12 Hr update

Well, reality bites!

 

3rd Solo yesterday and a flaw in my landings became an issue yesterday.

 

I've been having a bit of an issue keeping the plane straight after getting it on the ground. Initial phase of landing and touch down are fine, its the bit immediately after that I was having issues with, ie all wheels on the ground, veering right then harder left as I over corrected.

 

After a couple of landings where I explored both sides of the strip I pretty much lost the last one and exited the strip to the left, hard left! taking a marker cone with me.

 

At no stage was I fearful of getting hurt, more worried about bending the plane.

 

So this morning, back at it with the instructor doing dual circuits. We did a debrief and review of yesterdays circuits and landings and what I though I was doing right and wrong.

 

Early on we worked out that I've been so focussed on getting the plane down smoothly that it was unlikely that I was looking up to the end of the strip, just keeping my eyes fixed about 10m in front of the nose.

 

So we did a couple of landings with a determined effort to look to the end of the strip just at the hold off. The touch downs were heavier than last weeks solos, but the thing just tracked down the middle of the strip.

 

So now I'm back to working on my landings for the next lesson or 2, working on my flare and hold off.

 

Better now than later.

 

Cheers

 

Ross

 

 

Well, reality bites!3rd Solo yesterday and a flaw in my landings became an issue yesterday.

I've been having a bit of an issue keeping the plane straight after getting it on the ground. Initial phase of landing and touch down are fine, its the bit immediately after that I was having issues with, ie all wheels on the ground, veering right then harder left as I over corrected.

 

After a couple of landings where I explored both sides of the strip I pretty much lost the last one and exited the strip to the left, hard left! taking a marker cone with me.

 

At no stage was I fearful of getting hurt, more worried about bending the plane.

 

So this morning, back at it with the instructor doing dual circuits. We did a debrief and review of yesterdays circuits and landings and what I though I was doing right and wrong.

 

Early on we worked out that I've been so focussed on getting the plane down smoothly that it was unlikely that I was looking up to the end of the strip, just keeping my eyes fixed about 10m in front of the nose.

 

So we did a couple of landings with a determined effort to look to the end of the strip just at the hold off. The touch downs were heavier than last weeks solos, but the thing just tracked down the middle of the strip.

 

So now I'm back to working on my landings for the next lesson or 2, working on my flare and hold off.

 

Better now than later.

 

Cheers

 

Ross

Don't be to hard on yourself your still learning. The good thing is your ability to identify the issue quickly and have a plan to overcome it before it becomes a muscle memory action.

 

I to in my lower hours did the same thing not looking far enough down the runway for the flare. That last 50ft of flying is the hardest in my book. As I see it dosnt matter if im just doing circuits over and over again it means im flying and i love it.

 

 

Don't be to hard on yourself your still learning. The good thing is your ability to identify the issue quickly and have a plan to overcome it before it becomes a muscle memory action.I to in my lower hours did the same thing not looking far enough down the runway for the flare. That last 50ft of flying is the hardest in my book. As I see it dosnt matter if im just doing circuits over and over again it means im flying and i love it.

As the stick comes back when you are flaring, it should be a subconscious action to keep the stick coming right back into your stomach. When you land on the mains, momentum will keep you going in the same direction, and looking down the strip helps you sight for the direction. With the stick continuing to come back after touch down, there’s less chance of a gust making the aircraft fly again, and more importantly the elevators are ensuring mnimum weight on the nose wheel so less potential damage on rough strips, and less traction to swerve you sideways before the aircraft slows you down. Think of the nosewheel as just a prop to hold the nose up at taxy speed and at rest.

 

 

Sorry DW, quoted wrong post.

 

 

Well, reality bites!3rd Solo yesterday and a flaw in my landings became an issue yesterday.

I've been having a bit of an issue keeping the plane straight after getting it on the ground. Initial phase of landing and touch down are fine, its the bit immediately after that I was having issues with, ie all wheels on the ground, veering right then harder left as I over corrected.

 

After a couple of landings where I explored both sides of the strip I pretty much lost the last one and exited the strip to the left, hard left! taking a marker cone with me.

 

At no stage was I fearful of getting hurt, more worried about bending the plane.

 

So this morning, back at it with the instructor doing dual circuits. We did a debrief and review of yesterdays circuits and landings and what I though I was doing right and wrong.

 

Early on we worked out that I've been so focussed on getting the plane down smoothly that it was unlikely that I was looking up to the end of the strip, just keeping my eyes fixed about 10m in front of the nose.

