Definition
A landing fault in which the airplane touches down and then leaves the runway again because it contacted the surface with excess vertical speed or a high angle of attack, causing the landing gear to compress and rebound and the wings to momentarily produce more lift than weight. The airplane re-enters the air at low speed and a nose-high attitude, requiring prompt corrective action to prevent a hard second touchdown or a porpoise.
Plain English
When an airplane hits the runway too hard or at the wrong angle on landing, it springs back into the air instead of staying down. The pilot then has to recover and either land again gently or go around.
Context Anchor
Encountered during landing practice, especially during the flare and touchdown portion of a landing.
Derivation
From the everyday verb meaning to spring back after striking a surface. In aviation it captures the precise rebound of the airplane off the runway after wheel contact.
Why Pilots Care
A bounce can leave the airplane airborne again at low airspeed and poor attitude, often resulting in a hard second touchdown, loss of directional control, or runway excursion.
Analogy
It is like dropping a ball onto the floor: if it hits with enough force or at the wrong angle, it does not stay down—it comes back up.
Grounding Statement
During a bounce, the airplane is no longer firmly on the runway, so the pilot must treat it as a flying airplane again.
Intuition Check
Bouncing does not mean the airplane simply feels rough on the runway. It means the airplane has actually rebounded back into the air after touching down.
Example Sentence 1
After bouncing on the first touchdown, the student added power, held the landing attitude, and settled the airplane onto the runway smoothly.
Example Sentence 2
After the bounce the pilot added power and executed a go-around rather than forcing the airplane back onto the runway.