Mastering Short- and Soft-Field Landings for the Rusty Off-Field Pilot

My own training experience serves as a case in point. Until I started working on getting a tailwheel endorsement, I somehow managed to never once land on an actual short or soft field.

On my private pilot check ride, for instance, the examiner just asked me to knock out both maneuvers at once by flying a single, combined short/soft-field landing performed at a towered airport with a wide, paved, 5,000-foot runway. That was a piece of cake in my little Cessna 150.

While this checked the box for the examiner, it did little to prepare me for, or even really demonstrate, the actual challenges these sorts of landing scenarios present in the real world.

It’s good to keep this real-world training gap in mind. Even for those who did practice on actual short and soft fields during training, it is important to be self-aware about whether we are truly proficient with these landings.

Perhaps you’d like to take on a new adventure and fly into a remote backcountry strip or a small municipal airport with limited runway length. Maybe you just need to refine your skills a bit to stay prepared in case of an unexpected off-field landing. Either way, short- and soft-field landing proficiency matters. With proper technique and consistent practice, any pilot can handle these situations safely and effectively.

Short-field landings demand precision. While every landing should be performed with great care, attention to every detail becomes even more critical as runway length decreases. Likewise, you must be ready and willing to safely perform a go-around at any time.

A safe approach begins with airspeed control. We are always concerned with airspeed, of course. Airspeed is life, so to speak, anytime you are flying low and slow, so this is descriptive of any approach to landing. Even so, short-field landings are usually flown at somewhat slower airspeeds than a normal approach.

This means we need to be conscious of a couple of things. First, be aware of optimal airspeeds for a short-field landing to begin with. Ideally, we will already know this information. If not, stop reading now and go find out. Your POH will cover this info, and it is vital that you know your airplane. Most general aviation accidents occur during landing, so there is no excuse to ignore this information.

Found it? Good. Welcome back.

We’ll take my trusty old 1977 Cessna 150M as an example. According to the POH, even with flaps fully down, I could fly 50-60 kias on a normal, final approach. The POH even denotes that I can set my flaps “AS DESIRED,” so in reality, I usually perform a normal landing with 20 degrees of flaps at somewhere between 60-65 kias. 

But that’s a normal approach. For a short-field landing, things get a lot more specific. Again, precision is the name of the game now. My POH specifies 40 degrees of flaps and 52 kias. 

It makes sense that we want full flaps and as low an airspeed as we can safely manage. This will help us avoid “floating” down the runway, help us touch down (relatively) gently, and minimize our ground roll while ideally allowing us to avoid standing on the brakes as we come to a stop.

Still, low airspeeds invite the possibility of a stall, and 52 kias is a lot slower than my usual 60-65. Even in an incredibly forgiving trainer like the C150, slow airspeeds like this require some extra attention to execute safely.

We need to have a heightened awareness of maintaining coordinated flight, for instance. While we always need to be aware of staying coordinated, it can get more difficult at slower speeds—even more so if we are not proficient flying at those speeds. If we are uncoordinated and lose track of our airspeed or hit unexpected wind shear, we’re not at all far away from stall—or stall-spin—territory.

There is also the potential for issues on rollout. A misjudged flare or improper braking can lead to loss of control or a dangerous excursion beyond the runway. In a tailwheel, especially, improper execution might lead to nosing over or to entering a ground loop. That’s why we need to touch down at a proper speed and angle, as well as to practice proper aerodynamic braking in addition to utilizing our toe brakes. Mitigating these risks requires not only technical skill but also a disciplined approach to planning and execution.

Soft-field landings bring their own unique set of challenges. Like short-field landings, they should usually be flown at lower speeds and with greater flap use than most normal landings—again, check your POH. Still, uneven and loose surfaces like grass, dirt, or gravel can cause wheel sinkage, be conducive to potholes, and increase the likelihood of ground loops. Reduced traction complicates both braking and steering. There is also a greatly heightened risk of encountering foreign object damage (FOD), caused by loose debris that is kicked up by the propeller or wheels.

These challenges tend to get worse in wet or muddy conditions, which usually provide reduced braking effectiveness and increased risks of skidding or getting stuck. A successful soft-field landing requires both technical ability and careful assessment of the landing area and conditions. This assessment comes to some degree with experience but also with good preflight planning.

