flare

The crew reduces the rate of descent in the last few feet, trading airspeed for a gentle arrival on the main gear. Too little and the landing is firm; too much and the aircraft floats down the runway.

This term does not auto-link inside captions, for two reasons: "flare" is ordinary English, and in a photography caption it far more often means lens flare — which has its own entry.

Nearby in Aviation

• final approach — The last leg of an approach, flown aligned with the runway and descending towards it.
• flaps — Hinged panels at the trailing edge of the wing that extend to increase lift and drag for takeoff and landing.
• flight level — An altitude expressed in hundreds of feet on the standard altimeter setting, used above the transition altitude.
• freighter — An aircraft configured to carry cargo rather than passengers.