I've noticed something about my landings over the last few years, and
wondered if you folks have had the same experience?

After my first 100 hours or so, my landings were pretty consistently okay.
A nice one every now and then, adequate ones the rest of the time. Every
now and then a crosswind landing might stress the gear a bit, but nothing
too horrible.

Around 500 hours, I seemed to master the art of the greaser -- if I really,
really worked at it. Most of the time, my landings would be good, sometimes
great.

Now, some 400 hours later, flying about the same frequency throughout (1 - 2
times per week. Around 100 hours per year), my landings seem to run in
streaks where I will be almost perfect, separated by periods where my
landings are good, but not greasers.

What *is* that?

I don't feel any different. The plane is no different. I'm flying just as
often. Weather conditions are similar. I feel like I'm working the approach
just as hard, and in the same way. Yet, *something* is different.

For example, right now I'm in a streak of near-perfection. I had
passengers on Wednesday that told me they had never landed so smoothly,
ever. Hell, *I* have never landed so smoothly, ever, as a passenger or a
pilot. I've just been rolling them on, in any wind condition. Yet I know
that two months ago, I had a couple of real clunkers that probably had my
passengers wondering if I was really a pilot.

So, what is this phenomenon? Karma? The stars? Blood pressure? Phase of
the moon? It's frustrating to not be able to break down cause and effect
here -- does anyone else notice this?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 14:25:53 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
> wrote in <RF%Td.1853$Ze3.1281@attbi_s51>::

>So, what is this phenomenon?

It's my guess that it's a matter of mental alertness. It's difficult
for a person to accurately assess his own mental state at any given
time. For example, we've all seen the inebriated fellow who
erroneously believes he's just fine to drive home. Our mental and
physical state varies to some degree; call it biorhythm ...

"Larry Dighera" > wrote in message ...
> On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 14:25:53 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
> > wrote in <RF%Td.1853$Ze3.1281@attbi_s51>::
>
>>So, what is this phenomenon?
>
> > call it biorhythm ...

Predict your landing performance here:
http://www.facade.com/biorhythm/

;-)

--
Dan DeVillers.
http://www.ameritech.net/users/ddevillers/start.html


..

On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 14:25:53 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
> wrote:

>I've noticed something about my landings over the last few years, and
>wondered if you folks have had the same experience?
>
<snip>
>So, what is this phenomenon? Karma? The stars? Blood pressure? Phase of
>the moon? It's frustrating to not be able to break down cause and effect
>here -- does anyone else notice this?

if you concentrate too hard your muscles tense up and your reflexes go
to pot. relax by just the right amount and it comes so much easier.

I landed in the twilight the other day. landing into the sun I couldnt
see the runway or gauge the height I was above the surface. I had no
idea whether I was 1 foot or 15 feet above the runway so I poled
forward gently in the hopes that I'd hit a shadow change and be able
to see something. The wheels touched and I thought bounced me back in
the air so I just eased the stick back and back until eventually the
tailwheel made contact. still couldnt gauge my height so I just waited
with the stick full back until the mains touched again.
eventually I realised that I couldnt possibly be flying at the low
rollout speed.
unknown to me back in the clubhouse 2 guys are watching my landing.
unknown to me the mains kissed the bitumen without so much of a skip
stayed glued and rolled along the bitumen.
I'm told the conversation was like this.
"gees I wish I could land like that"
"yeah he does that all the time"
"I've never seen him bounce it"
"yeah he's one of our most proficient pilots, he lands it like that
all the time"
....which is absolute horse hockey! occasionally I hit a rotor or a
gust at touchdown and really work the wittman springs for all they are
worth. ...evidently that goes unobserved.
anyway I explained what actually happened to one guy, that it was an
absolute arsy fluke and I could just as easily have broken the
aircraft. to no avail it seems. the legend has begun to circulate the
tea pots and coffee cups on the airfield and is unstoppable.
I only hope that one day I'm as good a pilot as they have convinced
themselves I am.
good grief. the things you observe on an airfield. :-)

Stealth Pilot

Jay,

You've hit one of those little known areas of science and physics.
Just as tornadoes are caused by mobile homes, any landing other than a
perfect squeaker is caused by the hideous heavy gravity transient.

