Removing rust and damaging an ego

(from the blog)

I got a special issuance from the FAA last week (it only took five days after my exam down at the Mayo Clinic) and I'm back in the air.

I've never been the most confident pilot in the world; I owe that, I think, to the fact I blew my checkride many years ago and it often feels like I've spent all the years since proving that was a fluke. Maybe it was; maybe it wasn't. It is what it is.

In my more than year off from flying pilot-in-command (PIC), I didn't fly that much. Brad Benson and I flew to Oshkosh. We took a trip to Eau Claire for a breakfast or two. And, of course, we had a flight up to Hibbing one night which ended with a really poor landing.

During the period of inactivity, my flight review expired, so I needed to get that taken care of. Even in my low self-esteem (pilot wise), I thought that this wouldn't be a problem. I mean, gee, how tough can it be to fly a plane? It's like riding a bike.

This is the same philosophy I used to approach ever spring with when I played golf regularly. Never having broken 100, I would assume that every spring, my golf game would have repaired itself over the winter. It never did, of course. So I gave up playing golf.

Joe Coraggio, my flying pal who has been treating N614EF to the occasional stroll during my inactivity, is a CFI, so he graciously volunteered to get me back flying again. Joe, just hired on by US Air (or Airways, I always forget which), is an unbelievably great pilot. He's one of those guys who merely straps the wings to himself; he's that smooth.

He lives in Inver Grove Heights, MN., but is based out of Phoenix, so the fact he even takes the time shows you also what a great guy he is.

Saturday dawned with a forecast of low ceilings, improving by 10 a.m., but with the prospect of gusty winds, pretty much 90 degrees to the runway. So I wasn't optimistic that flying was going to happen. But it turned out to be a great morning and while the winds were outside my "comfort zone," Joe made clear that he could handle the crosswinds if I couldn't, so we launched.

We did some stalls that weren't bad. Some steep turns that weren't awful, and then he pulled power for an emergency landing.

An emergency landing in central Minnesota is nothing to worry about, really. There are plenty of flat fields and dirt roads.

See? Just pick one! Easy peezy.



I picked my landing spot which I selected because I didn't trust the green fields with all the rain we've had, and there was a nice wheat patch next to a country road, which didn't have any utility poles along side it, as it turned out, and would've been a better choice. I came up short, when we put the power back in.

You see, there was this 20 knot headwind I'd neglected to consider.

In the real deal, we probably would've been OK. There was a soybean field that was survivable. But still.

We headed over to Red Wing, whose 27/9 runway was slightly better oriented to the wind (blowing about 220 with gusts to 17 knots) than South Saint Paul's 16/34.

Of the seven landings, six were just stupid. Too fast, too unsmooth in the pattern and -- worst of all -- flaring far too high. Why? The biggest problem is I appear to have forgotten to look far enough down the runway.

Flying is a humbling experience. Landing after landing, I knew what I needed to do. I just wasn't doing it, and while the winds and particular geographic features that roil it were a factor, they were nowhere near as big a factor as the guy in the left seat.

We went back out again on Sunday, a typical summer day in the Twin Cities, with significant turbulence and crosswinds, and ridiculously hot weather.

The landings were better; but not much better. Poor technique in the pattern, poor crosswind management, and -- get this -- flaring far too early.

None of this should be terribly surprising to me. It's not as if I didn't know that when you don't fly, your skills erode. And I'm lucky to have Joe around to push me toward higher standards and better technique. Eventually, I'll get it right.

But it's a blow to the ego and, frankly, it's pretty embarrassing. You just don't like to suck when there's a real pilot in the right seat.

Besides, if I enjoyed frustration and embarrassment, I'd dig out the golf clubs.

Nice writeup - I can see the problem in the photo (the left eyeball vent is slightly mis-aimed; and, just a hunch, the 12VDC socket cover on the right side isn't perfectly vertically aligned).

So, you think you're the only one?!

Dan

Bob your being too hard on yourself.

The RV is a high performance sport plane! Most of us get rusty fast if we don't fly our RV's often enough!

The good thing is that you know your limits and are getting the training you need to get back on the horse. No shame in that!

Hey Bob - do you think I fly every day just to keep myself entertained? Nope - its so I don't forget how .... I have a set of golf clubs gathering dust too, you see....

Glad to see you back in the saddle. We drove down to Red Wing Friday morning, lacking an airplane and needing a couple of hours of decompression. I agree with your assessment of the soft fields - gorgeous crops - not inviting places to plant an airplane.

Remember - if the airplane is re-usable, how bad could the landings have really been?

Geeze Bob, I took a month off to do an annual (should have taken 5 days) and my first three landings were so bad I was glad no one was watching! I didn't bend any metal but my ego was brused. 30 or so landings later, it's kinda getting back to my normal roll of the dice!

Bob - "mama said there'd be days like this" ...

My transition training started with a tough first day. I was "a bit" demoralized after the two flights that day. We re-grouped and day two was better. Day three was better still.

My only advice if you are flaring early or trying to land too high is go practice at an airport with runway jacks. They can raise the runway to meet you ... at least that is what one of my instructors told me

Transition training...

Hey Bob,

I recently did some transition training with Mike Seager. You describe exactly how I felt during the training. I felt just like I did when I was first learning to fly C172s.

I still have a few sessions left with Mike, fortunately.

Michael-

Think back to your transition training, Bob. I remember one of your posts about that where you mentioned the instructor admonishing "don't sneak that nose up" when you were on short final!
You are gonna do fine!

Hey Bob...

We've all been there... Trust me

In good hands

Many of us here have know Joe for many years through his involvement with EAA and, in particular, the Airventure Cup. You are in good hands, Joe will get you up to speed and push you towards becoming as good as you can be.

Scott

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...

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. 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.

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. 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... 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!

boom3 said:

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. 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.

Click to expand...

It really is amazing how hard that change between aircraft can be sometimes, especially for those of us without a lot of total time or experience in different aircraft. I trained in a 150 up until I got my license (~50hr); after that it's been 12 years of pretty much nothing but an RV-6. Then I went and did a flight review with a CFI coworker in his Valor LSA. I figured "LSA, trigear... should be a piece of cake!".

It turned out that, instead of a nice slice of chocolate cake, it was a big helping of humble pie 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?

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!!