Aside from flight skills and good preflight planning there are other things to consider as well. It’s worth putting some thought behind things as mundane as cockpit organization, for instance. Soft- and short-field landings can both get bumpy, and the last thing a pilot needs while conducting a performance landing with maximum braking is loose clutter flinging about the cabin.

Invest in a functional flight bag, for instance, along with a good knee board that can accommodate an iPad. Alternatively, it might be worth picking up a well-built tablet mount to keep it secure and accessible, especially during critical phases of flight.

Effective short- and soft-field landings begin long before the wheels touch the ground. They start with good preflight planning.

Before any flight, you should perform a weight-and-balance calculation, and these figures are especially relevant when conducting performance landings. Higher weight increases ground roll and decreases maneuverability, for instance, so adjusting cargo, fuel, and passenger loads can make a huge difference on outcomes.

Do other proper preflight planning that you should be doing anyway. Getting a clear picture of weather conditions is critical, for instance, because wind direction and speed, crosswinds, and visibility all play into safety and success. Strong headwinds can help shorten landing distance, while crosswinds demand greater precision. Know your personal weather minimums, and be conservative with them if performing maneuvers you are not proficient with.

A stable and well-executed approach is the foundation of a successful landing. Flying at the correct speed is critical to achieving a precise touchdown while maintaining solid control. Flaps must be used appropriately during short- and soft-field landings, as they provide the increasing lift and drag to allow for steeper descents at lower airspeeds.

The moments just before and during touchdown are where precision matters most. A smooth transition from flight to touchdown reduces stress on the landing gear and will help you maximize control during rollout. For short fields, minimizing float helps to conserve runway length. For soft fields, keeping the nosewheel off the ground in a tricycle-gear aircraft for as long as possible helps keep it from finding a pothole or otherwise sinking into loose or muddy soil.

Aiming for a specific touchdown point helps ensure you come to a stop with as much runway left over as possible, while landing on the most stable portion of a soft field as possible. Directional control is also important, particularly in crosswind conditions. Using rudder and aileron inputs effectively prevents overcorrections that can lead to instability, and also helps to minimize the risk of a stall-spin accident.

The landing isn’t over until the aircraft is fully stopped and under control. On short fields, braking must be firm but smooth to minimize stopping distance without skidding. Again, utilize aerodynamic braking as well by holding in backpressure on the stick or yoke to maximize drag. On soft fields, heavy braking can cause the wheels to dig into the surface. Letting the aircraft roll to a stop naturally, using aerodynamic braking where possible, is often the best approach. Steering inputs once on the ground should likewise be gentle and deliberate.

The value of mastering these techniques becomes evident when considering the vast range of airports and landing strips pilots can explore or might at some point need to utilize. Remote backcountry strips are often surrounded by challenging terrain, requiring pilots to land precisely within short distances and on soft, uneven surfaces.

General aviation pilots operating in rural areas often encounter grass or dirt airstrips that are not well maintained or are poorly marked. In an emergency, these may serve as the only viable landing options, even for pilots who would not otherwise plan to land at that sort of strip. 

Practicing soft-field landings in controlled environments is valuable, if for no other reason than that they help build the skills needed to execute in such situations calmly and competently. Such practice might begin in a simulator before venturing out to do some practice on pavement. From there, go out and practice on a local grass strip. Many municipal and other public-use airports have one available. If it is your first time, or if it has been a while since you last landed on a true soft or short runway, bring along a CFI to check your form and offer guidance.

Every landing is an opportunity for growth. Embrace the challenge, and you’ll find that the art of landing—whether on a seemingly endless paved runway or a short grassy field—becomes a source of pride and accomplishment. 

What is the difference between soft-field and short-field landings?

A soft-field landing is a landing that takes place off of a paved runway, while a short-field landing is one that takes place on a runway or strip that is shorter than usual and/or has obstructions on either or both ends of the runway.

What is a soft-field landing?

A soft-field landing is accomplished when landing on a surface other than pavement. This might be grass, dirt, or even other surfaces like snow.

What is a short-field landing?

A short-field landing involves landing at a location with an unusually limited runway length. It should still offer enough length to safely complete the landing within the aircraft’s capabilities, though.