PRE SOLO JITTERS?

Damn. I KNEW that I should have tempered my recent comments. I had ONE GOOD DAY and my instructor said it was time to solo this week.

Since he said that to me, I feel like I've gone BACKWARDS on many levels!!!

He says it is just pre-solo jitters, but I'm treating it as I'm not ready and I've got more to learn.

My departures are perfect. Seriously. I've got ZERO defects on the takeoff. My patterns are tight, my procedures are spot on.

I can crab into the wind.

I can crab into the wind on final.

I can put the plane into a slip effortlessly.

I can put the plane into a slip on final.

I can crab into the wind and slip while keeping the nose of the airplane on the centerline coming in for final.

Then 10 feet from the ground, I fall apart. I JUST CANT PUT THE ROLL/LEVEL OUT INTO PRACTICE!!!!!

I either pull back too soon and flare and bounce or I dont level out and come in flat and early........

So...I'm counting on all you Tail Dragger and guys and gals (Trike guys too) to offer your suggestions for getting that last little skill - any suggestions on how to translate that into practice?

Here's a fun video of my flying from Monday - Sorry about the Bumblebee I just couldn't resist....it seemed so right for the fast section.

http://youtu.be/rBicgYL8RZE

Here's this morning's flying....landing actually. Short video, just the finals of my first bunch of landings. DriftHD battery SUCKS and dies after about 45-50 minutes, so I lost/didnt get the last 2 or three or 4 landings...which is fine, 'cause they were just like the last bunch that I DID get on video here:

http://youtu.be/eV0vVnwl4vA

when landing with a crosswind why do you level out at the end? I was always taught to land with one wing low in my taildragger. So when I'm doing a forward slip and keeping center line, I just hold that through the flare and onto the ground. That way the wind can't push me sideways right before touching down. But I'm always looking for new and better ways to do things.

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Normally, yes, but the wind was a non event below 75' AGL. We'd take off smooth as silk and before we'd clear the trees we were getting thrown around like popcorn machine.

It's kind of weird....you're crabbing and slipping in and then straightening out about 50-100' off the ground - I could physically feel the crosswind disappear and then the plane just straightens right out without fuss.

A1Skinner wrote:when landing with a crosswind why do you level out at the end? I was always taught to land with one wing low in my taildragger. So when I'm doing a forward slip and keeping center line, I just hold that through the flare and onto the ground. That way the wind can't push me sideways right before touching down. But I'm always looking for new and better ways to do things.

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Sorry - I should have answered that more directly - yes - one wing low, downwind wheel touches down first, full aileron into the wind upon wheels down (that's the way I was taught). But I'm just a lowly low-time student, so I'll defer to the pilots on the board.

Take you instructor (confidence booster) out on a pretty windy squirrelly day. Make some crosswind landings and MAKE the plane be where YOU want it. (I usually do a shuffle in my seat & have even slapped my face to "wake" up after looong flights & facing cross winds) Then solo on a beautiful calm cool morning.

And remember the throttle will save you if your going for the "ditch." I also add just a touch of power on the flare to help grease the wheels on for asphalt.

My dad always got on me & said never let the plane fly you.

My 2 bits

Shit... 42 years and an hour or two under my belt, and I'm still trying to figure that stuff out. It will come.

Gump

Many people have this problem. The transition into flare causes them to relinquish their cross controlling that was preventing the drift and weathervaning from the crosswind.

A similar question was asked here years ago, and someone gave the advice to setup your approach, perform your side slip all the way down final, and where you would normally transition to the round-out and flare, just level off at 20 feet, fly the over the runway with a little power, focusing on maintaining that straight track down centerline. Then just turn it into a go around. You're not gonna land, just practice tracking the runway.

When that feels good, pull the back back and roll it on doing all the same stuff.

Someone in that same thread also said that's bad advice to give a student, but it's what I would practice if I suddenly lost my crosswind mojo.

