Types of landing

Aircraft and Helicopters have different types of landings. Landing is the last phrase of a flight before a plane finally touches the ground and stops. These landings are categorised into normal and emergencies landing ([http://aviationknowledge.wikidot.com/aviation:emergencies-landing])

In this page, we will discuss normal landing.

A) Daytime landing for aircraft.

When applying for pilot license, one of the first few landings needed to be done is to land the plane on a day time. This is one of the easiest types of landings.

B) Nighttime Landing

Some argue that night landing is harder than daytime landing to some degree, as pilots have less visibility of the surroundings. In this type of landing, pilots will be dependent only on the lights on the runway as well as the plane's instruments, as pilots' visibility to the surroundings are very limited at night time.

C) Vertical Landing for aircraft

Vertical landing for planes is most common in fighter jets. The planes that land vertically are called VTOL aircraft2. This is so because they quite often do take off and land on a ship, which requires a limited land.

D) Vertical Landing for Helicopters

Unlike aircraft, helicopters can only do vertical landing. Because of that, helicopters are often used to operate in a narrow places; for examples, in rescue mission, to transport people in crowded city (choppers can land on some of the roof buildings).

E) Vertical Landing for Spacecraft

Because of the unpredictable surface on other planets, scientists have designed spacecraft to land vertically, as this woul be the safest form of landing in unknown surface, as well as to minimise the impact when it touches the ground.

F) Baloon Landing

Baloon uses the same principal as helicopters, as it can only do vertical landing.

G) Water Landing

Some aircraft are designed to land on water, although in some cases water landing means landing made as a cause of emergencies.

H) Crosswind landing

It happens when "a wind blowing at any angle across the intended line of flight of an aircraft"1. Although the planes will turn quite significantly during this landing, the passengers on board would not notice much difference as they do not know which direction they face.

References
1. Yourdictionary. (2009). Retrieved July 22, 2009, from http://www.yourdictionary.com/crosswind

Want to know more?

landing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing and http://yarchive.net/space/launchers/horizontal_vs_vertical_landing.html
vertical landing: http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/vertical_takeoff_and_landing_aircraft.aspx


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