No two landing are the same..

AKBill

AKBill

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AKBill
I've slowly gotten back in the cockpit after an accident in Oct 2020 damaged my right eye. It's been a long process, I'm legally blind in the right eye. A friend who is a CFI has been flying with me so I can get the sight picture down landing with mono vision.

We have flown twice and have done a bunch of touch and go's. No two landing are the same, but I'm learning each time. So far Joe has not had to take the controls because I'm not coordinated in the landing phase. I have done some nice landings, all have been very smooth.

Joe is also a CFI for float planes and is teaching me what he calls " glass water landings". Set your attitude for landing and hold it, controlling with power until touch down. He said landing on water with a glass finish it is hard to tell how high you are. It may take an extra 1000 feet before you touch down. It's a controlled and smooth landing.

I've been an aircraft owner since 1996 and got my PPL in 1995. Next step is the medical and FR. Feeling good about both. I can safely fly mono vision and look forward to many more years of flying. By the way I'm in my 60's...:lol::lol:
 
Congratulations on getting back into the cockpit!

I don't think stereoscopic vision matters much for flying — we use that kind of depth-of-field mainly for things within or just beyond arm's reach, like when we're grabbing a wrench or a coffee mug. When you're looking at something further away, you're using different cues to judge distances and how fast they're changing, like relative size, angle, blue attenuation, etc.
 
AKBill said:
I've slowly gotten back in the cockpit after an accident in Oct 2020 damaged my right eye. It's been a long process, I'm legally blind in the right eye. A friend who is a CFI has been flying with me so I can get the sight picture down landing with mono vision.

We have flown twice and have done a bunch of touch and go's. No two landing are the same, but I'm learning each time. So far Joe has not had to take the controls because I'm not coordinated in the landing phase. I have done some nice landings, all have been very smooth.

Joe is also a CFI for float planes and is teaching me what he calls " glass water landings". Set your attitude for landing and hold it, controlling with power until touch down. He said landing on water with a glass finish it is hard to tell how high you are. It may take an extra 1000 feet before you touch down. It's a controlled and smooth landing.

I've been an aircraft owner since 1996 and got my PPL in 1995. Next step is the medical and FR. Feeling good about both. I can safely fly mono vision and look forward to many more years of flying. By the way I'm in my 60's...:lol::lol:
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That's great. Welcome back to the sky. So uh, are you thinking about float planes now?
 
So you need a SODA ride now?

And, glad you’re doing well!
 
luvflyin said:
That's great. Welcome back to the sky. So uh, are you thinking about float planes now?
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Ha, ha now that is something to laugh about. I have been asking Santa for a float plane for years. Guess the elves just don't enough time to build one for me..:rolleyes:
 
Zeldman said:
Holy cow you are old.!! :lol::lol:
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Good thing I feel better than I look...:rolleyes:

Rushie said:
So you need a SODA ride now?

And, glad you’re doing well!
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Thanks, it is hard but I am doing well. Lately the hardest thing is traveling to Seattle for follow up appointments with the doctor every month. COVID has made travel uncomfortable not to mention I very much dislike commercial air travel.

Basic Med works for the physical and no SODA ride is needed...:)
 
David Megginson said:
Congratulations on getting back into the cockpit!

I don't think stereoscopic vision matters much for flying — we use that kind of depth-of-field mainly for things within or just beyond arm's reach, like when we're grabbing a wrench or a coffee mug. When you're looking at something further away, you're using different cues to judge distances and how fast they're changing, like relative size, angle, blue attenuation, etc.
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Thanks for the well wish. My depth perception is defiantly off a bit. When I park the car I'm always stopping 3 to 4 feet short of were I think I am. When flying I flare early and need to feel my way to the runway
 
It's great to hear you are making progress, Bill. I remember when your accident occurred, and the uncertainty about your ability to recover was an unknown monster.

It is wonderful to hear you are back in the air. Congratulations.
 
:cheerswine:

Good deal sir! Don't fret the landings as it can take a long time to learn to do them right. How long before a pilot gets them right? I can't rightly say as I'm still working on it! :biggrin:
 
Did not read all responses, but agree no two landings are the same.
We don’t really land the airplane, we just put the airplane in a position to land. The rest is in God’s hands.
 
AKBill said:
Good thing I feel better than I look...:rolleyes:

Thanks, it is hard but I am doing well. Lately the hardest thing is traveling to Seattle for follow up appointments with the doctor every month. COVID has made travel uncomfortable not to mention I very much dislike commercial air travel.

