Procedure Prior to Landing a Plane

Somewhere someone coined the phrase, a landing is nothing but a controlled crash. It could have been some famous pilot whose name is know through out the ages like Lindberg or Yeager , or it could be some unknown pilot that dissolved into t he annals of time. It even could be coined to Orville or Wilbur, the great bicycle designers and firs flight pioneers. Whomever it was, they were spot on and absolutely correct. There is so much to do when you're landing a plane, the ability to do it boggles the mind. However, the actual landing part is an ability of precision and finesse. It must be practiced and polished till just right. The process before the landing, is the part that needs to be so second nature that you don't even think about it. This process is what we're talking about here, and the procedure that should be known and taught to every student pilot in the world. If this procedure is left out, it can be disastrous, and the pilot grows without proper understanding of what is needed.

You ask ATC(air Traffic Control) for the right to land. You're given the ok, and if you aren't given exact coordinates, they expect you know what you're doing. This request is the number one thing to do, because unless you hear those magic words, (plane make) , (tail number) you're cleared for landing on Runway X(whatever runway there is) {Piper November 3657Alpha Lima you're cleared to land on runway 23},you better turn your butt around. The way to ask for such a thing is also very important. The correct way to ask is to always start out with the make of your plane (piper, Cessna, Tampico, etc). Continue with your tail number. This is the number that is plastered across the tail of the plane and is hard not to see. Remember, you must say all letters int he phonetic Alphabetical code. For example, if your tail number is N1567ATm then you would say: November 1567Alpha Tango. Then continue with the time honored traditional response of "Requesting to land on runway ____(enter runway number here)."

As soon as you get the go ahead, and assuming they don't tell you where to go, head straight for downwind, making a 45 degree entrance into the pater at the correct pattern altitude. As you are flying there, you will need to perform what is called a GUMP check. This is your pre-landing check list acronym. The G stands for "gas". Make sure your mixture is full rich by pushing the mixture knob all the way to the top. Look at your gas gage and check it one last time to make sure you have enough to fly through the pattern. If you think you don't have enough, call ATC immedietly.

The "U" stands for undercarriage. The undercarriage is a general term regarding anything under the plane. Make sure your wheels are down, if you are flying a plane that has a retractable landing gear. Also, this is the perfect time to put down your flaps to "landing flaps". This difference from plane to plane.

The "M" stands for Manifold. Many of the high performance planes have the ability to open a manifold in the cowling. You want to make sure these are closed. You also want to make sure that any windows or vents of any type are closed at this point as well. Everything should be closed up type for landing.

The "P" stands for Power. You should set your throttle for correct pattern speed, and slowly be putting it to correct landing speed. In addition, you need to make sure that it's enough flaps for the landing in which you are trying to do.

While you have done this check, and made sure that everything is secure and ready for landing, you have enter into t he pattern. By the time your wing has passed the runway numbers, this GUMP check should be completed, and you shouldn't have to worry about anything else except moving the yoke, pedals, and throttle to get a perfect landing.