A normal or regular approach and landing involves the use  of procedures for what is considered a simple situation. It  provides the minimum number of variables for the student  pilot to learn during the fi rst landings; that is, when engine  power is at idle, wind is light, and the final approach is  made directly into the wind, the fi nal approach path has no  obstacles, and the landing surface is firm and of ample length  to bring the aircraft gradually to a stop. This includes normal  runways used for WSC that are asphalt, concrete, solid dirt,  gravel or short grass. The selected landing point should be  beyond the runway’s approach threshold but within the fi rst  one-third portion of the runway. The factors involved and the procedures described for the  normal approach and landing also have applications to  the other-than-normal approaches and landings which are  discussed later in this chapter. Therefore, the principles of  simple (or normal) operations are explained first and must be  understood before proceeding to more complex operations. To assist the pilot in understanding the factors that infl uence  judgment and procedures, the last part of the approach pattern  and the actual landing is divided into fi ve phases:  Remember that the manufacturer’s recommended procedures,  including aircraft configuration, airspeeds, power, and other  information relevant to approaches and landings in a specifi c  make and model aircraft are contained in the Aircraft Flight  Manual (AFM) and/or Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH)  for that aircraft. If any of the information in this chapter  differs from the aircraft manufacturer’s recommendations  as contained in the AFM/POH, the aircraft manufacturer’s  recommendations take precedence. As discussed in Chapter 2, Aerodynamics, the WSC aircraft  has a good glide ratio, and normal landings can easily be  done with the power at idle. It is a good practice to master  the landings with the throttle at idle so that the glide angle,  speeds, and descent rates become habit and part of a normal  routine. This is helpful so that, if there is an engine failure,  the pilot is accustomed to landing with minimum power and  is able to spot land the WSC aircraft for emergency conditions  at or beyond a specified point. As a general practice for  normal landings in calm conditions or a slight headwind,  the throttle should be brought back to idle at the start of the  base leg for landings.  Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR), section  91.119, Minimum Safe Altitudes: General, is an important  safety precaution and states: “Except when necessary  for takeoff or landing, no person may operate an aircraft  anywhere below... an altitude allowing, if a power unit fails,  an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or  property on the surface.” This allows long fi nal approaches  “with power when necessary,” but overall, it is important to  be no lower than an altitude from which you can glide to a safe  landing area. For the purposes of this approach-and-landing  discussion, it is assumed that there are no safe landing areas  other than the runway.  It should be noted that the power is above idle for some  landing situations, such as: For landings where throttle is required, the foot throttle is  typically used so the hands can stay on the control bar while  approaching the ground for this critical phase of fl ight.  However, the hand/cruise throttle may be set above idle for  specific situations as required by the pilot. Higher power  settings for approaches and landings are discussed later in  this chapter.  The placement of the base leg is one of the more important  judgments made by the pilot in any landing approach.  [Figure 11-1]  The pilot must accurately judge the altitude  and distance from which the descent results in landing at  the desired point.  The base leg should be started at a point where the power  can be brought back to idle and the WSC aircraft can glide to  the landing spot at the approach speed recommended by the  manufacturer. The intended landing point should not be at the  end of the runway on a threshold or numbers, but beyond at  the landing lines.  [Figure 11-2]  This provides some margin  if the landing is shorter than anticipated. For smaller runways  that do not have these markings, establish an appropriate  • Base leg • Final approach • Roundout • Touchdown • After-landing roll • Students first learning to land; a slower rate of descent  is the result of higher power settings. In this case, the  landings would be done with a target farther down the  runway so a safe landing could always be made with  engine failure. •  Shallower descent angle if directed by air traffi c control  (ATC), or a longer final approach is required. •  High winds and/or turbulent conditions requiring a  higher energy level.  Base Leg  Throttle Use  Normal (Calm Wind) Approaches and  Landings 11-2