Nothing you can do about it. Just have to accept it.

All the best,
Rick


Jay Honeck wrote:
> I've noticed something about my landings over the last few years, and

> wondered if you folks have had the same experience?
>
> After my first 100 hours or so, my landings were pretty consistently
okay.
> A nice one every now and then, adequate ones the rest of the time.
Every
> now and then a crosswind landing might stress the gear a bit, but
nothing
> too horrible.
>
> Around 500 hours, I seemed to master the art of the greaser -- if I
really,
> really worked at it. Most of the time, my landings would be good,
sometimes
> great.
>
> Now, some 400 hours later, flying about the same frequency throughout
(1 - 2
> times per week. Around 100 hours per year), my landings seem to run
in
> streaks where I will be almost perfect, separated by periods where my

> landings are good, but not greasers.
>
> What *is* that?
>
> I don't feel any different. The plane is no different. I'm flying
just as
> often. Weather conditions are similar. I feel like I'm working the
approach
> just as hard, and in the same way. Yet, *something* is different.
>
> For example, right now I'm in a streak of near-perfection. I had
> passengers on Wednesday that told me they had never landed so
smoothly,
> ever. Hell, *I* have never landed so smoothly, ever, as a passenger
or a
> pilot. I've just been rolling them on, in any wind condition. Yet I
know
> that two months ago, I had a couple of real clunkers that probably
had my
> passengers wondering if I was really a pilot.
>
> So, what is this phenomenon? Karma? The stars? Blood pressure?
Phase of
> the moon? It's frustrating to not be able to break down cause and
effect
> here -- does anyone else notice this?
> --
> Jay Honeck
> Iowa City, IA
> Pathfinder N56993
> www.AlexisParkInn.com
> "Your Aviation Destination"

My landings in the Mooney had been pretty good considering I only have
40 or so hours in it. I seriously thing that low wingers are easier to
land ten high wingers. Maybe because of ground effect or something I'm
not sure but...

we went to a fly-in lunch last Saturday. It was only Kellie's 2nd time
in the Mooney so I wanted everything to go just right. Of course that
was not to be... We were coming in about 20 mph fast which in a Mooney
is a bad thing... I tried to force the situation and the plane to land
before she was ready.. The result was 3 bounces where each one was
successively higher then the rest... I'm thinking "Now this really
sucks!!". I finally gave it a shot of power to even it out and got her
to stick to the runway... I was embarrassed but Kellie didn't say
anything. I just said "now that was interesting"..

We taxied to parking and I kept waiting for the tower to come on and ask
"you are going to log that as 3 landings aren't you" but they didn't say
anything.. We went in to the restaurant and of course there is a row of
windows looking out over the runway with several people looking out at
the runway..

I made up for it on the landing back home though... A nice crosswind
greaser...

Jon Kraus
PP-ASEL-IA
Mooney 201 4443H



Jay Honeck wrote:

<snip>
>
> So, what is this phenomenon? Karma? The stars? Blood pressure? Phase of
> the moon? It's frustrating to not be able to break down cause and effect
> here -- does anyone else notice this?

("Jay Honeck" wrote)
<snips>
> I've noticed something about my landings over the last few years, and
> wondered if you folks have had the same experience?

> For example, right now I'm in a streak of near-perfection. I had
> passengers on Wednesday that told me they had never landed so smoothly,
> ever. Hell, *I* have never landed so smoothly, ever, as a passenger or a
> pilot. I've just been rolling them on, in any wind condition.


Landing Streaks? I thought this was a scary-landings-underwear thread.

Nevermind.


Montblack
Remember to add a touch of power ...equivilant to 3 Mary's in right seat
<g>.

Note to self: Turn off yoke mounted GPS upon exiting craft. Doh!

