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What is a precautionary landing?

  • A

    A landing conducted without engine power.

  • B

    A landing conducted in response to circumstances forcing the aircraft to land.

  • C

    A landing conducted to maintain flight safety.

  • D

    A landing conducted with the flaps retracted.

Precautionary landing is a situation where further flight is possible but inadvisable, i.e., in the judgment of the flight crew; a hazard exists with continued flight.

A common situation requiring a precautionary landing is a technical problem that is not serious enough to declare "Mayday" (e.g. navigation system degradation or loss of system redundancy) but the aircraft SOPs suggest that landing at the nearest suitable aerodrome should be made.

Other examples of conditions that may call for a precautionary landing, particularly on small general aviation aircraft, include deteriorating weather, being lost, fuel shortage, and gradually developing engine degradation.

The difference between a precautionary and a forced landing is that in the former case the crew may choose to continue the flight (at least for a time) while in the latter case there is no such option.

Precautionary landings are often made at an aerodrome although this is not always the case. Sometimes landing in a field (and accepting there will be damage to the aircraft) is preferable to trying to reach an aerodrome (and risk to be forced to land on worse terrain).

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