Flying Lesson # 14 - Landings
I think I can I think I can I think I can, DAMN IT, I know I CAN....
Sunday flight lesson started out with a new aviation term - closed traffic: Successive operations involving takeoffs and landings or low approaches where the aircraft does not exit the traffic pattern.
There were a lot traffic today. As I reported to ground, I noticed three planes heading to the active runway while another one was taking off. By the time I got to the runway, there was one plane still waiting for clearance. While I was going through my runup checklist, another plane lined up next to me. There was a little crosswind, not as bad as the day before. Today, the challenge was the traffic and landings.
I took off and immediately felt the power of the wind. It was a struggle to maintain best rate climb and direction. Flying in the pattern proved to be quite an obstacle today as I was overwhelmed with the radio activity. There were planes flying right downwind, upwind, crosswind, final....everywhere. I was afraid I might collide with one of those planes as in this unfortunate incident.
First landing - I pitched back too much and we hopped/skipped the landing...
Second landing - see above
Third landing - see above
Frustration !!! getting back in to the traffic pattern, abeaming numbers, watching for a Bonanza flying right downwind traffic, he crosses my wing strut and I can finally make a turn on base...and on to final... to attempt the landings..
Fourth landing - see above
Fifth landing - see above
Sixth landing - see above
Why am I not getting this? I'm supposed to fly nose down, then in ground effect, slowly level off, then slowly.. slowly.. pitch back.....slowly... NOT ABRUPTLY...
7th landing - see above. At this point, I am soo frustrated. 7 landings all ending in a hop/skip because I pitch back too fast and too soon. I can do this.. I know I can do this. My CFI notices my frustration and ask if I want to call it a day. I tell him - "No, one more. I gotta nail this one".
8th landing - slowly, I am feeling the plane flying down from free air into ground effect. I am trying not to rush the landing. I slowly pitch back. I let the plane "float" as long as possible.. and slowly pitch back again, holding firmly back until we land... no hop..or skip. Just a nice smooth contact. YEAH!! I was stoked! I can't wait til next weekend!
hours 15.5
Sunday flight lesson started out with a new aviation term - closed traffic: Successive operations involving takeoffs and landings or low approaches where the aircraft does not exit the traffic pattern.
There were a lot traffic today. As I reported to ground, I noticed three planes heading to the active runway while another one was taking off. By the time I got to the runway, there was one plane still waiting for clearance. While I was going through my runup checklist, another plane lined up next to me. There was a little crosswind, not as bad as the day before. Today, the challenge was the traffic and landings.
I took off and immediately felt the power of the wind. It was a struggle to maintain best rate climb and direction. Flying in the pattern proved to be quite an obstacle today as I was overwhelmed with the radio activity. There were planes flying right downwind, upwind, crosswind, final....everywhere. I was afraid I might collide with one of those planes as in this unfortunate incident.
First landing - I pitched back too much and we hopped/skipped the landing...
Second landing - see above
Third landing - see above
Frustration !!! getting back in to the traffic pattern, abeaming numbers, watching for a Bonanza flying right downwind traffic, he crosses my wing strut and I can finally make a turn on base...and on to final... to attempt the landings..
Fourth landing - see above
Fifth landing - see above
Sixth landing - see above
Why am I not getting this? I'm supposed to fly nose down, then in ground effect, slowly level off, then slowly.. slowly.. pitch back.....slowly... NOT ABRUPTLY...
7th landing - see above. At this point, I am soo frustrated. 7 landings all ending in a hop/skip because I pitch back too fast and too soon. I can do this.. I know I can do this. My CFI notices my frustration and ask if I want to call it a day. I tell him - "No, one more. I gotta nail this one".
8th landing - slowly, I am feeling the plane flying down from free air into ground effect. I am trying not to rush the landing. I slowly pitch back. I let the plane "float" as long as possible.. and slowly pitch back again, holding firmly back until we land... no hop..or skip. Just a nice smooth contact. YEAH!! I was stoked! I can't wait til next weekend!
hours 15.5
posted at
4:17 PM
7 Comments:
Sounds like a lot of work, but TONS of fun! Congrats on the smooth landing! :-)
at 11:39 PM
So 8 times is the charm, I guess. Good for you. I love your attitude. Hey tomorrow we release the illustration and lyric. I'm sending you the lyric via e-mail
at 3:50 AM
OH shit. Bud totally took my line. I cannot believe it. I've got nothing left. hehe
I think it's cool you keep trying, never giving up.
at 10:53 AM
Don't you just love that feeling of satisfaction when you do something successfully?
at 12:45 PM
Ayimee -
Sorry I haven't been back for awhile. But I see that patience and determination have ruled the day & you finally kissed the concrete sweetly. Try and remember that feel, how when the seat starts to drop out from under your butt, you add back-pressure to hold the plane off.
Sounds like it was pretty windy too! That always adds to the fun.
Learning to fly is not a PRATICAL exercise, it's something we do because we have a passion for it.
You keep at it as long as you're enjoying it. You will get it, a little bit at a time, until one day it'll seem like it all just clicks!
Took me 60 something hrs before I was ready for my checkride... very few if any do it in just 40.
As for the radio, try practising at home flying round the pattern from the couch.
start from the runnup area and just think about what you're doing and what you'll say..
I'll leave my eMail address, I'm local and if you ever want to ask questions, I'd be happy to help if I can.
at 8:43 AM
Chris! great!!, I could always use more comraderie from other pilots.
at 9:08 AM
Wow...flying lessons. I am not sure I could do that.
Of course, as someone once said, flying is just the art of not crashing...
I'd find a way to crash...
at 1:44 PM
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