I believe that like everything else it runs in cycles. Make a few good
ones and you begin to get a little complacent and start slipping. I am
much more attentive after not flying for a couple weeks. No wind
landing have become nearly automatic for me, but add any crosswind and
I'm instantly alert. Sometimes being alert helps and sometimes it
doesn't. And of course anything unusual on the approach can affect the
results.
--
Gene Seibel
Gene & Sue's Aeroplanes - http://pad39a.com/gene/planes.html
Because I fly, I envy no one.

Hi Jay;

We have a well known phenomenon in low altitude display work that sounds
like it might just fit your observation. We call it the rote to rote loop.
In our scenario it can be a killer. In yours, probably just something you
want to become aware of as you move through your flying career.
What happens is that a pilot doing the same thing time and time again goes
through different stages of alertness. It isn't necessarily a constant, and
the levels will vary from pilot to pilot.
What happens is that in doing the same thing repeatedly, you begin as a rote
action, then you develop through various stages of improvement and mental
alertness until you peak at some point. At that point you begin what in our
business can be a real killer; a slide into a form of complacency where what
you are doing is so familiar to you that you begin performing again as a
rote function. Slowly....and insidiously....the "outside the box" cues begin
to dissipate. In effect, you're missing things that during the development
process, you were picking up through more focused and intensive
concentration.
In short, when you reach this stage.....and most pilots who fly fairly
consistently will reach this stage.......your performance follows a sine
curve as you react to something and save it......pick up a bit on your
concentration....up your performance level a bit......then slide back into
that complacency again.
Most of the time a pilot can get away with this, as the natural tendency is
to catch these errors before they become catastrophic. The cycle continues
this way through the pilot's career.
Air display pilots are forced to be aware of this and we take steps to avoid
it by constantly keeping our edge through extremely low error allowance
parameter practice sessions.
Even pilots with this extremely high proficiency factor screw up and get
caught in the performance sine curve lower end....i.e...the Thunderbird
Mountain Home Viper crash just recently. Brain fart.....happens to the best
of us. The trick is to keep it down to a low roar. That's why I keep telling
pilots to make EVERY flight...no matter how insignificant and local......a
PRACTICE SESSION!!!!!
Dudley


"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
news:RF%Td.1853$Ze3.1281@attbi_s51...
> I've noticed something about my landings over the last few years, and
> wondered if you folks have had the same experience?
>
> After my first 100 hours or so, my landings were pretty consistently okay.
> A nice one every now and then, adequate ones the rest of the time. Every
> now and then a crosswind landing might stress the gear a bit, but nothing
> too horrible.
>
> Around 500 hours, I seemed to master the art of the greaser -- if I
> really, really worked at it. Most of the time, my landings would be good,
> sometimes great.
>
> Now, some 400 hours later, flying about the same frequency throughout (1 -
> 2 times per week. Around 100 hours per year), my landings seem to run in
> streaks where I will be almost perfect, separated by periods where my
> landings are good, but not greasers.
>
> What *is* that?
>
> I don't feel any different. The plane is no different. I'm flying just
> as often. Weather conditions are similar. I feel like I'm working the
> approach just as hard, and in the same way. Yet, *something* is
> different.
>
> For example, right now I'm in a streak of near-perfection. I had
> passengers on Wednesday that told me they had never landed so smoothly,
> ever. Hell, *I* have never landed so smoothly, ever, as a passenger or a
> pilot. I've just been rolling them on, in any wind condition. Yet I know
> that two months ago, I had a couple of real clunkers that probably had my
> passengers wondering if I was really a pilot.
>
> So, what is this phenomenon? Karma? The stars? Blood pressure? Phase
> of the moon? It's frustrating to not be able to break down cause and
> effect here -- does anyone else notice this?
> --
> Jay Honeck
> Iowa City, IA
> Pathfinder N56993
> www.AlexisParkInn.com
> "Your Aviation Destination"
>

Flying a taildragger you use your peripheral vision to determine height
above the runway. Over the nose is used to gauge pitch attitude.

