Touch and Go Versus Full Stop - Which is Better?

[dmspilot]

No comment.

 

[poadeleted20]

No comment.

I've seen plenty of POH's where the two are separate and different procedures. And neither is the same as a T&G. YMMV.

 

[Silvaire]

Ha ha - T&G's down by one so I decided to vote and now it's a dead heat!

 

[Shepherd]

 

[txflyer]

Full stop or it won't count.

 

[poadeleted20]

Full stop or it won't count.

Won't count for what? TW or night currency, full stop only; day tricycle currency, T&G counts.

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

Unless you mean "if your wheels are on the ground and under control," I would disagree strongly. Bounces, porpoising, crow-hopping, and other things like that can often result in a balked landing once your wheels are on the ground, and what you do in those situations is far from what you do on either a T&G or a go-around.

I don't think that's an appropriate way to teach things.

Your points are well taken. I think the bulk of the issue is semantics in excess of their worth.

In practice, a pilot has touched down and is doing what it takes to operate and stay on the ground or, has touched ground in some form and is now doing whatever it takes to return and remain airborne.

What exactly is "crow-hopping" in an airplane?

 

[poadeleted20]

What exactly is "crow-hopping" in an airplane?

Probably most common in a taildragger, when you touchdown on the mains fast with a sink rate, and the tail drops increasing AoA, so the plane hops into the air again but the rotation rate is so great the tail slaps down and bounces up off the ground again, dropping the nose so AoA decreases while the mains drop and hit again, and the cycle starts over. If there's a camera in the cockpit, you'll look like a bobble-head doll, not to mention providing great entertainment and mirth for the spectators at the FBO. BTDT as the actor, not the spectator -- not much of a tailwheel pilot, am I.

This is different than the "porpoise" which is a pilot-induced oscillation due to overcontrolling in pitch.

 

[MSPAviator]

I did touch & goes, if I was a CFI, I'd be teaching touch & goes.

 

[audiododd]

I'll go between one and the other depending on what I'm working on. Not to mention, noise abatement procedures at my field (uncontrolled) require no more than 2 touch and gos before making a full stop. I guess it gives the folks in the houses off the departure end a break from the noise for a minute or so.

If I'm just working on the approach to landing portion (angle, speed, etc.) then T&Gs are the best bang for the buck as I can get more "landings" per hour. USUALLY, my airport isn't very busy, so often I'm the only one (or one of 2 or 3) in the pattern, so it's not as stressful. If I'm practicing performance takeoffs or landings, it's all full stop. Short-field is obvious since you can't practice max breaking if you are T&G, but even soft field I'll full-stop and taxi clear. This gives me a chance to mentally debrief the landing without having to divide my attention between that and trying to take off again.

I think that applies to both tricycle and conventional gear. Sure, you have to work on your breaking/rudder control a little more to avoid staring back the approach end of the runway on your roll out, but again it's all about what you are working on.