I've got the (gulp!).... shanks

gibbons

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I flew the Extra Tuesday and made three landings at various airports. Man, was I ever a great pilot! I mean, top of the heap!!! Excellent three point landings, no drift, easy to make the turn off, etc...

Today, however, I made five landings at five different airports and only one could be classified as anything short of a crash. The wind was dead calm but I just couldn't get the hang of it today. I landed too fast, too high, bounced, skidded, and used about 80% of the available runway.

At one of the airports I visited with a couple of guys flying a BeechJet. We laughed about how pilots get into a slump landing and just can't make a good one no matter what. It's the flying equivalent of the shanks in golf. Go figure.

The good news is I've been flying long enough that I don't get frustrated about it, I just find it interesting. I wonder what goes on in a pilot's head that causes a landing slump? Any of you guys or gals go through this?
 
gibbons said:
..... Any of you guys or gals go through this?

No. I never have bad landings. ;)
 
Sure do. Even though it's about the a/c talking to me, sometimes I'm not listening. So I have to go back to the numbers and refind it that way. Sigh.
 
Of course! However, I do have two landings I employ.

First, the me alone or with another pilot landing that is close to stall with power off.

Then, there is a passenger aboard--especially family aboard landing with power and almost no bump on the runway!!

The first kind are a little unpredictable. The second is how family thinks all landing are supposed to be. :yes:
 
Haha,

I actually joked the other day saying that I was on a pretty good streak, i know it will end, but as long as i don't have a passenger in my plane then the streak continues, right? I don't get worked up about it, if i make a bad one i just think, now how did that happend?
 
Usually this happens if I'm not feeling quite well, or am preoccupied. Actions and reactions are just not as quick.
 
I've never had that problem ....then again I don't think I've ever made a good landing:goofy: I have talked to some of my Airline/Corp buds about this same thing and the general conclusion is it just happens. You work through it until your swing gets better. As long as the passengers don't cry or clap after the landing and the plane is usable again I guess its a good landing. By the way I landed at BNA and LIT late late last night and was able to log a total of six landings.
 
Doug R said:
By the way I landed at BNA and LIT late late last night and was able to log a total of six landings.
Well, you ARE flying a corporate aircraft that's as difficult to land as a Pitts. What do you expect? :)
 
While I was reading your post I was thinking golf, as in just when you think you're ready for the tour the very next round brings you right back down. Embarrasing, even.


Whenever I'm practicing landings and it starts to get so I'm not happy with the results I simply leave the patt for some air work or something like that--keeps my mind focused but not on landings. Landings after that are typically very precise.
I saved this for last--one diff 'tween you and me is you self-report not-so-good landings.:D
 
Steve said:
I'm trying to remember when my last "good" landing occurred....

oh yeah, winter of '89...it was a Tuesday...
Depends on what the definition of "good" is.

A CFI friend of mine would always crack me up when flying with him. Basically, his comments about his landings were, "Anybody can make a smooth landing, I just like bouncing it in." He really meant it. He's the same guy who, when getting his multi rating, had the Seminole land itself. He and his CFI both thought the other had the controls and didn't realize what had just happened until well into the roll out.
 
Man, they do come in streaks. But I have to say that some planes are easier than others. The C182 is a real sweetheart as long as you think it through and (as Dr. Bruce says) listen to what she's telling you. The C150 is a real kite and you can finesse her all you like and still get slapped in the face.
 
gibbons said:
We laughed about how pilots get into a slump landing and just can't make a good one no matter what. It's the flying equivalent of the shanks in golf. Go figure. Any of you guys or gals go through this?

Oh yeah!

I've been flying with another instrument student, we've been switching off pilot/safety to build simulated hours. About a month ago, we both hit the shanks at the same time, man, we couldn't buy a good landing between the two of us. It got so bad that the other guy would laugh out loud when the plane clunked down. Man, it was pittiful. Maybe 10 bad landings each...

My last 4-5 landings have been beautiful squeekers, go figure.
 
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