Basic Med works for the physical and no SODA ride is needed...:)
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Ah, didn’t think of that. Cool! I hear you about travel with covid. Don’t get me started. Also agree commercial travel in general. The only thing I don’t hate about it is how the pilots actually fly the planes. All the rest, from TSA to gate to sardine packaging to waiting to deplane is nearly intolerable. But the pilots always give a good ride and “great” landing.
 
That's really cool. You probably know, you are most definitely not alone. Anywho, best of luck with your medical. Really admire your making it happen.
 
Fellow monocular pilot here. You'll get there. I think the loss of depth perception is what gives most people trouble. Eventually, your brain will develop a method of depth perception. I don't know how, but it works. And it's not as good as real, binocular depth perception, but it works.

And if someone gives me grief about my landings, I tell them to try it with one eye. :D
 
Over the years that I have been a CFI, I have taught several monocular students to fly. Including a SODA flight with a FAA examiner in the back seat. The bottom line is a monocular vision pilot can land as well as a bi-ocular pilot, and you already realize you just need to practice a few more landings until you "get it".
Hang in there.
 
donjohnston said:
Fellow monocular pilot here. You'll get there. I think the loss of depth perception is what gives most people trouble. Eventually, your brain will develop a method of depth perception. I don't know how, but it works. And it's not as good as real, binocular depth perception, but it works.

And if someone gives me grief about my landings, I tell them to try it with one eye. :D
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If I closed an eye landing, I think the biggest challenge for me wouldn't be loss of depth perception (which doesn't help much past a couple of arms' lengths away anyway) but lost of peripheral vision on one side, since we rely so much on that to judge the flare. Did you find that challenging?
 
Can't say. I've never flown with two good eyes so I don't have a baseline to judge from.

I'm just guessing that it's a depth perception issue since. I would think that peripheral vision out one eye (especially the left eye) would be sufficient. But I don't know.
 
Bill, I agree with others, binocular vision is not a very important factor at longer distance. The view out the side window as you flare can be the most important cue, either single or double ocular. Part of your distance errors parking is a heightened concern for error, which causes a heightened margin for error to creep into our brains.

Fine to hear that you are taking a cautious approach, flying with an instructor who is actively working WITH you is important. Best wishes for your return to sole and safe flight.
 
Hey, has anyone said "no two landings are the same" yet?


Keep at it Bill, it will come. Look at how far you've come already.
 
Tapestes said:
That's really cool. You probably know, you are most definitely not alone. Anywho, best of luck with your medical. Really admire your making it happen.
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Understood on definitely being alone flying mono vision, I'm just trying to be conservative. Don't want to break anything or hurt somone..:)

donjohnston said:
Fellow monocular pilot here. You'll get there. I think the loss of depth perception is what gives most people trouble. Eventually, your brain will develop a method of depth perception. I don't know how, but it works. And it's not as good as real, binocular depth perception, but it works.

And if someone gives me grief about my landings, I tell them to try it with one eye. :D
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Thanks Don, so far I have done well. Sure glad I have a friend to help me with baby steps..:rolleyes:

A1Topgun said:
Over the years that I have been a CFI, I have taught several monocular students to fly. Including a SODA flight with a FAA examiner in the back seat. The bottom line is a monocular vision pilot can land as well as a bi-ocular pilot, and you already realize you just need to practice a few more landings until you "get it".
Hang in there.
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Me and the CFI until I feel 100% with what I am doing. No other options in my opinion. It would be sad to sell the Sport after owing it since 1996. Time will tell.

David Megginson said:
If I closed an eye landing, I think the biggest challenge for me wouldn't be loss of depth perception (which doesn't help much past a couple of arms' lengths away anyway) but lost of peripheral vision on one side, since we rely so much on that to judge the flare. Did you find that challenging?
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So far the depth perception is off enough it matters. The peripheral vision has not come into play as you are to high when you thing the wheels should touch down.

steingar said:
There are but three rules to making great landings every time.

Problem is no one knows what they are.
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You got a big chuckle out of me as well as Tami on the rules..
 
Here's a thought — can you land the OK on your computer sim? That's a mono view for everyone (unless they're wearing 3D or VR goggles).

Full-motion flight sims — from the Redbird up to the big airline ones — are also flat view. Pilots using those have no depth of field out the window, even with binocular vision, but they're allowed to use them to train and qualify for ratings.
 
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