When do you start the flare?

Sep 11, 2026

Short final at night, landing light on. When do you start the flare?

AAs you pass the threshold lights

Good instinct, but that's the classic night mistake. The Airplane Flying Handbook (Chapter 11, Night Operations) warns that inexperienced pilots tend to round out too high at night. Crossing the threshold you're still well above round-out height. Option B is the answer.

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BWhen you can see tire marks

Correct. The Airplane Flying Handbook (Chapter 11) says to hold a constant approach descent until the landing light reflects off the runway and the tire marks are clearly visible, then start the round-out and bring the throttle to idle as you touch down. Tire marks work as a cue because you can't resolve them until you're at round-out height.

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CWhen the altimeter reads 20' above field elevation

Reasonable, since night flying does mean relying more on the instruments. But the altimeter isn't precise enough for 20 feet. The round-out is visual. Option B is the answer.

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DWhen you hear the stall warning horn

The horn is not a trigger. It indicates angle of attack and has no relationship to altitude, and it will happily sound at 200’ if you flare too high. You need to rely on visual cues to judge when to flare. Option B is the answer.

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Pick an answer. You can try as many as you like.

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The explanation

B. When you can see tire marks

The handbook's cue

The Airplane Flying Handbook (Chapter 11, Night Operations) says to continue a constant approach descent until the landing light reflects off the runway and the tire marks are clearly visible, then start the round-out. Tire marks work as a cue because you can't make them out until you're down at round-out height.

Why the other cues fail

At night, inexperienced pilots tend to round out too high. Crossing the threshold lights, you're still well above round-out height. The altimeter isn't precise enough to flare at 20 feet, and the stall warning horn reports angle of attack, not height, so it can sound just as easily at 200 feet.

Without a landing light

If the landing light is out, the handbook gives a different cue: start the round-out when the runway lights at the far end appear to rise above the airplane's nose. This scenario has the landing light on, so the tire marks are there to use.

Where to look

Don't fixate on the lit patch just ahead of the airplane. That's how you end up ballooning. The tire marks tell you when to start the round-out, and during it your eyes go down the runway, the same as in daytime.