Landing Streaks

wrote in message
ups.com...
Jay,

You've hit one of those little known areas of science and physics.
Just as tornadoes are caused by mobile homes, any landing other than a
perfect squeaker is caused by the hideous heavy gravity transient.

Nothing you can do about it. Just have to accept it.

All the best,
Rick

Similiar to the gravity storms that tend to hit when I am in the gym?

Mike
MU-2

In article RF%Td.1853$Ze3.1281@attbi_s51,
"Jay Honeck" wrote:

I've noticed something about my landings over the last few years, and
wondered if you folks have had the same experience?


hehe I haul skydivers so I get to make a lot of landings. (just over
5000 in 2900 hours). With that much practice I've gotten where I do
okay putting the airplane on the ground. But every once in a
while....it's a good thing Cessna spring steel gear is so stout!! G

I think someone raises the runway surface....when you're going for the
greaser and inch or two can make a big difference.

--
Dale L. Falk

There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
as simply messing around with airplanes.

http://home.gci.net/~sncdfalk/flying.html

I read an article about the importance of keeeping your
control mechanisms lubricated

That's part of the 100 hour maintenance for PA28s.

For sure. I keep the yoke shafts lubricated (with spray-on silicone spray)
every few flights.

It makes an amazing difference.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

I think someone raises the runway surface....when you're going for the
greaser and inch or two can make a big difference.

Man, you ain't a-kidding. That's EXACTLY what a bad landing feels like to
me. It seems like the ground has inexplicably been raised up about 6 inches
higher than it should be.

With our landing gear on the Pathfinder completely hidden by the low wing,
I've often wondered if, perhaps, the struts had extended more than normal --
although I doubt that would make the landing any more firm.

I'm grasping at straws to explain the mysterious, I know!

:-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

I landed in the twilight the other day. landing into the sun I couldnt
see the runway or gauge the height I was above the surface. I had no
idea whether I was 1 foot or 15 feet above the runway

You know, I've noticed this same phenomenon. When I'm landing into the
setting sun, making it really, really hard to tell where the runway was, I
almost always grease it on.

It's that "feeling for the runway with your butt" technique that seems to
often work best, rather than actually trying to *see* the landing...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Weight?
"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:RF%Td.1853$Ze3.1281@attbi_s51...
I've noticed something about my landings over the last few years, and
wondered if you folks have had the same experience?

After my first 100 hours or so, my landings were pretty consistently okay.
A nice one every now and then, adequate ones the rest of the time. Every
now and then a crosswind landing might stress the gear a bit, but nothing
too horrible.

Around 500 hours, I seemed to master the art of the greaser -- if I
really, really worked at it. Most of the time, my landings would be good,
sometimes great.

Now, some 400 hours later, flying about the same frequency throughout (1 -
2 times per week. Around 100 hours per year), my landings seem to run in
streaks where I will be almost perfect, separated by periods where my
landings are good, but not greasers.

What *is* that?

I don't feel any different. The plane is no different. I'm flying just
as often. Weather conditions are similar. I feel like I'm working the
approach just as hard, and in the same way. Yet, *something* is
different.

For example, right now I'm in a streak of near-perfection. I had
passengers on Wednesday that told me they had never landed so smoothly,
ever. Hell, *I* have never landed so smoothly, ever, as a passenger or a
pilot. I've just been rolling them on, in any wind condition. Yet I know
that two months ago, I had a couple of real clunkers that probably had my
passengers wondering if I was really a pilot.

So, what is this phenomenon? Karma? The stars? Blood pressure? Phase
of the moon? It's frustrating to not be able to break down cause and
effect here -- does anyone else notice this?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:

I'm grasping at straws to explain the mysterious, I know!

Here's another one to hang onto. Seem an opthamologist lately?

George Patterson
I prefer Heaven for climate but Hell for company.

aluckyguess wrote:

Weight?

If Jay's flying Atlas alone, about anything he can throw in tha aircraft by
himself won't change the weight enough to make a difference. That plane's a
hauler.

George Patterson
I prefer Heaven for climate but Hell for company.

One day I was golfing. I had an eagle from 160 yards right in the hole. I
shot an 80 that day I am a 19 handicap. I won all the money. So I took
everyone out we ended up at a pool hall where a 20 man pool tournament was
just starting signed up for it and won I never lost a game. My buddies said
I should go buy a lottery ticket.
It was a weird day I could just see the lines. I remember saying the pro's
must see like this everyday.

Weight?

If Jay's flying Atlas alone, about anything he can throw in tha aircraft
by
himself won't change the weight enough to make a difference. That plane's
a
hauler.

Actually, having two 200 pounders in the back seat *does* make the plane a
smidge easier to flare...

;-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"