h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Great entry! It brought back some exciting memories.
I was a C-123 pilot in the RVN. I arrived in Saigon (19th Air Commandos)just after TET and Khe Sahn. We practiced the approach while in training at Hurlburt Field in Florida.
Our procedure was to fly level toward the runway at 2000' or 3000' depending on the ground threat. As we approached the end we would configure the aircraft(landing gear down and flaps in the landing position)and slow down to approach speed. When the runway disappeared under the nose, we would close the throttles and nose over. That "old" C-123 would really drop. The trick was when to start out your "round out" and add a little power. Too soon you would land long, and too late, you would smash into the runway.
I was in RVN about six months when the USAF issued an emergency change to increase our approach speeds. It seems that no one took into consideration that the recently installed jets hanging under the wings would have an effect on the approach procedure. I can remember several "hard" landings and personally decided to fly a little faster then the standard speed.
WPB