One other thing, people sometimes look to close to the landing end of the strip. When you get to flair, get the eyes up as well and look at the far end of the strip. Helps a lot.

Hard to write down... but
Focus on making smooth and intentional control movements, think ahead of time, don't get twitchy and overcontrol it.

Most of all, don't overthink it! It will come with practice.

Cavaet - I am no expert here - 2c only

wheel landings work better in x-wind - more rudder authority

Has your instructor introduced you to the differences and benefits of each (wheel versus 3-point)?

Also general x-wind has 2 techniques:

crab and kick
wing-low and hold rudder

I seem to have better results - particularly w/ tailwheel with the latter one. My goal is:

turn final and stabilize on glideslope toward my touchdown point and on centerline - crabbing is okay - trim
roll wings level and go further to be wing low into the wind
put in enough rudder to stay on centerline keeping the plane aligned w/ direction of travel

Unless the winds are gusting, or you are trying to crab and kick at the last minute you should be able get the hang of this on a light day. Your instructor shouldn't let you solo on a challenging day anyway - you will likely have x-wind limits in your solo endorsement. He won't let you go until you are ready. Don't sweat it - we all have good days and bad days. When you solo - setup and if you don't like what you see - if you get behind go around and try again. Make good decisions and you'll be safe.

Good luck and post pics when your get your tails cut.

soyAnarchisto wrote:
Good luck and post pics when your get your tails cut.

I've been wearing crappy old shirts all week. I bet if I wear a $60 Columbia fly fishing shirt, I'll solo the same day.

Zane wrote:Many people have this problem. The transition into flare causes them to relinquish their cross controlling that was preventing the drift and weathervaning from the crosswind.

A similar question was asked here years ago, and someone gave the advice to setup your approach, perform your side slip all the way down final, and where you would normally transition to the round-out and flare, just level off at 20 feet, fly the over the runway with a little power, focusing on maintaining that straight track down centerline. Then just turn it into a go around. You're not gonna land, just practice tracking the runway.

When that feels good, pull the back back and roll it on doing all the same stuff.

Someone in that same thread also said that's bad advice to give a student, but it's what I would practice if I suddenly lost my crosswind mojo.

Zane - I'd read somewhere that someone recommended just that....except they encouraged doing it at a commercial airport with long commercial jet length runways......bring it in, bring it down, then fly 5 feet off the ground - get used to the sight picture out the left side (LEAN LEFT SEAN!!!!) and just hold it and get used to doing it. Then go around and do it again, this time a little lower if you were still high. Otherwise just do it a second time. The author claimed (I wish I would have bookmarked it) that on the third pass the approach, crab/slip up to the point of flare would be a non-event.....and then the flare would be the same. Just a non event.

I'm going to see what we can do about heading south to Flint, MI (just south of us) next lesson and doing just that.

And for the record......I didnt buy any PowerBall tickets in Lapeer, Michigan yesterday (damn it!!!)

Sean

soyAnarchisto wrote:wing-low and hold rudder

I seem to have better results - particularly w/ tailwheel with the latter one.

+1
Stabilised approach all the way in, much easier to control IMHO; comapred to everything happening at once 10ft off the deck.

Windknot

I would probably have had similar anxieties over my solo if I was also told ahead of time. I know I sure did when it came to the oral potion of my private test. My solo came after a flight from Palo Alto to Livermore (Calif.) in a light steady drizzle. In those days Livermore was still a dirt and weeds strip. We had done a few turns around the pattern and was taxiing (sp?) back when the instructor said pull over here a moment, I want to clear the weeds out of the brakes. He gets out pulls a couple of weeds, stand back up, leans around the door and says, "Just remember I do not want to walk home." Not much time to think, did have my doubts though. I thought well I will just try a tail up taxi before I commit, little did I know how much a 250 pound instructor made in the back seat of a Camp.

Sometimes it just may be better not to know.

Would be nice to hear some instructors chime in on to tell or not - just for the solo.

