three-point landing

American  

[three-point] / ˈθriˌpɔɪnt /

noun

Aeronautics.

1. an aircraft landing in which the two wheels of the main landing gear and the tail or nose wheel touch the ground simultaneously.

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three-point landing British  

noun

1. an aircraft landing in which the two main wheels and the nose or tail wheel all touch the ground simultaneously

2. a successful conclusion

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Etymology

Origin of three-point landing

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

What TV needs are more bad interviews--unpredictable showdowns that don't glide to a safe three-point landing.

From Time Magazine Archive

The difference between a three-point landing and a one-point landing is that after the first you can fly the plane again.

From Time Magazine Archive

Too many space enthusiasts, says Porter, assume that the descent on the moon would be "a simple . . . perfect three-point landing!"

From Time Magazine Archive

And indeed the three-point landing makes it into Mary and Rhoda, the long-awaited--if ultimately disappointing--movie that revisits one of the most renowned friendships in TV.

From Time Magazine Archive

They made a three-point landing on the outskirts of Capetown, and she told Jem he hadn’t given her anything to say for ten minutes and she wasn’t going to play any more if he didn’t.

From "Go Set a Watchman: A Novel" by Harper Lee