Stealth Pilot wrote:
> I landed in the twilight the other day. landing into the sun I couldnt
> see the runway or gauge the height I was above the surface. I had no
> idea whether I was 1 foot or 15 feet above the runway so I poled
> forward gently in the hopes that I'd hit a shadow change and be able
> to see something. The wheels touched and I thought bounced me back in
> the air so I just eased the stick back and back until eventually the
> tailwheel made contact. still couldnt gauge my height so I just waited
> with the stick full back until the mains touched again.

Dudley's answer is more descriptive, but, simply put, it's all about
pitch attitude and airspeed for the aircraft's weight at landing.
Each time you fly, you are probably at a different weight. That varies
the actual landing speed by a few knots. It also changes the amount of
pull on the yoke to get the proper pitch attitude to fly at the proper
speed for that weight.
If you use the same numbers for when the whole family is flying vice for
those times when it is just Mary and you, you will probably be too fast
and float.
Wind also comes into play, but that is different with each flight.

In a previous article, "Jay Honeck" > said:
>So, what is this phenomenon? Karma? The stars? Blood pressure? Phase of
>the moon? It's frustrating to not be able to break down cause and effect
>here -- does anyone else notice this?

I think every activity requiring dexterity (or strength or endurance, but
that's not relevant here) goes that way.

When I was a cross country ski racer, I remember every now and then I'd
have a day where I was *way* above my game. Unfortunately, some times
that happened on a training day - like the time we were training on some
hills and I found myself passing a guy on my ski team who was one of our
best climbers (and who later won a silver medal in the Olympics as a bike
racer and wore the yellow jersey in the Tour de France). But once in a
while it happened on a race day, and I found myself beating guys who
normally finished way in front of me. I think it happened on a race day
twice in my 6 year racing career.


--
Paul Tomblin > http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
So logically, if she weighs the same as a duck, she's made of wood, and
therefore a witch.

I follow the camp that says tension is the culprit. I just recently
did a renter's check ride in a 172 at Camarillo, CA (CMA). The check pilot
(a CFI) had me do 3 T&Gs, in addition to the other stuff. They were okay,
but just okay. My personal gauge said they were not very good landings.
Later on in the day, I absolutely greased four in a row.... with the right
seat empty. I really think it had to do with trying too hard. Forcing the
skill, so to speak.

On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 14:25:53 GMT, Jay Honeck wrote:

> So, what is this phenomenon? Karma? The stars? Blood pressure? Phase of
> the moon? It's frustrating to not be able to break down cause and effect
> here -- does anyone else notice this?

Jay,

It's funny you mention this, because, I am in a horrible landing slump. I
went up today, as it was 8 knot direct crosswinds, and I wanted to work on
getting out of my slump.

First landing. Well, say it was horrible to say the least. I touch down,
go back in the air, seeing I was too high for my own comfort, I went
around. I had a great stabilized approach, and as soon as I went below the
tree line, everything went to crap. I got a sinking feeling, I added a
touch of power, then ground effect kicks in. I touch down, go back in the
air, I float for ever, stall horn going strong, and figured forget it, just
go around. The plane just didn't want to land.

Second landing. I used 2 notches of flaps to account for the gusty cross
winds that I experience below the tree line. Mains touch, I "skip" across
the runway, as the mains touch, go up maybe a few inches, and touch again.
Plane didnt' want to stop flying, but the landing wasn't too bad.

Third landing. Again 2 notches of flaps, 78 knot approach speed nailed,
get below the tree line, and got that sinking feeling. Add a little power,
the mains touch, nose wheel touches, and goes back up the air. Nose comes
down and plane settles down. Just a weird feeling for that nose wanting to
go back up.

Fourth landing, not bad though not a greaser.

Final landing. Touch down, though not a greaser, harder landing the number
4.

Like you said in your post, there are times where I can land, and not feel
the plane touch the ground, but lately, I think I am exercising the
strength of the mains. I use my G meter to evaluate my landings, and even
though it did not register more then .5 G, I am sure I got some bad
"ratings" from the "landing judges" today.

