraft too. There were some memborable ones..back in 83 on A DC 10 we came in so hard a tire blew. In 99 I was on an LH 747 that landed so hard the 02 masks fell out and a few bins opened...and we bounced. I would estimate that hard landings and bounces happen 1 of 3 flights for me, and I fly 2 times a week.
#11
Moderator: UK and Ireland & Europe
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I've had this in windy, steep LCY landings quite a few times, usually in 146 derivatives. The tyre merchants of East London must love the place.
#13
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: ARN
Programs: Miles&More, Hemkp kundkort
Posts: 275
This is not uncommon when there's a strong gusty crosswind. It's normal to land on one wheel when there's a crosswind, so that the aircraft is banked slightly into the wind. The idea is that the lift generated by the wings pull the aircraft to one side at the same speed that the crosswind is blowing the aircraft the opposite direction. The result, when done correctly, is that the aircraft is both pointing directly down the runway and travelling directly down the runway at the moment of touchdown. This is perfectly normal, and pilots are trained to do this. However, if there's an unexpected gust of wind just as one wheel touches down, or the pilot is clumsy, you can get the one-wheel bounce you describe.
#14
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: YYZ/YKZ
Posts: 3,668
Unless the weather is extremely bad (low visibility, etc) in which case a CAT III autoland is performed (providing the runway has the instrumentation for it), the last 1-3 mins of the approach are usually done by hand after the plane's navigation has guided it to the runway. It is very much normal and not damaging for the plane to "bounce", however depending on the landing an additional inspection may be required which examines the landing gear assembly/wheels/brakes. The main gear (middle of the plane) can take a lot of force however the nosegear is much more "fragile". That is why a plane cannot land at 0 degrees of pitch. Instead the plane "flares" so that the main gear touch down first and then the nose is slowly lowered.