Soloing...

[Unregistered]

This isn't quite a lesson learned, I just wanted to post anonymously. I guess you call it lessons being learned though.

My instructor signed me off about a month and a good 10 hours of dual ago. I did my 3 in the pattern... concentrating on the procedures we'd gone over so many times before. I put the airplane on the ground 3 times sure enough. And I get the impression from my instructor that he's seen MUCH worse than me. Still I'm not happy with my landings.

I've since figured out how to level off/flare properly... or at least how to recognize when I'm leveling too soon and push the nose back down so I don't say "Oh SH*&(" and slam the airplane down hard onto the runway. Actually my last dozen or so landings have been quite smooth in that regard..

But I still scare myself... like today on couple of landings right after touchdown when I had the whole airplane skidding and swerving. Talked to my instructor and we both think I needed more aileron into the wind to correct for the crosswind... the motion was just like when you weathervane into the wind right after takeoff. I just haven't picked up on the right timing/amount of aileron to use and I screw it up. Done that several times. Also 1/3 times I end up like 20' to the right of the centerline.

My home airport has a 100' wide runway so that's not a big deal, but I want to be landing at smaller airports with narrower shorter strips. We also have a shorter 75' runway at my home airport... and I just don't go out when I know the wind is favoring it. I want that extra margin for error until I don't think but KNOW I can set it down on the center line every time.

But right now every time I go to solo I have to almost drag myself out due to nerves. It feels exactly like when I was a teenager asking a girl out. I'm scared, as much of making a fool of myself than anything else, but I want it badly enough and my logical brain is pretty sure I'll be fine. Sure enough I always am, walking away more confident sometimes and less others but learning a little more every time.

I guess this post didn't have a lot of point. Just felt like getting that out... and nobody in my circle of close friends knows a thing about flying and they'd never get it.

 

[LDJones]

Once you go into the level off be careful about going forward with the yoke. Let her level, then catch the sink with additional back pressure

As for aileron into the wind, you only need as much as it takes to not drift. Once on the ground, roll it all in because its losing effectiveness as you're slowing down.

Flew with a student battling the same issues tonight. Hang in there...it will come.

 

[DaleB]

Keep flying! It's the only way you'll get better. And if you're worried about embarrassing yourself with crappy landings, remember two things:

1. You're a student pilot. Student pilots are expected to muff landings, because they're... wait for it... student pilots.
2. Your landings will look FAR worse to you, in the cockpit, than to an observer on the ground. And most people on the ground really aren't watching you land. Well, not closely anyway, unless they hear a screech or see smoke.

What I found very helpful in the flare was to just stop thinking of it as a flare. Level off just above the runway, and try to keep the plane flying as long as you possibly can without the wheels touching. I always tried to plant the thing on the numbers, which led to all manner of disappointing results. If you just try to keep the plane from landing, with no power, you'll slow down, raise the nose and touch down on the mains. The secret is to try to keep it flying - and fail gracefully.

 

[NineThreeKilo]

Look ALL THE WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY

pretend there is a ratchet on the yoke, once you pull back you cant for forward.

 

[warthog1984]

Welcome!

1) Don't be too hard on yourself. We've all had "firm" landings, even if we don't talk about them.

2) Doesn't sound like an aileron issue, sounds like you may be riding the brake(s) during landing and unintentionally swerving.

3) Regarding leveling off too soon: DON'T try to "push" the nose down if you flare high. Instead either maintain but do not increase backpressure and let the plane settle naturally OR if you are running out of pavement... GO AROUND. You are not shooting approaches to a carrier on fumes, you can always execute a missed approach and try again. Don't try to salvage a bad approach/landing, it will not end well.

Remember- the goal isn't to land after every time in the pattern. The goal is to be safe and consistent so that you can land after every Flight.

 

[Geico266]

A good training excerce is to fly down the runway 3-4 feet off the ground in the landing configuration, then transition into a go around. This gives you plenty of time to "see" the landing site picture and get the feel of the plane. Try it!

 

[marcoseddi]

Uy vay The stresses of a student pilot I know all too well. Like everyone said keep going you'll get the hang of it and once you do you'll still wonder because it's a game to land in the head of a pilot, at least I think so. Keep on trucking try to relax although I know it's not easy.

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

I just haven't picked up on the right timing/amount of aileron to use and I screw it up.

It isn't an issue of timing and amount. It will be different every time. You can't plan it ahead of time. Don't try to figure out how much you are using at any given time. Just do whatever it is you have to do to make the airplane stay where you want it to be. Keep the nose pointed down the runway with the rudder, keep it over the center line with the ailerons.

If you are skittering sideways after touchdown, you don't have enough weight on the main gear probably because you didn't hold it off long enough and landed flat.

 

[TommyG]

Don't worry, 1000 hours and not sure many landings, just know its a lot. I still have landings every now and then that just suck. But like others have said, look at the far end of the runway when you level off and about to start the flare.

 

[Shawn]

I...like a lot of other pilot...struggled with the flare/round out/landings and it was frustrating. That was mainly due to most of my early training was in some pretty significant crosswinds...so I was dealing with that in addition to just trying to get the basics down. It wasn't till a calm day that when my instructor wanted to do do other stuff that I said I wanted to take advantage of the good weather and work on landings while not having to worry about the cross wind. Once I got it all nailed in calm wind it clicked a lot better in a cross wind...now heavy cross winds are no problem once I got the basics down!

Most of my good landings were when I wasn't working on landings...just coming in from a run somewhere. When i "work" on landings...I over think it!

My landings still suck overall most of the time but hey...its a license to learn!

 

[TMetzinger]

not much to add except the "3 feet above the runway" is a great exercise... but I suggest you do it with your CFI a couple of times before going solo if you've not done it before.