As far as your question as to why, I think it's karma....

Allen

On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 14:25:53 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
> wrote:

>I've noticed something about my landings over the last few years, and
>wondered if you folks have had the same experience?

Sure have. I still have the same problem after twenty years of flying
for a living. One of my instructors said "some days you're the
windshield and some days you're the bug!"

It's just one of those things, I guess...

-Jack Davis
B737

----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
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> Like you said in your post, there are times where I can land, and not
feel
> the plane touch the ground, but lately, I think I am exercising the
> strength of the mains. I use my G meter to evaluate my landings, and
even
> though it did not register more then .5 G, I am sure I got some bad
> "ratings" from the "landing judges" today.
>
> As far as your question as to why, I think it's karma....

A few years ago my landings seemed to have gone to pot. Nothing I could
put my finger on, but I could seldom get it right. I thought I could
detect some
resistance in the elevator movement, and asked my mechanic about it. He
pronounced it normal. Then somewhat later I read an article about the
importance
of keeeping your control mechanisms lubricated - and took the advice.

Presto! back to normal. It really does make a difference.

Another thing is the use of flaps. My plane has 40 degrees in 10 degree
increments. I have found that it is best to reserve the fourth notch
for
those occasions when you really need it.

David Johnson

> Just as tornadoes are caused by mobile homes, any landing other than a
> perfect squeaker is caused by the hideous heavy gravity transient.

I thought they were caused by observers.

Jose
--
Nothing is more powerful than a commercial interest.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

Jose > writes:
> > Just as tornadoes are caused by mobile homes, any landing other than a
> > perfect squeaker is caused by the hideous heavy gravity transient.
>
> I thought they were caused by observers.

It takes a heck of a lot of observers to cause a gravity transient.

Chris
--
Chris Colohan Email: PGP: finger
Web: www.colohan.com Phone: (412)268-4751

On 26 Feb 2005 14:59:04 -0800, wrote in
. com>::

>I read an article about the importance of keeeping your
>control mechanisms lubricated

That's part of the 100 hour maintenance for PA28s.

The shaft that extends through the instrument panel must be lubricated
regularly. If it is dry, it will repeatedly bind and release as it is
pulled back during landing. Checking for control shaft lubrication is
part of my preflight check list, and is especially important with
rental aircraft. I just stick my finger in the extra quart of oil I
carry in my flight bag, and rub a little on the shaft, then move it
throughout its range to distribute it.

Casey Wilson wrote:
> I follow the camp that says tension is the culprit. I just recently
> did a renter's check ride in a 172 at Camarillo, CA (CMA). The check pilot
> (a CFI) had me do 3 T&Gs, in addition to the other stuff. They were okay,
> but just okay. My personal gauge said they were not very good landings.
> Later on in the day, I absolutely greased four in a row.... with the right
> seat empty. I really think it had to do with trying too hard. Forcing the
> skill, so to speak.

When training for the PP I usually always greased them when I was solo, no
so much when with an instructor. Even now, (with a commercial and multi-engine
rating) I still think my landings are alot better by myself Vs when I'm with
a safety pilot (or instructor) when I'm practicing instrument approaches.

I think its just a normal psyche-karma-thingy that causes my nerves to
operate at an elevated state when I feel like I'm being observed or "graded".
:^O Its just human nature.

> wrote in message
ups.com...
> Jay,
>
> You've hit one of those little known areas of science and physics.
> Just as tornadoes are caused by mobile homes, any landing other than a
> perfect squeaker is caused by the hideous heavy gravity transient.
>
> Nothing you can do about it. Just have to accept it.
>
> All the best,
> Rick

Similiar to the gravity storms that tend to hit when I am in the gym?

Mike
MU-2

In article <RF%Td.1853$Ze3.1281@attbi_s51>,
"Jay Honeck" > wrote:

> I've noticed something about my landings over the last few years, and
> wondered if you folks have had the same experience?


hehe I haul skydivers so I get to make a lot of landings. (just over
5000 in 2900 hours). With that much practice I've gotten where I do
okay putting the airplane on the ground. But every once in a
while....it's a good thing Cessna spring steel gear is so stout!! <G>

I think someone raises the runway surface....when you're going for the
greaser and inch or two can make a big difference.

