Definition
The moments during landing when an aircraft's wheels first make contact with the runway surface. In flight training, the plural form usually refers to multiple landings performed during a lesson or practice session, each one counted as a separate touchdown.
Plain English
The points where the wheels first touch the runway when landing. When pilots talk about touchdowns in training, they usually mean the number of landings made during a flight.
Context Anchor
You will see this term in landing practice, flight instructor feedback, and discussions of how consistently a student lands the aircraft.
Why Pilots Care
Smooth, controlled touchdowns are essential for safe landings and indicate pilot proficiency.
Intuition Check
In aviation, a touchdown is not a sports score or just any contact. It is the aircraft’s first contact with the landing surface during a landing.
Example Sentence 1
During the lesson, the student completed six touchdowns in the traffic pattern, each one smoother than the last.
Example Sentence 2
The instructor watched for any bounce after the main-gear touchdowns.