Landings, or…just getting on the ground
After the previous lesson, I wasn’t expecting what was in store for today, landings! wow, I only had four hours, I thought it was early but it is better to learn early. My instructor also felt that I was doing good enough with previous lessons that I would be alright, and if he felt I wasn’t in flight or if I didn’t feel comfortable it would be his airplane. Lets do this!…..
As usual, after school, got there a little bit early and started on preflight. Went well and went back in to talk with my instructor. Took a look at my logbook and since the winds were light, he told me we would be doing landings. Sweet! I was excited and not really nervous either. I just thought it would be more important to make sure I don’t kick myself in the ass. Started her up, did run up and took off. My take off wasn’t too bad either, just have to tell myself right rudder all the time. I also think my rotation is sloppy at 55, as I feel like like maintaining directional control is more important at the moment. I’ll have to ease into that…
He explained to me in the airplane before we started what would be going on, meh, I wish my instructor would give me more of a briefing, it just makes me fell better and I am sure I would do a little bit better…So, I climbed at 70kts (best angle of climb speed, crap I forget the exact Vspeed! I need a POH!) and turned at 1,100 to the left and kept climbing to 1,500, pattern altitude (MSL). Well, that is what I sort of did, lol, I was a bit all over the place. We got to the 45 entry and turned to the left again. The next part is what gets tricky, maintaining airspeed is a big problem. I trimmed too much and gained too much airspeed. My altitude was OK, but it was still jumping as a result of my pitch adjustments (yes yes, I know that is not how you descend but it is the ballooning effect). I also kept getting too close to the runway. I wasn’t sure if it was wind drift or slipstream or p-factor or what. Once I got to parallel the numbers on the runway, cut RPMs, first notch of flaps and trim for 80 knots. Descending with little time is also nerve wracking for the first time. I was too high the whole time (all day in the airplane). When I would try to cut altitude in base and gain too much airspeed. Then I would turn final too late and turn too wide as a result. Then I would be high and had to cut airspeed and trim for 70 kts in 2 seconds, last flaps and level off as I descended the last 15 feet and try to flare.
It was horrible! It truly is an art! I would flare late, then early I bounced every landing. There isn’t much I could really say more than that it is also a balancing act that takes practice. That is why you’ll do all the maneuvers I have wrote about previously. I think what would also help is slow flight and stalls. I can make all the excuses I want, but I was rushed into being showed how an airplane acts in slow flight to fast. I have since read that in the old days that CFIs would do slow flight, then landings and then see if they could land. If they couldn’t, they would go back to slow flight. Ah well, I’m not trying to complain, it was still fun an very educational. I felt humbled to say the least after that. My brother was watching and making fun of me on the ground. After about five or six landings we headed to the ramp and shut down.
Then…a little kid came running up with his mom to see the airplane. We told him to sit in the cockpit. He was only 2 years old to! It was pretty cool seeing him that young in the airplane. Kind of reminded me of how I was when I was a kid, I loved flying and was always excited with aviation and airplanes.
Pretty good day, I just need more practice and coordination, but it only comes with more time in the airplane.