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It never fails...

oldbaldguy

Registered User
You know it never fails to amaze me how things turn out. A couple of weeks ago me and the spousal unit loaded up the 12 and ventured over into a neighboring state to attend a fly-in at a nice little grass strip. We arrived without much ado, but when it came to be our turn to land, I got buck fever or something when I saw the fifty or so folks sitting in lawn chairs along the side of the runway. My landing was so abysmal that people I didn't even know were embarrassed for me. When it came time to leave, I announced over unicom that I hoped to depart with more grace than I had displayed when landing and promptly taxied into a hole and had to shut down to get the airplane out of it. Then the other evening, I pulled the 12 out of the hangar and went aviating for no other reason than the pure joy of it. On the way back home, I paid particular attention to unicom and discovered that nobody was around but me, so I announced that I would make a low approach to 19 with a mid-field break, which I executed with notable alacrity at a blistering 100 indicated. I kept the turn coming around until the flare when both wheels scirched at exactly the same instant. Then I held forward pressure on the stick until the tail came down all by itself nanoseconds before the airplane stopped rolling just as the sun slipped below the horizon. The perfection of the moment startled even me. The irony here is that there was not another living soul anywhere on the airport to see it -- I know, because I got on my bicycle and rode around looking for people. I couldn't even find the airport cat!
 
OBG...

With a story like that we need to make you "President of the Club".

Wish I had a nickel for every time I impressed myself only to find I was alone!

Lou
 
I just came in from two landings on the home field. About 10 people standing around watching plus 2 students and a instructor. I did worse that either of the students who had made 12 each landings getting ready to solo.
The first landing was a 4 bouncer and the next was a 3. For that I should get membership at least.
 
oldbaldguy said:
You know it never fails to amaze me how things turn out. A couple of weeks ago me and the spousal unit loaded up the 12 and ventured over into a neighboring state to attend a fly-in at a nice little grass strip. We arrived without much ado, but when it came to be our turn to land, I got buck fever or something when I saw the fifty or so folks sitting in lawn chairs along the side of the runway. My landing was so abysmal that people I didn't even know were embarrassed for me. When it came time to leave, I announced over unicom that I hoped to depart with more grace than I had displayed when landing and promptly taxied into a hole and had to shut down to get the airplane out of it. Then the other evening, I pulled the 12 out of the hangar and went aviating for no other reason than the pure joy of it. On the way back home, I paid particular attention to unicom and discovered that nobody was around but me, so I announced that I would make a low approach to 19 with a mid-field break, which I executed with notable alacrity at a blistering 100 indicated. I kept the turn coming around until the flare when both wheels scirched at exactly the same instant. Then I held forward pressure on the stick until the tail came down all by itself nanoseconds before the airplane stopped rolling just as the sun slipped below the horizon. The perfection of the moment startled even me. The irony here is that there was not another living soul anywhere on the airport to see it -- I know, because I got on my bicycle and rode around looking for people. I couldn't even find the airport cat!

OBG-

I will add you to the list of candidates for the coveted CD award.

-young bald guy.
 
I have met about one pilot in my life so far that is happy with his/her landings other than me. I'm perfectly happy with my landings. Do I sometimes make it more challenging than it needs to be? Sure! Does the crowd sometimes dive for cover? Sure! I know EXACTLY what it takes to make landings better - purposeful practice (this is not to be confused with doing the wrong thing over and over again in hopes that it will eventually get better). If I was unhappy, I'd fix it.

I have close to 1000 hours of instructing in taildraggers - not a lot by old geezer standards, but enough that I have noticed a few things. One thing that is universally true in taildraggers and nosedraggers is that pilots who make inconsistent landings (one good, two bad, etc), are looking in the wrong place for the information they need, and usually, their gaze is transfixed over the nose of the airplane - rather than gathering triangulation information from the sides of the plane. They look over the nose and say, "Huh, I wonder how high I am off the ground?".

If you fly a J3, or better yet, a bushwheel equipped Super Cub from the rear seat with a person in front of you for a few hours, you will find that you will soon be making great greasers because you are forced to use information other than looking over the nose to complete the landing and you will be cognizant of your HAT - height above terrain - which is everything in a good landing.

If you are so tense that you can't un-glue your eyes from straight ahead, you need more practice.

And one last thing: RELAX! NOBODY CARES! Everybody that has flown has made a crappy landing. The old guy without a medical who last flew 30 years ago and talks like God's gift to aviation has made more of them than anyone - he has just let those memories fade, and remembers all the perfect ones - Both of them.

Oh sorry, this is REALLY the last thing: Bad landings seem way worse INSIDE the plane than outside. Many of them are undetectable to the outside world. There are exceptions, and certainly I can demonstrate them myself, but by and large, it was not as bad as you think it was unless you are talking to the FAA afterward.

sj
 
A good landing is any one you can walk away from.... A great one if you can use the airplane again :D
 
My dad is one of those good lander guys. My buddy and I, who at the time were flying about three times a week, were standing near the runway watching my dad. Dad hadn't even sat in a Skywagon in 20 years, yet he comes in and greases a wheel landing right in front of us. And for good measure, goes around and does it again.

I look over at my buddy and notice that both of us are looking at our shoes with heads hung in shame and embarrassment. :oops: :oops:

The 'ol man must have been practicing 'good' technique in his formative years.

Joe
 
Hey Tony

I'm heading out to give her a spin in about ten minutes! Pop flew her up to Tok yesterday, he's loving that engine. Finally getting the ball rolling on the ratings, feels good.

Joe
 
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