Definition
The act of applying additional back-pressure on the elevator control during the landing flare after the initial round-out has been started too high or has bled off too much energy, in an attempt to arrest a developing sink rate before touchdown.
Plain English
Pulling back on the controls a second time during landing because the airplane is dropping toward the runway faster than expected after the first flare.
Context Anchor
Used during the last few feet of landing, especially when correcting a bounce or a fast sink during a three-point landing.
Derivation
Formed from the prefix 're-' meaning 'again' and 'flare,' the nose-up control input used to slow the descent just before touchdown. So 're-flaring' literally means 'flaring again' -- making a second flare input after the first one was insufficient.
Why Pilots Care
Prevents the aircraft from bouncing or ballooning and ensures the tailwheel contacts the surface at the correct low speed and attitude.
Intuition Check
Re-flaring does not mean yanking the nose up. It means smoothly returning the airplane to a controlled landing attitude so it can settle onto the runway.
Example Sentence 1
The student rounded out too high, and as the airplane began to settle, the instructor coached a gentle re-flaring to cushion the touchdown.
Example Sentence 2
Re-flaring too aggressively can cause the nose to rise excessively and risk a stall just above the runway.