Private Pilot for Airplane Category › IV. Takeoffs, Landings, and Go-Arounds › Task D. Soft-Field Approach and Landing (ASEL)

PA.IV.D.S9

Skill

Make smooth, timely, and correct control inputs during the round out and touchdown, and, for tricycle gear airplanes, keep the nose wheel off the surface until loss of elevator effectiveness.

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Study note

Get a short, cited explanation of this element written from the FAA handbooks: the core idea, the numbers that matter, common test traps, and a quick self-check.

From the FAA library

Airplane Flying Handbook p. 9-24
Chapter 9: Approaches and Landings › Soft-Field Approach and Landing
higher approach speeds may result in excessive float in ground effect, and floating makes a smooth, controlled touchdown even more difficult. There is no reason for a steep angle of descent unless obstacles are present in the approach path. Touchdown ... soft or rough field is made at the lowest possible airspeed with the airplane in a nose-high pitch attitude. In nose-wheel type airplanes, after the main wheels touch the surface, the pilot should hold sufficient back-elevator pressure…
Airplane Flying Handbook p. 9-24
Chapter 9: Approaches and Landings › Soft-Field Approach and Landing › Common Errors
Once committed to a landing, the pilot should gently lower the nose-wheel to the surface. A slight addition of power usually aids in easing the nose-wheel down. The use of brakes on a soft field is not needed ... should be avoided as this may tend to impose a heavy load on the nose-gear due to premature or hard contact with the landing surface, causing the nose-wheel to dig in. The soft or rough surface itself provides…
Airplane Flying Handbook p. 18-12
Chapter 18: Emergency Procedures › Flight Control Malfunction/Failure › Landing Gear Malfunction
hard surface does, however, create sparks that can ignite fuel. If the airport is so equipped, the pilot can request that the runway surface be foamed. The pilot should consider burning off excess fuel. This reduces landing speed and fire ... potential. If the landing gear malfunction is limited to one main landing gear leg, the pilot should consume as much fuel from that side of the airplane as practicable, thereby reducing the weight of the wing on that side…
Airplane Flying Handbook p. 2-10
Chapter 2: Ground Operations › Preflight Assessment of the Aircraft › Landing Gear, Tires, and Brakes
Landing Gear, Tires, and Brakes The landing gear, tires, and brakes allow the airplane to maneuver from and return to the ramp, taxiway, and runway environment in a precise and controlled manner. The landing gear, tires, and brakes should ... inspected to ensure that the airplane can be positively controlled on the ground. Landing gear on airplanes varies from simple fixed gear to complex retractable gear systems. Fixed landing gear is a gear system in which the landing gear struts…
Airplane Flying Handbook p. 3-2
Chapter 3: Basic Flight Maneuvers › Effect and Use of Flight Controls
With the pilot’s hand: ⦁ When pulling the elevator pitch control toward the pilot, which is an aft movement of the control wheel, yoke, control stick, or side stick controller (referred to as adding back pressure), the airplane’s nose ... will rotate backwards relative to the pilot around the pitch (lateral) axis of the airplane. Think of this movement from the pilot’s feet to the pilot’s head. ⦁ When pushing elevator pitch control toward the instrument panel, (referred…