Firm landings: what pilots aim for

This site has no counted ratings that show whether some airlines land more firmly than others, and this article does not compare carriers. It sets out what the FAA's pilot-training handbook says a landing should achieve.^[1][2]

The approach and the flare

A stabilised approach typically follows a constant 3-degree glide path to the touchdown zone on the runway. Near the ground the pilot flares, rounding out the flight path until it is parallel to and a few inches above the runway, while the speed falls to touchdown speed.^[2]

Why floating is avoided

If the speed on final approach is too high, the aircraft floats. The FAA says it may then be well past the planned touchdown point, and the runway left may not be enough. Its aerodynamics handbook adds that any excess speed at the flare can mean a considerable float distance. Prolonged floating, the training handbook says, should be avoided especially on short runways or in strong crosswinds.^[2][3]

Pressing a floating aircraft onto the runway is not the answer either. The handbook warns that forcing an aircraft down while it still wants to fly can make it bounce: a gust, a bump in the runway or a small control input lifts it again.^[2]

Where it matters most

The FAA treats fields with a short landing area, or with obstacles on the approach, as needing their own short-field procedures, and warns against floating on short runways in particular.^[2]