Poll: POC Greaser Indicator

[Dave Blake]

Should the POC continue to display the "Greaser" indicator on the POC home page?

A "YES" vote will keep the Greaser indicator.
A "NO" vote will remove the Greaser indicator.
This poll will run for 10 days and you are allowed to change your vote if needed.

The POC will continue to record touchdown rate on each pilot's own log page should the Greaser indicator be dropped from the home page.

The "greaser" rating was added to the POC home page a while ago with the goal of encouraging pilots to preform smother landings. And we were just trying to add "neat" things to the POC.

However, I think the novelty of the greaser indicator has out-lived its usefulness. Pilots do not need to be reminded of their touchdown rates. Pilots may check this information easily on FSFK along with the very useful Critique rating if they choose to.

Also, SAX is not meant to be a competition to see who can fly the most or have the best touchdown rate. The idea is to enjoy what we do. Otherwise, what's the point?

Comments are always welcomed.

[airifr]

Yes Dave, I always enjoy flying. If Greaser Indicator disappears from POC, I will still enjoy flying!

Maybe we all can think of something new and useful to add in replacement?

[David Vega]

Some SAX pilots strive to fly in a manner that is as close as possible to an good airliner pilot. For that, knowledge and practice are necessary. One source of knowledge is the flight critique from FSFK. Learning why points were taken and how to correct that is rewarding to the same group of pilots because that's how it happens in real life. Other SAX pilots prefer to still pretend they are part of an airline, but their interest is only flying a flight for the airline without the extra complexity, and they find it rewarding.

With the greaser star, I've observed some pilots belonging to the entertainment over realism that perform, what in the real world would compromise safety of flight, to get the greaser star. One could say that is also entertainment, but I think unnecessary because SAX isn't about greaser stars. One of those maneuvers is to float over the runway chasing the soft landing, but then when they finally land, slam on the brakes and over use the engine thrust reversers because they find themselves running out of runway.

Reality tells us that greasers landings are not always the thing to do. For example during cross winds, wind shear, or wet runways, a firm landing is safer. But firm doesn't mean to slam the airplane on the runway, like some of our pilots do. FSFK registers that as a Hard Landing and deducts points.

So, if we strive for a good mix of realism and entertainment, and having the greaser star makes some pilots do unrealistic things just to get it, then that's out of balance, in my opinion.

Dave
sax702

[airifr]

To add, I would say, land an airplane is always different each time (to a certain extent), so if we see we're not set for a soft landing passed the threshold, we dont have to force it but strive to land within the touchown zone with proper flaring, there will always be another landing to work on.

Dont force the greaser

[David Vega]

Found this entertaining and instructive video. Though at the beginning it talks about much more than landing an airliner, the contents are only the portion covering landing and airliner.

Dave
sax702

[David Vega]

I just landed in Dallas, TX with not so good of a landing. Hard touch down and bounced once. After reviewing the approach, I've determined that though it was good weather, and I was established well in advance, I cut the throttle too soon, too fast. It is supposed to be done gradually. My FSFK flight critique shows:

Hard touchdown | -7.5%
Excessive pitch angle | -7.5%
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Total Score for this flight | 85.0%
Landing rating | Bad
Pilot rating | Good

I still have to figure the reason for the "Excessive pitch angle."

Dave
sax702

[RichW]

Dave,

Thanks for the video. It was a nice lesson on landing as well as a brief E190 tutorial.

Richard

[airifr]

Dave, the excessive pitch is because you exceeded 25 pitch (25.11), if you look in your additional data fsfk log. The critique allows max=25. You must have reached it during the climb.
Once you pass the threshold, around 50ft usually, start the flare by reducing your fpm not too much otherwise you'll pass the touchdown zone, then at 10ft cut the throttle and finish flare the airplane (the amount of flare will depend on landing weight and size of the airplane, but with experience you feel it) and it will settle gently on the runway, not the other way around, not flaring then cut the throttle lol.

[David Vega]

Thanks Xavier, will follow your advice.

Dave
sax702

[Jim Tilley]

no for me