Red Bull Air Race - World Championship 2010 New York City 

From the Right Seat by Chief Pilot Peter Rafle

Thinking again, about what makes a good landing.

It starts at the upwind end of the downwind leg.  Complete the Before Landing Checklist.  Visualizing where the airplane should be when abeam the numbers - altitude, airspeed, crabbing if necessary for any crosswind.  Power reduction and first notch of flaps.  In a C-172, slowing to 70 knots, and turning Base when about 45º from the approach end of the runway.  Observing, High ? or Low?, Fast or Slow?.  Pitch for the proper approach speed, timing the turn onto final. 

Then on final, Lineup, Airspeed , and Rate of Descent. Only three things to pay attention to: Into the flare, eyes looking out to the end of the runway, observing the sink rate, pressure holding the nose up, Reducing power, Patience, Patience and then the satisfying sound of the "chirp" of the tires softly touching the pavement.

Piece of cake.....Smile.....I've only done it a few thousand times.

I still hear pilots call out just prior to departure, "Any aircraft on base or final at Princeton please advise."

This particular voice call is a problem for me because, I assume the pilot has not looked for traffic, and has not been monitoring the common frequency.  At a non-towered airport, we all need to communicate our position in the pattern, AND LOOK OUT for other aircraft in the vicinity.  If there is a non-radio equipped airplane in the pattern, he will not hear our pilot asking for base and final traffic and, of course, cannot respond.

It only takes a few moments to perform a turn on the ground while looking for traffic on the downwind, base, and final.  If it is clear for takeoff, make the standard takeoff announcement.  If there is traffic, then hold short; keep quiet; wait for the traffic to clear the runway; check for traffic again; and then make the departure announcement and takeoff.