--
Dale L. Falk

There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
as simply messing around with airplanes.

http://home.gci.net/~sncdfalk/flying.html

>>I read an article about the importance of keeeping your
>>control mechanisms lubricated
>
> That's part of the 100 hour maintenance for PA28s.

For sure. I keep the yoke shafts lubricated (with spray-on silicone spray)
every few flights.

It makes an amazing difference.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

> I think someone raises the runway surface....when you're going for the
> greaser and inch or two can make a big difference.

Man, you ain't a-kidding. That's EXACTLY what a bad landing feels like to
me. It seems like the ground has inexplicably been raised up about 6 inches
higher than it should be.

With our landing gear on the Pathfinder completely hidden by the low wing,
I've often wondered if, perhaps, the struts had extended more than normal --
although I doubt that would make the landing any more firm.

I'm grasping at straws to explain the mysterious, I know!

:-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

> I landed in the twilight the other day. landing into the sun I couldnt
> see the runway or gauge the height I was above the surface. I had no
> idea whether I was 1 foot or 15 feet above the runway

You know, I've noticed this same phenomenon. When I'm landing into the
setting sun, making it really, really hard to tell where the runway was, I
almost always grease it on.

It's that "feeling for the runway with your butt" technique that seems to
often work best, rather than actually trying to *see* the landing...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Weight?
"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
news:RF%Td.1853$Ze3.1281@attbi_s51...
> I've noticed something about my landings over the last few years, and
> wondered if you folks have had the same experience?
>
> After my first 100 hours or so, my landings were pretty consistently okay.
> A nice one every now and then, adequate ones the rest of the time. Every
> now and then a crosswind landing might stress the gear a bit, but nothing
> too horrible.
>
> Around 500 hours, I seemed to master the art of the greaser -- if I
> really, really worked at it. Most of the time, my landings would be good,
> sometimes great.
>
> Now, some 400 hours later, flying about the same frequency throughout (1 -
> 2 times per week. Around 100 hours per year), my landings seem to run in
> streaks where I will be almost perfect, separated by periods where my
> landings are good, but not greasers.
>
> What *is* that?
>
> I don't feel any different. The plane is no different. I'm flying just
> as often. Weather conditions are similar. I feel like I'm working the
> approach just as hard, and in the same way. Yet, *something* is
> different.
>
> For example, right now I'm in a streak of near-perfection. I had
> passengers on Wednesday that told me they had never landed so smoothly,
> ever. Hell, *I* have never landed so smoothly, ever, as a passenger or a
> pilot. I've just been rolling them on, in any wind condition. Yet I know
> that two months ago, I had a couple of real clunkers that probably had my
> passengers wondering if I was really a pilot.
>
> So, what is this phenomenon? Karma? The stars? Blood pressure? Phase
> of the moon? It's frustrating to not be able to break down cause and
> effect here -- does anyone else notice this?
> --
> Jay Honeck
> Iowa City, IA
> Pathfinder N56993
> www.AlexisParkInn.com
> "Your Aviation Destination"
>

Jay Honeck wrote:
>
> I'm grasping at straws to explain the mysterious, I know!

Here's another one to hang onto. Seem an opthamologist lately?

George Patterson
I prefer Heaven for climate but Hell for company.

aluckyguess wrote:
>
> Weight?

If Jay's flying Atlas alone, about anything he can throw in tha aircraft by
himself won't change the weight enough to make a difference. That plane's a
hauler.

George Patterson
I prefer Heaven for climate but Hell for company.

One day I was golfing. I had an eagle from 160 yards right in the hole. I
shot an 80 that day I am a 19 handicap. I won all the money. So I took
everyone out we ended up at a pool hall where a 20 man pool tournament was
just starting signed up for it and won I never lost a game. My buddies said
I should go buy a lottery ticket.
It was a weird day I could just see the lines. I remember saying the pro's
must see like this everyday.