 

So we did a couple of landings with a determined effort to look to the end of the strip just at the hold off. The touch downs were heavier than last weeks solos, but the thing just tracked down the middle of the strip.

 

So now I'm back to working on my landings for the next lesson or 2, working on my flare and hold off.

 

Better now than later.

 

Cheers

 

Ross

Relax! And have fun! Sounds like you might be trying too hard to become an expert too quickly. Smile all the way down final :)

 

 

Solo again today ,

 

Doing better. relaxed, having fun keeping it straight and thanks for the encouragement.

 

it seemed like such a huge problem at the time, caused by such a small error in technique.

 

I'm just glad that it seems to have been quick and easy to correct as my ability to control the planes direction after landing was getting worse.

 

Cheers

 

Ross.

 

 

Solo again today ,Doing better. relaxed, having fun keeping it straight and thanks for the encouragement.

it seemed like such a huge problem at the time, caused by such a small error in technique.

 

I'm just glad that it seems to have been quick and easy to correct as my ability to control the planes direction after landing was getting worse.

 

Cheers

 

Ross.

Good instructors no matter how much you pay them, are cheap.

 

 

Hey Ross, what aircraft are you flying?

 

 

Flying a Jab 160.

 

18 hrs to date, back into upper air training - steep turns, advanced stalls, Engine failures etc.

 

I'm having trouble getting the J160 to stall with flaps out - It puts it's nose up, the stall warning buzzes and the nose seems to just stay there, whilst we lose altitude, so more work to do there.

 

Wing drops, climbing stalls, full power stalls I'm OK with. Who would of thought that getting a plane to stall from straight and level could be hard.

 

Instructor says that I just have to be more aggressive with it.

 

Passed my Radio and Area exams though.

 

 

RossK

 

I'm glad I asked, I had the same issue landing the Jab, even controlling the bloody thing taxiing lol. I switched to another Instructors aircraft, Tecnam and had no issues whatsoever. The Jab (for me at least was a lot harder to handle, the instructor said its the way the nose wheel is controlled, single rather than dual?). I am now flying the Jab and ALL is good but I couldn't believe the difference in the on ground handling.

 

 

I think we all go through similar stuff. I was the same in my Sporty. I would get my money's worth and zig zag my way down the entire strip! LOL! Even on take off. You get used to it after a while, but now I have developed a bad habit of cocking up the landings. I used to grease them in, now I just can't seem to get one smooth.

 

More practice required. Oh well.... means more flying required, and that's never a bad thing! ;)

 

 

RPC passed!

 

 

CONGRATS mate! Well done. Remember - you are forever a "student" :)

 

Onward and Upward.

 

 

CONGRATS mate! Well done. Remember - you are forever a "student" :)Onward and Upward.

Yes very much aware of that still, after the flight the CFI does a debrief, to discuss what you did well and what he'd like you to keep aware of, and keep working on.

 

Need to work on getting the nose wheel off the ground earlier during the take off roll and keeping it up longer during the landing roll - and a couple of other minor things, forgot to turn carby heat off on one landing, use cadence braking for short field landings etc.

 

I was very happy with the PFL though, seemed to have all the time in the world, got all my checks done, mayday call, passenger brief, hit my high key and low key spots and the approach was spot on and did my go around at 550ft AGL. Both my instructors hammered it into me that the CFI will give an automatic fail for messing up the PFL, no do overs, one shot at it only.

 

 

Excellent!! Yeah - I am in your boat. Not getting the nose wheel up - AND not holding it up on landing. I have to bash out more circuits. I actually bounced a landing last week, and scared the crap out of myself.

 

Practice Practice Practice.

 

 

Practice Practice Practice.

Ok, so that means I have to fly more, I think I can do that

 

 

ahaha! Yep! That's my mantra!

 

 

Nav Endorsement passed on Sauturday:thumb up:.

 

Was a challenging flight, spent the day dodging rain showers, scudding under clouds and going around hills to avoid high terrain and low clouds. Was pretty hard to stay on track, had to do numerous 1 in 60's, a PFL, prec search, and a diversion whilst trying to recover track after dodging another rain squall. By far my most challenging Nav to date.

 

Where to from here - not sure, I really enjoyed the solo Navs, so just looking forward to flying without feeling like I'm being examined all the time.

 

I will give a plug to my instructor, Matt at YLIL, always encouraging and adapting lessons to challenge me on whatever I was struggling with.

 

Cheers

 

Ross