Simviation Forums

what exactly is a touch and go??


Craig

A touch and go is when a pilot lands his plane, then adds power and takes off from the same runway...typicaly used for practicing landings for student pilots...

Try them in Flight Simulator...they're quite fun!

Yea, a little tip from a (was) rather embaressed student pilot, make sure to set that trim back to neutral before you takeoff again.

Was doing a T&G at Pottstown-Limerick a few days back, added full power into a heavy headwind with my trim somewhat above neutral, and shot up into the air like a bullet at 45 kts. Oops!

When I learned touch and goes, I learned to do a regular landing, let the nose settle, then while rolling, put flaps up, reset trim, carb heat, etc., and then push power back to full and take off again, but that was at a large airport (KMSN) with a 9000 ft runway.  At my "home" airport (c29) we only had a 1200 ft(I think) runway and we were not supposed to do touch and goes there.

Another tip: don't advance the throttle too quickly, at least with a carbeureted engine. I got a few scary burps that way before I got wise- no fun at all when you're just lifting off with no runway left...
 And I was taught T&Gs by the "normal landing, then lift off" method, too- I guess it teaches you how to abort after touching down, and prepares you for a go-around at any altitude down to the runway.
I've found that they're a poor substitute for practicing full-stops, though- to me, the landing isn't over until you've rolled out, stopped, and cleared the runway. Lots going on in those last moments.

In the past during my flying, a roller involved landing with land (not full) flap, applying power and rotating again, still with land flap and whatever trim I landed with, of course anticipating that you'll be applying a fair bit of forward stick...

...followed by frantic winding of the trim soon after.

However there is a practicle training point to this. For example if you had to overshoot just before or during touchdown in the flare you'd be in the same configuration, and wouldn't have time to faff around with the flaps or trim . All aircraft should have adequate control authority to counter this.

Charlie

They're very fun to do, both in real life and in the sim. The other night I was shooting some simulated touch-an-goes at KJKA in a 737-200. If you're going for lots of them, pick an airport with perpindicular runways and set wind to zero. That's what I did for a while, just go in basically a figure-8. After that I set up a 25 knot wind to practice crosswind landings.

In real life, it's a great way to get 2-for-1 practice on both takeoff and landing.

I was practicing my half-cuban circuit's in the brilliant freeware Alpha Jet (with Igorski's textures) last night...

....take off, clean up the aeroplane, pull up, roll, pop the brakes, gear and flaps over the top, pull through, flare land, power on, take off etc...

Must take some screenshots of it...

Charlie

They called them circuits & bumps in my day. I suddenly feel old.

I've found that they're a poor substitute for practicing full-stops, though- to me, the landing isn't over until you've rolled out, stopped, and cleared the runway. Lots going on in those last moments.

I simply just don't like them. I don't have enough time to regain control of the airplane-if I didn't touch down centerline, I'm reluctant to use rudder to get myself back on the centerline when the throttle is full open.

Also, I just find T & Gs to be less satisfying than a full stop. Just doesn't feel as good.

Problem with full stop at larger (controlled) airports is that it you would have to land, get off the runway, contact ground, get into line with other airplanes probably with more important buisiness, taxi the entire distance of the 9000 ft runway, contact tower again, wait for people in front of you, then take off again when you could have just put it back to full throttle to take off and re-enter the pattern.  If it is a smaller, uncontrolled airport, full stops are good practice also, that's how I learned .

Problem with full stop at larger (controlled) airports is that it you would have to land, get off the runway, contact ground, get into line with other airplanes probably with more important buisiness, taxi the entire distance of the 9000 ft runway, contact tower again, wait for people in front of you, then take off again when you could have just put it back to full throttle to take off and re-enter the pattern.  If it is a smaller, uncontrolled airport, full stops are good practice also, that's how I learned .

That depends on the airport... some towered airports that are not excessively busy would let you do it without much trouble.

I practiced full stops at Trenton 2 weeks ago and for one thing, if you are taxing back for departure right away (you have to say this ahead of time) they make you stay on the tower frequency. I never even talked to ground ...

The tower guy just said "Stay with me the whole time on the ground" and he gives you taxi instructions to taxi back. No hassles.

Trenton (KTTN) is not terribly busy so it's too bad. I wouldn't do that at Teterboro (KTEB) because even if they are both Delta airfields, at TEB they have one jet taking off every 15 seconds. Chances are you'd be on the ground wating your turn for 30 minutes (been there done that).

PS: I should introduce myself:  ;D Howdy folks! Name's Marco. I own a Piper Cherokee 180 at 47N Central Jersey airport in (you guessed it) New Jersey, USA.  Been flyin for almost 2 years now ...  going for my IFR right about now.

yeah, I guess I didn't really think about that, I have never done full stop touch and goes at a towered airport, I just kind of assumed.  The towered airport near me can be pretty busy at different times of the day, which reminds me of a one time I was flying and I did a touch and go (on rnwy 21) and the controller told me to turn left as soon as possible to avoid a northwest airlines airplane landing on an adjacent runway (18), but I asked if I could turn right to head back to c29.  The controller jumped back on the radio and told me to turn left  immediately so I had to yank it to left at just about 100 ft to avoid runway 18.  Oh, well, learned my lesson, always follow controller instructions first.

... the controller told me to turn left as soon as possible to avoid a northwest airlines airplane landing on an adjacent runway (18), but I asked if I could turn right to head back to c29.  The controller jumped back on the radio and told me to turn left  immediately so I had to yank it to left at just about 100 ft to avoid runway 18.  Oh, well, learned my lesson, always follow controller instructions first.

Yeah when they tell you to do something to "avoid" another airplane they lose all the 3 molecules of sense of humor they have (if they even have those). They tend to expect you are gonna do it and you are gonna do it SNAPPY, no questions asked. General rule is ... if the controller hasn't asked you to do anything in the last 10 seconds and he/she is happy with you, that's a good time to send in your special request.

If they just told you to do something, especially so close to the runways, they tend to get "testy" ... with good reason IMO. Better to do what they say and say "yes sir!" ...

... been there done that BTW.  :P