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Hello Bob, Welcome back to the wonderful, amazing world of flight! You aren't doing anything different than the rest of us. Focus on all your blessings; I have my medical back, I can fly again, I am no longer earth bound, I have people that love me and whom I love, I have a fantastic airplane and group of friends, I will get comfortable again, etc.. Geez Bob, I sound like your Dad or your Pastor...:)
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Been flying 40 years plus a little more. Been a teacher from little guys to college students over the same period. Got a CFI-I rating just to be able to log glass cockpit instruction to those upgrading. Certain days, in certain situations... I feel like I just started learning yesterday. At my age... I should not look over my shoulder to see who saw what I just did.... but it is the first reaction.
Some airborne law enforcement students I work with... have signs over the ready room door: "check your ego here at the door" In reality... it just never happens. I see ego driven behavior in them each week and in myself. Being humble enough to self evaluate... publish and suffer the flames... Well, it is the best medicine. Keep on plugging away out there. And forget the golf.... stupid game anyway. Cheers. |
While building my RV I racked up about 90 hours in a 152. They were the least expensive planes to rent and I actually enjoyed flying them. (flew their 150 every once in a while too.)
Once my RV was done, that was it for Cessna's. Over the last three years I've been fortunate to fly my RV a couple times a week on average and have become pretty comfortable with it. Notice I said "pretty" comfortable because there are still those few days here and there where I wish I'd done better. When a good friend asked if I'd like to take his 150 for a spin I said "heck ya". (he'd recently added me to his insurance to keep his plane flying a little more.) I was thinking to myself, sheesh a 150, I'm so gonna nail the landings with this primary trainer. I was however smart enough to take him along because it had been 3 years or so. Ya I pretty much felt like a complete idiot. I mean they weren't the worst Cessna landings I've ever done, but man they sucked. I just couldn't believe how different it really was. Here I was thinking how easy it'd be and I felt like a real idiot.:eek: I'd just gotten way to used to the RV. I do intent to get back on that horse and relearn how to land it like I used to. It's amazing how easy you loose that muscle memory that you don't even think about. |
Well Bob,
After today, my first day of transition training with Mike Seager, I totally share your thoughts but remain optimistic that by the end of this week I'll be in a much better spot with that blue RV6A. I have never had to deal with ground steering via brake action only, duh, feel like I am learning to walk again. It's very fortunate for rusty pilots like me to have access to talented instructors like Mike who do this. Any thoughts I had about being able to fly the RV9A safely without transition training from the STOL701 are now forever gone. Cam Andres RV9A with Aerosport IO360 C-FTLL (Final assembly happening this month) CH701 STOL with RAM 115 Subaru |
ALL of us can relate ...
... and I mean all of us. I too have golf clubs gathering dust in the attic. And I solidly believe that while flying can be humbling, it's not nearly so bad as golf. Golf could turn me into a raving maniac in a few short holes. Bad flying days just make me feel inadequate. ;o)
But best of all, it's great to see you back in the saddle again. :D |
Humbling yet rewarding
Your words made me chuckle -- "You just don't like to suck when there's a real pilot in the right seat." Too true. Especially when work takes you out of the country and away from an RV for a few months... While I *think* we've all had those moments, I know I have and your words helped me feel less, well, as was said, "inadequate."
Equally frustrating is when the real pilot next to you also built the RV you are landing in a less-than-ideal manner. :eek: Even though the builder/pilot is way kind, it's almost feels like going out for a first date with her father watching the whole time... :o Thankfully he at least says I'm doing fine. Best part is when you get it right, eh? I hear those perfect hits keep many golfers coming back to the range or course. That rare, butter landing is one of many reasons I fly! |
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It turned out that, instead of a nice slice of chocolate cake, it was a big helping of humble pie :o Even before we taxied out, I was so far behind the airplane that I was in another zip code. Wheel brakes on the throttles, different systems, a yoke... I felt like I was back in my early student pilot days. And then came time to land it. After getting over the "can't see the runway through the high wing" issue, I found it wants to fly the approach 20kt slower than the RV, and I was trying to fight the urge to wheel it on in a sort-of level attitude--and failing. It also floated a lot more than the RV; my first approach had me slipping with full flaps all the way down final because it just wouldn't come down. The airplane had just come out of the shop after getting a bent nosegear fixed, and I was sure I was about to bend it again. By landings 7 and 8 I was starting to get the hang of it a little bit, but I wouldn't feel comfortable in that airplane without at least a couple more hours of dual for landing practice and systems learning. It seems that unlearning habits, sight picture, etc. and learning to fly a new airplane the way it wants to be flown (not the way your previous and/or usual ride wants to fly) may be something that comes easier when you've flown a variety of aircraft. |
Good to see you in the air again, I have been following your posts, me too on the back in the saddle thing, mine was 23 years, my last BFR was interesting also on picking an off field landing, set it all up and ready to flare on a country road, and the instructor said well done, But, why did you not pick the non tower airport behind you? Hu?
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Congrats Bob!
You're certainly several steps ahead of me! I will soon be going through what you are now. I have the medical but just backed off flying to finish the build! Not finished yet....and sure I'm not alone :)
But what I wanted to share was this. Prior to what should have been my first solo (1997 at 45 yrs), I was flaring high....repeatedly. My CFI couldn't figure it out so we tried another instructor. No joy! They thought it was ground shyness, but I knew that was not the case. It just looked right to me! I had starting wearing glasses a few months before, mainly for close vision like the panel and a chart on my lap, but some minor correction for distance as well. So on short final just after my last 'drop-in' I removed the glasses and greased the 172 in. A few landings without the glasses to get my brain acclimated took care of the problem and I soloed the next week, with glasses. I had a buddy with new sunglasses who did the same thing in a Stearman after 100's of acceptable landings. 'Nuff said..... Again, congrats to you and hang tough!! |
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