Learn when to reduce thrust to idle during the landing flare, with practical timing for light aircraft, jets, turboprops and autothrottle.
In aviation and real-world flying, reduce thrust or power smoothly during the flare so it reaches idle just before or as the main wheels touch down. Light aircraft often start during the round-out; transport jets usually start at flare initiation. The aircraft’s approved procedure, not a universal radio altitude, sets the exact timing.
Should thrust be idle before touchdown?
For a normal landing, thrust should normally be at idle by main-wheel touchdown, but it need not be idle before the flare starts. Maintain the required approach power until the round-out or flare, then make a smooth reduction while using pitch to establish the landing attitude.
Crossing the runway threshold is not, by itself, an instruction to close the thrust levers. A transport jet may cross the threshold at about 50 feet with approach thrust still set, whereas a light piston aeroplane may already be reducing power as its round-out begins. Correct timing depends on arriving with stable speed and sink rate; our guide to controlling approach speed and landing energy covers that earlier part of the sequence.
| Aircraft or technique | Usual idle cue | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Light piston aeroplane | Close the throttle progressively during the round-out, commonly beginning roughly 10–20 feet above the runway, and reach idle for touchdown. | Closing abruptly while still high, then hauling back to arrest the resulting sink. |
| Transport jet with manual thrust | Begin a smooth retard as the flare starts, often within roughly 20–40 feet depending on type, and reach idle just before touchdown. | Using a memorised height from another aircraft rather than the type’s procedure and visual cues. |
| Airbus A320 with autothrust | Leave the levers in the required approach detent, then move them to idle when the landing procedure and RETARD callout require it. | Leaving the physical levers in the climb detent through touchdown or mistaking the callout for the cue to begin flaring. |
| Turboprop | Select flight idle at the point specified by the aircraft procedure; propeller drag may increase quickly as power comes off. | Selecting beta or reverse while airborne when the aircraft is not approved for it. |
| Soft-field or other specialised landing | Power may be retained through initial wheel contact when the approved technique specifically calls for it. | Applying the normal idle-by-touchdown rule to a procedure designed around residual power. |
Those heights are broad context, not target callouts. The POH, AFM, flight crew manual and operator procedure for the exact aircraft always take precedence.
Why does idle timing vary by aircraft?
Aircraft response, landing technique and conditions determine how quickly the power should come off. A light aeroplane reacts quickly to a throttle change, a heavy jet retains considerable momentum, and a turboprop can develop substantial drag as its propellers move towards flight idle.
- Energy and configuration: A fast or lightly configured aircraft will float if thrust remains on; a slow aircraft with full landing flap may sink sharply after an early reduction.
- Engine response: Jet engines need time to spool up again, so an abrupt early retard leaves little margin to correct a developing hard landing.
- Wind: Gust procedures may require an approach-speed additive and a slightly later or slower reduction. Do not chase every gust with rapid lever movements in the final few feet.
- Landing technique: Short-field, soft-field and some tailwheel techniques have their own power schedules rather than one universal flare rule.
The objective is not an arbitrary idle height. It is to remove the remaining thrust without creating excessive sink or carrying surplus energy down the runway.
What happens if I reduce thrust too early or too late?
Reducing thrust too early increases sink and speed decay; reducing it too late causes float and consumes runway.
- Too early: The aircraft drops into the flare, requiring extra pitch or a measured addition of power. Aggressive back-pressure can produce a balloon, tail strike or stall close to the runway.
- Too late: The aircraft floats beyond the intended touchdown zone or lands fast. On some jets, thrust levers left above idle can also delay ground-spoiler deployment or other landing systems.
- Too abruptly: Chopping the power can create a sudden sink-rate change, especially in high-drag configurations. Retard the control positively but smoothly.
If a small correction cannot restore a normal landing attitude and touchdown point, go around. Do not force a floating aircraft onto the runway or use an excessive flare to rescue an early power reduction. We explain the pitch, power and sink-rate relationship further in our advice on timing smoother simulated landings.
What if autothrottle or autothrust is engaged?
With autothrottle or autothrust engaged, follow the aircraft’s landing mode and monitor the flight-mode annunciations rather than moving the levers by habit. Some Boeing-type systems automatically command retard in an approved landing mode, while Airbus autothrust changes commanded thrust without physically moving the levers.
On an A320, the normal RETARD callout reminds the pilot to move the thrust levers to idle; it does not mean that the levers have moved themselves. Our explanation of A320 thrust-lever detents and cockpit indications clarifies this distinction. Callout and automatic-retard behaviour can differ by aircraft and landing mode, including autoland, so do not transfer one model’s radio-altitude cue to another.
Monitor that thrust is actually reducing and use the type-specific procedure if automation does not behave as expected. Reverse is a separate ground-roll action, not part of the flare; follow the correct sequence for using reverse thrust after touchdown.