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When landing what do the numbers said by the plane's computer mean? They are sometimes followed by retard, retard. Is this the altitude or is this the feet away from the landing point on the runway? Is there a way to know exactly where the plane should land on the runway? I am a complete newbie but love the airplane vids on youtube. Thanks.

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    – Bianfable
    May 8 at 16:34

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Those are height callout, typically based on radar altitude, therefore measuring your height above ground. E.g. for the Airbus A320:

Automatic Call Out

FWC generates synthetic voice for radio height announcement below 2500 feet. These announcements come through the cockpit loudspeakers even if the speakers are turned off.

Predetermined call out

The altitude call out uses the following predetermined threshold:

Table

[...]

RETARD announcement

The loudspeaker announces RETARD at 20 feet or at 10 feet if autothrust is active and one autopilot is in LAND mode.

(Airbus A320 FCOM - Navigation - Radio Altimeter)

For more information on RETARD, see Why does the A350-900 call out to retard at 20 feet above the runway?

The call outs are not always based on radio altitude. E.g. on the Boeing 737 NG the 1000 and 500 call outs are based on barometric altitude above landing field elevation (see this answer for details).

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Why, of course it's assessing the pilot's IQ and medical condition!...

...Either that, or it's calling out the altitude in feet, followed by an instruction to retard thrust levers to idle, which is required for either wheel brakes only stop or thrust reverser deployment.

Most pilots choose to go with the second version, which also allows them to fly again.

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The numbers are the radio altimeter call out - it's a very precise way of measuring height above ground, and the callouts are there to aids the pilots with their situational awareness as they approach the ground.

'Retard' is an airbus specific callout which is instructing the pilots to reduce thrust, as they approach the runway

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The 500, 400, 300, 200, 100, Retard, retard is calling out the altitude. Retard means that the landing autoreverse and spoilers are on.

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    $\begingroup$ "Retard means that the landing autoreverse and spoilers are on." - I disagree... The "retard" callout occurs before touchdown, so it cannot be for either of those. Here is an explanation (by me) of the retard callout. $\endgroup$
    – Aditya Sharma
    May 10 at 22:27
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    $\begingroup$ “Retard” does not mean anything is on, it is a reminder that the thrust is not yet set to idle and needs to be set to idle for the spoilers to activate. $\endgroup$
    – Jan Hudec
    May 12 at 22:19
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    $\begingroup$ There is no such thing as auto-reverse. Spoilers and brakes are automatic based on weight on wheels and thrust setting if armed, but reverse thrust is always actuated directly. $\endgroup$
    – Jan Hudec
    May 12 at 22:21

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