How to slow down to landing speed?

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   I have been meaning to ask questions to folks and this forum seems to be a good place to ask and I will ask on another forum or two maybe.  I have always had trouble with certain aircraft getting down to landing speed.  On some planes, like my 188 Electra, 737's, or A320's, I can set my auto throttle to landing speed like 140 or 145 knts for the 737 or A320, 118 kts for the electra.  But when I set a speed with some larger planes, like 777, A330 or A340, setting a landing speed with the AT of like 165 kts simply won't keep me in the air and I sink before making the runway.  

I saw a guy on youtube land a 737 and when he reached a certain point he brought his throttles to zero and coasted down to the runway and ended up landing perfectly.  In other words, he shut his AT off and seemed to feel when to just bring the throttles down to zero.  He came in at like 210 knts on his approach and I am thinking he shut the throttles down once he began his final descent from his approach altitude at like 2500 feet.

So I hope I can get some guys to give me advice at when to turn the AT off and when do you bring the throttles down to zero in order to touch down at the proper landing speed?  I now realize I am using the AT as a crutch and trying to set my actual landing speed a good ways out and this works for the smaller jets but doesn't seem to work for the heavies, and I come in with my nose up even with the smaller jets because the plane is trying to fly at a slow landing speed from a few miles out and I know real pilots surely don't do this.  This is for visual approaches only of course because I have little trouble using ILS, even though I do use the same landing speeds but at least the glide slope brings my nose down to the runway.   

So how and when do you guys get to landing speed?  What speeds do you approach at and when do you cut off the AT and do you cut to zero throttle and if you do, how far out?   Is this a feel thing or is there a definite way or guide you have that tells you when to start your final descent to the runway and cut throttles?

Thanks for any help, I have been dealing with this for years now and it's time I stopped using the AT as an approach crutch.

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TNguitar Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Check-In Staff Joined: 27 Mar 2015 Location: Nashville Points: 27	Post Options Post Reply Quote TNguitar Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: How to slow down to landing speed? Posted: 13 May 2016 at 8:28pm
	I have been meaning to ask questions to folks and this forum seems to be a good place to ask and I will ask on another forum or two maybe. I have always had trouble with certain aircraft getting down to landing speed. On some planes, like my 188 Electra, 737's, or A320's, I can set my auto throttle to landing speed like 140 or 145 knts for the 737 or A320, 118 kts for the electra. But when I set a speed with some larger planes, like 777, A330 or A340, setting a landing speed with the AT of like 165 kts simply won't keep me in the air and I sink before making the runway. I saw a guy on youtube land a 737 and when he reached a certain point he brought his throttles to zero and coasted down to the runway and ended up landing perfectly. In other words, he shut his AT off and seemed to feel when to just bring the throttles down to zero. He came in at like 210 knts on his approach and I am thinking he shut the throttles down once he began his final descent from his approach altitude at like 2500 feet. So I hope I can get some guys to give me advice at when to turn the AT off and when do you bring the throttles down to zero in order to touch down at the proper landing speed? I now realize I am using the AT as a crutch and trying to set my actual landing speed a good ways out and this works for the smaller jets but doesn't seem to work for the heavies, and I come in with my nose up even with the smaller jets because the plane is trying to fly at a slow landing speed from a few miles out and I know real pilots surely don't do this. This is for visual approaches only of course because I have little trouble using ILS, even though I do use the same landing speeds but at least the glide slope brings my nose down to the runway. So how and when do you guys get to landing speed? What speeds do you approach at and when do you cut off the AT and do you cut to zero throttle and if you do, how far out? Is this a feel thing or is there a definite way or guide you have that tells you when to start your final descent to the runway and cut throttles? Thanks for any help, I have been dealing with this for years now and it's time I stopped using the AT as an approach crutch.

hifly Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Chief Pilot Joined: 04 Jan 2012 Location: Hastings UK Points: 1012	Post Options Post Reply Quote hifly Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 13 May 2016 at 10:32pm
	Hi TNguitar, this is the wrong thread for your question but I'll answer as best I can. There are many variables in landing speeds depending on the aircraft weight, winds, flap settings, etc. The manuals should give some guidance. The rule of thumb is below 10,000 feet max speed is 250 knots. As you approach the ILS, gradually lower your speed and increase flap settings. On intercepting the glide slope the AT should be at the landing speed, usually between 130 to 150 k and kts depending on the aircraft, ie 130 with full flaps in a 737. Also set the auto brakes and spoilers At decision height, 200ft, switch off the auto pilot and auto throttle. At 50ft, that is the usual height to cut the power hit F1 on the keyboard and bring the nose up a little. When the nose wheel hits the deck hit the F2 key to engage reverse thrust until speed drops to 60 knts. Hit F1 again to disengage the thrust reversers clean up and taxi in. Happy landings.
	Must Fly!

TNguitar Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Check-In Staff Joined: 27 Mar 2015 Location: Nashville Points: 27	Post Options Post Reply Quote TNguitar Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 14 May 2016 at 6:09am
	Thanks for that reply. Looks like I have some practicing to do. I'll give these suggestions a try.

Flyer10 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List First Officer Joined: 03 Nov 2014 Points: 435	Post Options Post Reply Quote Flyer10 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 14 May 2016 at 10:25am
	You are probably overloaded. You can't take off at MTOW and fly 500 nmi and then land. The A320 should have a green ball on the speed tape as the landing speed. That changes with weight. The max load for an a320 is 50k, 150k for the a330, 175k for the a340 and that's if youre landing on fumes. So take off 5k, 10k, and 15k respectively for a reserve fuel load. The Airbuses should call out retard at about 50 feet at the start of the flare which is when the AT comes off and to idle.

TNguitar Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Check-In Staff Joined: 27 Mar 2015 Location: Nashville Points: 27	Post Options Post Reply Quote TNguitar Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21 May 2016 at 10:57pm
	Thanks Flyer. You know, that thought has crossed my mind recently. I believe you are right. I have not been paying attention to weight much and I am taking off with huge amounts of fuel and payload, enough fuel for about 4 or 5 times the distance for the trip. I am going to start paying more attention to weights to make sure I am not over what the plane can handle. I am flying short trips in long haul planes so I bet this has been causing me problems. Thanks.