Curious

Chris

Zane made a good point.
If you look at how Rod Machado teaches landings... there is a distinct phase he calls round out... that comes between the descent and the nose up flare. It gives you a moment to arrest the sink... get settled down.... play with the power a bit (if you have the needed runway length) and then think about flaring. By playing with the power you can stretch this phase out much longer than really needed. It is a good skill builder.
The actual touchdown might not always be the prettiest... but so what. You dance with it and never let the nose wander and all should be well. You stop dancing... and she will take over. That gets ugly.

Oh... and the guy that said land with the downwind wheel first..... better not try that one. The upwind wheel is down, cancelling the drift.
More than anything, have some fun. It is a day you won't forget.

Upwind wheel touches first. Do not immediately go full aileron into the wind - gradually take it there as you slow down. First thing as the wheels go down is stick back (at the same aileron position that you used on final).

I second the person that suggested doing some low approaches first - helps you get comfy w/ the sight picture and the amount of wing low and rudder you need to keep stabiliized. Also gets you good and used to the go-around. The go-around is your friend. Never feel any shame in it. Any time you don't like what you are feeling or seeing - go. Try again - you have plenty of fuel to try it many times. Each time it will feel a little better.

Windknot wrote:Sorry - I should have answered that more directly - yes - one wing low, downwind wheel touches down first, full aileron into the wind upon wheels down (that's the way I was taught). But I'm just a lowly low-time student, so I'll defer to the pilots on the board.

Let me begin by saying that I am a believer in: higher the wind, higher the tail, when regarding crosswinds, but only once you are comfortable with wheel landings and crosswinds in general. I fully agree that practice makes perfect and the key is to practice low approaches. Then when you're ready just pull the power and land. Remember, not all landings have the mains touch the ground together. A crosswind wheel landing should be on just the upwind wheel. A crosswind "three-point/full-stall" landing is really not three point just full stall on the upwind main and tailwheel. I know it can be frustrating, but soon it will all work out and just feel natural!

Windknot wrote:get used to the sight picture out the left side (LEAN LEFT SEAN!!!!)

Don't get too reliant on the left side! I know it is easier (for me atleast w/o centerline seating) but depending on one side will make righthand crosswind landings much more difficult. I found practicing forward slips to the left and right, helped my confidence on the side slips to both sides in crosswinds.

The wheelie vs 3-point debate for crosswinds will rage into the indefinite future, because both work, and one works better for some people in some planes. Each have their pros and cons.

I've grown to prefer 3-pointers in crosswinds because it lets me pin the tailwheel down sooner, helping to reduce weathervaning. The cons are that it can present more AOA in gusty conditions.

Wheelies let you reduce that AOA, maybe even fly it on with a little power in a nice level pitch attitude, but after touchdown while the airspeed bleeds off, you have less rudder authority with that tail up in the air, and into the dead zone. I preferred this in my Cessna though. Soon you won't have to think very hard about it.

Practice them all except the pirouette. kinda jealous, I wish I was out there doing laps in a T-craft.

Sorry if it sounded like I was saying downwind wheel first. Never do that, or a wind gust can flip you pretty easy. Always upwind wheel first, upwind wing low, and as much aileron as needed, not full. Listen to these guys with way more experience then me and you'll learn lots! I have!

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I learned to fly in a tailwheel ( still am) from 0 hours up. the first 10 or so hours were spent on runways that where 4-6000 ft long. And what my CFI had me do was fly a couple inches off the runway and keep the nose perfectly straight, after I was able to hold that consistently for a while then put the plane down for a wheel landing. I learned wheelies first because it teaches the student to use the rudder more so my CFI says ( and I believe him). ounce I was soloed doing wheel landings then when I was soloed in x wind it wasn't bad for me at all ( although I had lots of dual in x wind ).

I guess what I was trying to say was that it helps (helped me) to fly above the runway and keep the nose straight down the runway and learning wheelies first....

my 2 Cents