Way too early to throw in the towel....you're just getting started. Did you
run into someone in the airport coffee shop who told you that s/he soloed in
10 hours? 15? Who are you comparing yourself to?

KIck back, take on one problem at a time, and try to put them in context.
Not starting abeam the numbers every time? Horrors! Can't find that in the
regulations or practical test standards. Whatever "errors" are made at that
point are easily corrected further down the road, so don't sweat it.

As I understand it, you get to the final approach leg more or less
satisfactorily. At that point you are, what, a mile out? A minute at a
nominal 60 knot groundspeed? A whole minute available for you to use as you
wish? Fine. Establish a power setting of your choice, with a little help
from the POH. Configure the airplane for landing (flaps). You should be able
to see the desired landing spot directly over the nose. Trim, Check your
airspeed and adjust the power accordingly. Trim. Watech how "the spot" moves
on the windshield...if it moves up the runway, you will overshoot and
should re-adjust power. Trim. If it moves off of the runway surface into the
grass or whatever, you will land short and should add a touch of power.
Trim. You should be able to take your hands off of the yoke at any time
without having the airspeed change. While doing all this, remember that good
landings are slow landings and that you should avoid being too fast.

When you pass over the end of the runway you should be no more than ten feet
up, max. Pitch up to level flight and pull the power off. Now the airplane
has lots of aerodynamic drag and no power. What is going to keep it flying?
Kinetic energy, but that is ebbing fast and the nose wants to drop. Pick it
up to level flight again and repeat the process. As you feel the airplane
sink, and you will, make the front of the cowling just obscure the far end
of the runway and wait for the wheels to touch. If you drift sideways, add a
touch of aileron into the wind and keep the airplane straight with opposite
rudder.

Didn't land on the centerline? I can remember my instructor hounding me
about that when I was working on my ATP, but not when I was a student pilot.
Sure, it's a laudable goal, but if you land to one side or the other the
world will not stop revolving.

Only one of your thoughts I go along with is taking a flight or two with
another instructor.

Bob Gardner


"Gary G" wrote in message
...
OK, I had just about "2 steps backward" day yesterday flying.

We're just focussing on pattern and landing.
I'm fine on everything. then after the turn to final,
things start falling apart.
Holy crap!
In fact, I did so bad, I called it quits after 3 times
around. I was just completely flustered and embarassed.

I'm not 100% starting abeam the numbers, not getting the
plane setup right - but I generally make up for that.

I correct a bit on base and final for "high/low fast/slow",
but still have a few issues getting the right airspeed.

By short final, I'm not on the centerline, can't quite
get back on, and then blow the flare, and things go goofy.

OK - I've read the posts before. But now I'm just about
to the solo point, and am feeling that I'm not having any
fun now.
I am embarassed by my peformance.

- So, ar there some tactics I should consider?
- Take a couple weeks off and relax?
- Take some time to read and review some videos?
- Go fly somewhere else once or twice and see if a different
instructor can connect?
- Take clarinet lessons with Squidward?
- Get a vasectomy?

I'm really frustrated today and haven't even booked another flight
because I'm pretty underconfident at the moment.

OK-the boilerplates.
About 18 hours flying.
About 42-45 landings (although I figure the first 10 or so don't count
as they are just still in the "what the hell is an airplane" phase -
ha!)

Thanks and regards,

Gary