P-2 Tanker (T-48) Landing

The same person, Kyler Boylan , who posted the video on youtube of T-48 taking off also posted the above video on T-48 landing. Recall the article here where my friend G who was a P-2 tanker captain provided some commentary on that video. G does the same for this video on T-48 landing. Remember that there is no audio on the video, so G is only providing commentary on what he is seeing in the video. Also, tanker captains may run t heir cockpits a little differently.

This is a normal landing, both recips are running, so there are no extraordinary measures in place.

0:13 - CP is flying with both hands on the yoke. He reaches up to adjust the throttles with left hand. Goes back to flying with both hands. These aircraft are heavy on the controls, so it usually takes
two hands to maneuver the yoke.

0:18 - P reaches up to advance the prop lever to increase RPM. If the props are not brought forward, they should be pushed full up on touchdown for the upcoming reversing of the props.

On landing, the pilot takes the throttles, reaches ahead of the throttles and grabs the reversing handles. The copilot reached overhead and hits the reverse override, which allows the props to reverse even if the squat switches in the landing gear are not fully made yet. He also takes the yoke to hold the nose wheel on the runway to improve the hydraulic steering response.

If this were a single engine landing, the pilot flying would be manipulating only one recip throttle. The jets would be online and the non-flying pilot would be handling the jet throttles for use as necessary on the  command by the flying pilot. The jets would be ordered off on short final when the landing is safely assured.