Landing Streaks

On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 14:25:53 GMT, "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?

snip
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?

if you concentrate too hard your muscles tense up and your reflexes go
to pot. relax by just the right amount and it comes so much easier.

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 so I poled
forward gently in the hopes that I'd hit a shadow change and be able
to see something. The wheels touched and I thought bounced me back in
the air so I just eased the stick back and back until eventually the
tailwheel made contact. still couldnt gauge my height so I just waited
with the stick full back until the mains touched again.
eventually I realised that I couldnt possibly be flying at the low
rollout speed.
unknown to me back in the clubhouse 2 guys are watching my landing.
unknown to me the mains kissed the bitumen without so much of a skip
stayed glued and rolled along the bitumen.
I'm told the conversation was like this.
"gees I wish I could land like that"
"yeah he does that all the time"
"I've never seen him bounce it"
"yeah he's one of our most proficient pilots, he lands it like that
all the time"
....which is absolute horse hockey! occasionally I hit a rotor or a
gust at touchdown and really work the wittman springs for all they are
worth. ...evidently that goes unobserved.
anyway I explained what actually happened to one guy, that it was an
absolute arsy fluke and I could just as easily have broken the
aircraft. to no avail it seems. the legend has begun to circulate the
tea pots and coffee cups on the airfield and is unstoppable.
I only hope that one day I'm as good a pilot as they have convinced
themselves I am.
good grief. the things you observe on an airfield. :-)

Stealth Pilot

Flying a taildragger you use your peripheral vision to determine height
above the runway. Over the nose is used to gauge pitch attitude.

Stealth Pilot wrote:
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 so I poled
forward gently in the hopes that I'd hit a shadow change and be able
to see something. The wheels touched and I thought bounced me back in
the air so I just eased the stick back and back until eventually the
tailwheel made contact. still couldnt gauge my height so I just waited
with the stick full back until the mains touched again.

I follow the camp that says tension is the culprit. I just recently
did a renter's check ride in a 172 at Camarillo, CA (CMA). The check pilot
(a CFI) had me do 3 T&Gs, in addition to the other stuff. They were okay,
but just okay. My personal gauge said they were not very good landings.
Later on in the day, I absolutely greased four in a row.... with the right
seat empty. I really think it had to do with trying too hard. Forcing the
skill, so to speak.

Casey Wilson wrote:
I follow the camp that says tension is the culprit. I just recently
did a renter's check ride in a 172 at Camarillo, CA (CMA). The check pilot
(a CFI) had me do 3 T&Gs, in addition to the other stuff. They were okay,
but just okay. My personal gauge said they were not very good landings.
Later on in the day, I absolutely greased four in a row.... with the right
seat empty. I really think it had to do with trying too hard. Forcing the
skill, so to speak.

When training for the PP I usually always greased them when I was solo, no
so much when with an instructor. Even now, (with a commercial and multi-engine
rating) I still think my landings are alot better by myself Vs when I'm with
a safety pilot (or instructor) when I'm practicing instrument approaches.

I think its just a normal psyche-karma-thingy that causes my nerves to
operate at an elevated state when I feel like I'm being observed or "graded".
:^O Its just human nature.

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"