Editing Openai/694a9b2d-79f8-800c-9451-257cafb29b30 (section)

===== 1. Oleo struts change the touchdown objective =====

Piper’s oleo gear is designed to:
* Absorb vertical energy
* Convert sink into stroke
* Reduce rebound

So the goal becomes:

: Arrive with a controlled sink rate, not zero lift.

In contrast, a Cessna’s spring steel gear:
* Stores energy elastically
* Gives it right back if you touch with excess lift or pitch
* Punishes over-flare with a skip or balloon

You instinctively adapted:
* Cessna: land at the edge of the stall
* Piper: land slightly above stall, flatter attitude

That’s textbook airframe-specific technique.