Landing for a new guy

WaterRooster

WaterRooster

Well-Known Member
Hey guys,
Just thought I would pick your brains a little bit. I have been on these boards just reading everything I could till I decided to actually go out and get my PPL. Well I had my discovery flight about a month ago, and I then decided that yes this is what I want to do to see if I want to move on into something more. So I have been taking lessons for the last month, but weather in fall in WI isn’t always the best, so today was my 1st real hour in the air.
Today’s wind was 290 at 17knots with gusts of 24kn and I just felt like it was ALOT of wind in a little 172. We did slow flight and then came back around into the pattern to land, and wow that wind is incredible, I just couldn’t keep the plane straight. I was coming in to land, and the instructor called the aircraft so he could land it because I couldn’t keep it straight. He said it was ok, but I felt like I failed. I guess the real question is, will this get any better? I mean I know over time, but right now its hard, because I love to fly, and I just couldn’t do something...call it ego I don’t know ha ha.
So any good words of encouragement for a new pilot? I really love this flying thing
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Shawn
 
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Today’s wind was 290 at 17knots with gusts of 24kn and I just felt like it was ALOT of wind in a little 172.

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That's because it was.
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So I have been taking lessons for the last month, but weather in fall in WI isn’t always the best, so today was my 1st real hour in the air.
I was coming in to land, and the instructor called the aircraft so he could land it because I couldn’t keep it straight. He said it was ok, but I felt like I failed. I guess the real question is, will this get any better?


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I'm on my 130th hour and I only pull out a perfect landing every so often. If you can make coordinated turns on your first hour of flight I'd say you're doing pretty darn well!
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Soon enough you'll be doing so many touch & goes in the pattern that your hands will start to bleed (OK - maybe not but you get my point)...
 
Landings are one of the harder things to do. It's hard getting them right when there's no wind, so when you get gusty winds, I don't think you've developed the experience to deal with them yet, especially during your 1st real hour in the air...

The only way to get experience is to practice more of them. Take your instructors evaluation, evaluate your own landings, see what was different in this landing and what could you have done, etc... So keep on plugging
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How do you think the people of Maui learn to land... (It is gustiest crosswind airport in the US from what I hear.)
 
17 gusting to 24 knots can be a lot of wind in any airplane. As long as you're having fun, keep it up, and keep enjoying it.
 
Thanks guys !! I know Im just starting, and I know that Ill get better, but sometimes you just need people that do this stuff all the time, telling you its ok. I just feel like getting back into the plane and not getting out untill I get it right, but that would be way to much money
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Thanks for the encouragement guys

Shawn
 
Ah, fall in Wisconsin!

I got my PPL in Janesville in Nov 01. I know exactly where you're coming from. My instructor did a great thing by giving the exposure to the high winds this time of year. Because of his lessons I learned to not necessarily be afraid of high winds, but to understand & respect them, and know my and the airplane's limits.

We all have our moments of 'am I doing the right thing?' Stick with it! Wisconsin's a beautiful place to learn to fly.
 
just like everyone else said/ practice makes perfect, especially in that wind!
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you'll get better. i think the only good thing for a wind like that would be if it's right down the pike, it makes a short field landing a piece of cake. on my last stage check i have about a 12 knot headwind right down the rwy, talk about a short landing, it felt like i was hovering over the rwy.
 
winds will make you a better pilot, I think that's a huge advantage of training in the midwest. Soon you'll think nothing of it and you'll be greasing them all down. Just takes practice.
 
Just stick with it and don't feel bad about not landing the airplane yourself. Everything will come in time. As you gain more time in the plane you will become more comfortable with strong winds and be able to land the plane. I have 4000+ and fly for the airlines and still have a bad landing every now and then. You will eventually like the wind. I know find out some of my firmer landing have come on calm days and some of my great landing on very windy days.

Stick with it and keep practicing. Always rescpect the limits imposed on you by your instructor. He is placing them there for your safety and the safety of other on the ground. Learning to fly to like learning to walk... You will make progress in small steps

Good luck...I'm sure by the time you take your checkride you will have not problem with that wind.

Good Luck
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