We can use basic trigonometry to determine the distance from our eyes to an aim point. In the case of a three degree glide path, our G450 pilot ' s eyes will be 263 ' behind the aim point, which means the wheels will be 303 ' behind the aim point. In other words, if you are aiming for the five
hundred foot markers and don ' t flare, you wheels will just barely make the runway. Add a gust of wind or just a little deviation from glide path, you may not reach the runway at all. As can be seen, aircraft with flatter deck angles will touchdown considerably closer to their aim points. Aircraft Length
Impact on Look Down Angle Exercise What about longer aircraft? The G550 is 7’ 2” longer than a G450 and its wheels are 5’ 11” further apart. While the aircraft have the same eye wheel height when in a threepoint attitude, the longer length translates to a higher pilot’ s eye position when
8 | MDN | www. mdnvirtual. org | January Issue