Convince me to stick with it . . .

On 12/6/05 10:55 AM, in article , "Gary
G" wrote:

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

I've come to the conclusion that learning comes in plateaus. Usually it
seems like I'm on the verge of jumping to the next plateau just when I think
I suck the most.

Get back in the plane and get ready for the next plateau.
--
Jeff 'The Wizard of Draws' Bucchino

Cartoons with a Touch of Magic�
http://www.wizardofdraws.com

More Cartoons with a Touch of Magic�
http://www.cartoonclipart.com

"GG" == Gary G Gary writes:
GG - Take a couple weeks off and relax?
Yes. Though I would say only a week.

GG - Go fly somewhere else once or twice and
GG see if a different instructor can connect?

Maybe. Can't hurt. Might help because often different instructors
insist on different ways of doing something and maybe that's what you
need.

Something which helped me during landing, and which I didn't learn
until I had a couple hundred hours--speed control. I got an
instructor who really insisted I trim for proper speed in the pattern
and not let it wander about, and it helped landings a lot. However, I
don't think that single bit of advice is quite what you need. Instead
as others have posted, you need for the whole business to click.

Get some good sleep for a few days. The brain does its best learning
during sleep.

On Tue, 06 Dec 2005 21:32:06 GMT, Tauno Voipio
wrote:

It took me 10 hours and 103 landings before
the first solo.

Forty? We *dreamed* of being forty!

I took my first flight lesson at 66. Various problems intervened, but
48 hours dual and 115 landings got me to solo a year later.

It was all fun (well, mostly). Stick with it, Gary!


-- all the best, Dan Ford

email: usenet AT danford DOT net

Warbird's Forum: www.warbirdforum.com
Piper Cub Forum: www.pipercubforum.com
the blog: www.danford.net
In Search of Lost Time: www.readingproust.com

"Gary G" wrote:

- So, ar there some tactics I should consider?

Relax and keep at it. Everyone goes through days like that learning to
land. Make sure your airspeed is right on final.

--
Dan
C172RG at BFM

Gary G wrote:
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
You need to breathe through your eyes during the flare, and wear a
womans garter (rose in front) to keep you distracted. Seriously though
if a landing isn't going well ask you inst. if you can try some
go-arounds. It worked for me. I was more successful with a "do over"
then trying to salvage a landing that is not working. Three years & 350+
landings later they still go haywire from time to time for me. Maybe I
need to get my vasectomy checked?

Gary G wrote:
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 still have days like that... sometimes I'll be doing greasers, and
then all the sudden I'll go up one day and have to call it quits after
two landings before I break the airplane. Hell, my dad still does it
occasionally (at least in our plane), and hes a 10k+ hour ATP... it
happens. Give it a day or two, and you'll be back to normal.

Nothing beats practice and expereince. That you don't have yet. The
only way to get it is to keep on keeping on. In 500 landings you'll be
doing it subconsciously.
--
Gene Seibel
Tales of Flight - http://pad39a.com/gene/tales.html
Because I fly, I envy no one.

Gene Seibel wrote:
Nothing beats practice and expereince. That you don't have yet. The
only way to get it is to keep on keeping on. In 500 landings you'll be
doing it subconsciously.

Nice theory bad practise..
gravity wins when you stop thinking

Gary G wrote:
Sorry - I posted this to the wrong group.
Meant to post to .student

gary
I am also a student pilot who soloed in September. Before that I also
was at the same point you are. I could not get lined up on final I
forgot to watch airspeed and as for the center line forget it I have
been to both sides and even completely off the edge of the runway ( my
cfii had to take over more than once) I also stopped a lesson after
three attempts when I just did not think I was learning anything .
Yes I also did some introspective thinking along the line will I
EVER get this. Yes it souds so simple line up keep the numbers (
airspeed) and flare at the right point to gently touch down.I would
miss an approach and then have my cfii take over and gently land saying
see nothing to it.
Well after bouncing down the runway..... landing HARD nothing like
running out of air speed when 3 or 4 feet up and just plain missing
everyhting I started to get it first one then two then all of a sudden
it just clicked ... I can not explain it but my cfii said all along
stick to it it will come to you. he was right. as a side note it took
me 35 hours to solo. so do not feel bad.
My advice is stick to it. learn from your mistakes and let bad
lessons go much better to be on the ground wishing you were flying
than be flying and wishing you were not. Do not be afraid to say I have
had enough today and know your limits.
Soon you will be past this learning step and look back on it like I
do and chuckle at why did it take so long.

Just a bad day! I am now at about 400 HRS and nearing 900 landings and I still
have those days that it just does not go good on landings. Then one night on a
flight I was sure it was going to be ugly, dark 40 degree x wind gusting 15 to
21 knots. I was glad it was dark and no one would see how bad it would be!
Turned out to be one of the best to my amazement. So you just never know. Keep
up the practice it will get better.

Ron Gardner

Gary G wrote:

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