Hard landing
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The term hard landing is used to describe an especially rapid or steep descent. The term is commonly used in aviation, in the literal sense, and in economics, in a metaphorical sense.
[edit] Aviation
Landing is the final phase in flight where the vehicle returns to the ground. A hard landing occurs when the vehicle impacts the ground with a greater speed and force than in a normal landing. Hard landings can be caused by weather conditions, mechanical problems, pilot decision and/or pilot error. The term hard landing usually implies that the pilot still has total or partial control over the vehicle, as opposed to an uncontrolled descent into terrain (a crash) which usually results in the destruction of the vehicle. Hard landings can vary in seriousness from simply causing mild passenger discomfort to situations resulting in serious vehicle damage and loss of life.
The term hard landing can also be applied to helicopter landings after engine failure. A helicopter can often return to the ground after engine failure more safely than a fixed-wing aircraft provided that the rotor(s) are still intact and free to turn. Unpowered helicopter rotors exhibit autorotation in which airflow over the rotors keeps them turning and provides buoyancy and limited pilot control during descent. An unpowered descent, which is also called an autorotation, requires considerable pilot skill and experience to safely execute. Autorotations can also be impeded by obstructions on the ground.
The U.S. Defense Department uses the term hard landing as a euphemism for situations where combat helicopters are forced to land due to mechanical failure and/or damage caused by hostile fire but where the vehicle is not destroyed in flight and some or all of the passengers survive the landing.
[edit] Economics
When applied to general economic conditions, a hard landing is used to describe an economy going into recession as the government attempts to slow down inflation. [[1]] It is distinguished from a soft landing, which involves a rate of economic growth high enough to avoid recession, but slow enough to avoid high inflation. [[2]] The criteria for distinguishing between a hard and soft landing are numerous and subjective.
The terms hard and soft landing can also be used to describe market price or value decreases, with a soft, slow and controlled decrease generally considered more desirable than a hard, rapid and unpredictable crash in value.
