X45

How Do commercial jets hover in one spot just before landing?

I have seen commercial jets hover in one position before landing...how do they do that?

Public Comments

1. Optical illusion, no commercial jet can hover.
2. Can you be a little more specific? As far as I am aware, commercial jets (ie airliners) are NOT able to hover. If there is a sufficiently strong wind then, theoretically, they could appear to maintain a stationary ground position but we are talking some serious wind here (at least hurricane force!) - hence that's why I said "theoretically." Without more info, I am unable to help you further. Sorry!
3. They don't; they're just so big they hardly seem to be moving. Next time you watch one land, focus on the ground or the background.
4. Planes fly by generating lift from air passing over the wings. If the plane needs to have 150mph of wind over the wings when landing, if it is flying into a 100mph head wind then it'll only be travelling over the ground at 50mph. In a headwind the plane can look like its flying a lot slower. Also if you are watching from the front it will look like it almost stops as it settles on the runway...
5. No they don't. Like the previous responders mentioned, they appear to barely move because of their size. The larger the aircraft, the greater the illusion. I'm an air traffic controller and once I had the privilege of working the Boeing747 with the shuttle craft on it's back into the Gregg County Airport in Longview, TX. It is still the biggest piece of machinery I've ever witnessed flying. It slows to about 140 knots on short final but it appears to hardly be moving.
6. there are only a hand full if that of planes that can hover and there all military planes like the hierer (not sure how to spell that) and its only used mainly on aircraft carriers and i dont there there are very many around anymore.
7. There's not a single one that can do that. Most commercial aircraft land in the 120-160knot speed range, some STOL types can manage a little slower, but not a heck of a lot. Try changing your perspective, looking from a different angle, and you'll see that they all cruise on in at a decent speed.
8. They don't
9. unless it is a minor stall and drop 5 feet to a minor landing, no aircraft really hovers unless its something like a harrier jet, which is not a commercial jet,, its just an illusion, nose up a bit and drop,
10. They are able to hover in the air due to a difficult to understand - almost magical - invention called: PHOTOGRAPHY
11. Perhaps you have seen the result of ground effect. They do not actually stop or hover. Their rate of descent may decrease near the runway due to ground effect.
12. It is simply an illusion from your viewpoint or lack of a frame of reference (seeing him pass runway lights ,etc.) When you see them they are moving....trust me...No one should knock this question down...inquiring minds need to know..and I hope you have learned something... Jonathan S ATP-LRJET,HS-125 CFI/AGI
13. They don't, though you're quite right that it can appear like that. It all depends on your viewpoint and for that matter the size of the aircraft. Something like a 747 can appear to be barely moving when it's doing maybe 150 knots. This is particularly apparent when you're looking at an aircraft on the takeoff run and can hear the engines. The newer engines sound like they're barely producing any power and you can be convinced it'll never make it - until it lifts off.
14. Its not ground effect as Stuttgart said, all ground effect does is reduces drag and reduces the aircrafts stall speed. The actual 'flare', ie change in angle of attack, the pilot pulling back the yoke, causes this effect.
15. You've never seen them hover in one position. As you've seen, they're moving so fast that their rubber tires smoke when they touch down on pavement.
16. impossible. You must have seen a helicopter
17. They dont.
18. they cant hover or they would stall.
19. Ummm, can I have some of what your having? Commercial jets can't hover in place! There are military jets that can hover but not commercial airplanes.
20. Right before the plane touches down, the pilots flare - meaning they pitch the nose up a couple of degrees. This is simply because the main gear must touch down before the nose gear. It also gives you a smoother landing rather than just plopping on the runway. For a few seconds, the plane stops descending and appears to hover before finally touching down. Watch this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HW_FRXqf4Ps Is this what you were talking about?