Maybe this has happened to you.

You're on an airliner and the landing is so gentle and smooth that some of the passengers applaud.

It's a nice sentiment, I guess. But I have heard pilots say you actually want to set her down with a bit of authority. You know, a slight thud.

Now perhaps the kind of aircraft, gross weight, runway length and other factors enter into the equation. So maybe there isn't a simple answer to my question.

But I'll go ahead and ask.

Which is the better landing -- the almost imperceptible touchdown or the one that makes it clear you are back on the ground?

(I'll stipulate that you are tempted to go with "What's a good landing? Any one you walk away from.")