Leszállás

Leszállás is the act of bringing a vehicle from flight to the surface. In Hungarian usage, the term is most common in aviation to denote the touchdown of aircraft, but it is also used in spaceflight to refer to the moment a vehicle returns to a planetary surface or body of water. In broader contexts, leszállás can indicate the end of a mission or operation.

In civil aviation, a typical landing consists of an approach, descent, final approach, and touchdown on a prepared runway. The crew coordinates with air traffic control and uses navigation aids such as ILS, RNAV, or visual approaches. After landing, braking and deceleration bring the aircraft to taxi speed. Emergency landings (kényszerleszállás) may be required due to engine failure, medical reasons, or adverse weather. Landings are influenced by weather, wind, runway condition, and aircraft weight.

In spaceflight and rocketry, leszállás denotes the controlled return of a vehicle from space to a surface, which may be achieved by propulsion-based touchdown, landing legs, or parachutes, and can occur on land or at sea. Recovery operations and safety procedures are a critical part of mission design, and spacecraft may employ splashdowns at sea or precise landings on solid ground depending on the system.

Etymology and usage: the word forms from the prefix le- and szállás, and in Hungarian technical registers leszállás is the standard term for landing. It is complemented by context-specific compounds such as leszállási művelet or kényszerleszállás.