The purpose of touch-and-go landings with full-scale aircraft is to teach pilots how to land and take off. The landing is not complete until the model is rolling on all wheels and tail skid (if applicable) and is under complete ground control by the pilot (steerable tail wheel, tail skid or nose wheel operating). The landing must roll with appropriate wheels and skid in ground contact for a distance of one eighth (1/8) to one quarter (1/4) of the circle. The model should land normally and take off again without coming to a stop. Precision and smoothness of landing and takeoff will be judged.
From above High Normal Flight Level, the model smoothly descends while throttling back and extending the flaps (when applicable). Landing gear extension should be initiated just before landing (when applicable). A tail wheel or skid-type airplane should have the tail wheel or skid on the ground prior to takeoff. A nose wheel-type aircraft should have the nose wheel on the ground prior to takeoff. Immediately after takeoff the landing gear retraction should be initiated (when applicable). As speed increases the flaps are retracted to takeoff position and then fully (when applicable). The model will finish at above Normal Flight Level. Flaps and/or landing gear extension or retraction are not required for profile or fun scale models or models of aircraft with fixed landing gear.
Faults
- Beginning and ending of maneuver were not called out.
- Descent not commenced from above High Normal Flight Level.
- Throttle, gear and flaps not operated smoothly during the descent.
- Model bounces on touch down and the continuing roll on the ground.
- Nose wheel or tail skid did not make normal rolling/sliding contact with ground.
- The roll on the ground is less than five lengths of the model.
- Throttle, gear and flaps not operated smoothly during the ascent.
- Not a normal take-off and climb-out through High Normal Flight Level.