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The secret to making a good landing
"Normal" landing means an approach that results in a landing within the available runway length, but not necessarily the shortest possible landing distance.
Normal approach speed is 1.3 to 1.4 times Vso (full flap stall speed.)
After landing the flaps are left extended, to avoid any chance of accidentally retracting the gear - this habit should be cultivated even in fixed-gear airplanes since most flying you will do in your career will be in retractable gear airplanes.
On the Commercial Pilot Flight Test Transport Canada has certain expectations of you.
Start by reading section 18 of the Transport Canada Flight Training Manual
The animation below shows some thoughts on how to make a short field landing in a light airplane.
Section 18 of the Transport Canada Flight Training Manual gives some good advice about soft-field landings.
One of the most common reasons for a poor soft-field landing is that the pilot is confused about what the objective is. The main objective is NOT a soft landing, it is a slow-speed landing. The animation below clarifies why this is the primary objective.
Take a look at this you-tube video showing Jesse James attempting the ultimate soft-field encounter on a dirt-bike
Notice that he flips over the handle bars. The airplane equivalent is to wind up nose-over on the propeller. The best way to guard against this is to land with the lowest possible forward speed.
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