>> Weight?
>
> If Jay's flying Atlas alone, about anything he can throw in tha aircraft
> by
> himself won't change the weight enough to make a difference. That plane's
> a
> hauler.

Actually, having two 200 pounders in the back seat *does* make the plane a
smidge easier to flare...

;-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:
>
> >> Weight?
> >
> > If Jay's flying Atlas alone, about anything he can throw in tha aircraft
> > by
> > himself won't change the weight enough to make a difference. That plane's
> > a
> > hauler.
>
> Actually, having two 200 pounders in the back seat *does* make the plane a
> smidge easier to flare...

You can throw 400 pounds in the back by yourself? I know you've been working
out, but that's impressive!

George Patterson
I prefer Heaven for climate but Hell for company.

Montblack wrote:

>
> Landing Streaks? I thought this was a scary-landings-underwear thread.

Ya, I was wondering where this thread was going when I saw the title.
First thought was wondering what the heck Jay was doing to leave streaks
on the runway. :-)

> Montblack
> Remember to add a touch of power ...equivilant to 3 Mary's in right seat

Easy now...not sure Jay could handle that...heck, I don't know if
anybody could :-)


>
> Note to self: Turn off yoke mounted GPS upon exiting craft. Doh!

Let's not forget the ANR headset (that lacks an auto power off feature).



--
Jack Allison
PP-ASEL-IA Student-Arrow Shopping Student

"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the Earth
with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there
you will always long to return"
- Leonardo Da Vinci

(Remove the obvious from address to reply via e-mail)

A good AG pilot friend always has told me throughout my training, "don't
worry about the landings being perfect, just get it down safely. Just act
like no one is ever watching, because you're bound to bounce a few in every
month." And landing on a 1,700 ft. runway with trees on one end makes me a
little nervous everytime I come in. Now give me a glider and I'll show you
10 perfect landings in a row. You gotta love the spoilers in a sailplane,
come in with full spoilers at the approach speed and slowly bleed them off
when you're at 6 inches off the ground. Gently pulling back on the stick
while bleeding the brakes you feel like you're drive a car, then u hear the
wheel spin up a few times as you pass the few lumps in the runway but you're
just high enough to graze the rubber. Finally, the brakes are in, the speed
is below stall and you're on the ground without any bumps along the way.
"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
news:RF%Td.1853$Ze3.1281@attbi_s51...
> I've noticed something about my landings over the last few years, and
> wondered if you folks have had the same experience?
>
> After my first 100 hours or so, my landings were pretty consistently okay.
> A nice one every now and then, adequate ones the rest of the time. Every
> now and then a crosswind landing might stress the gear a bit, but nothing
> too horrible.
>
> Around 500 hours, I seemed to master the art of the greaser -- if I
really,
> really worked at it. Most of the time, my landings would be good,
sometimes
> great.
>
> Now, some 400 hours later, flying about the same frequency throughout (1 -
2
> times per week. Around 100 hours per year), my landings seem to run in
> streaks where I will be almost perfect, separated by periods where my
> landings are good, but not greasers.
>
> What *is* that?
>
> I don't feel any different. The plane is no different. I'm flying just
as
> often. Weather conditions are similar. I feel like I'm working the
approach
> just as hard, and in the same way. Yet, *something* is different.
>
> For example, right now I'm in a streak of near-perfection. I had
> passengers on Wednesday that told me they had never landed so smoothly,
> ever. Hell, *I* have never landed so smoothly, ever, as a passenger or a
> pilot. I've just been rolling them on, in any wind condition. Yet I know
> that two months ago, I had a couple of real clunkers that probably had my
> passengers wondering if I was really a pilot.
>
> So, what is this phenomenon? Karma? The stars? Blood pressure? Phase
of
> the moon? It's frustrating to not be able to break down cause and effect
> here -- does anyone else notice this?
> --
> Jay Honeck
> Iowa City, IA
> Pathfinder N56993
> www.AlexisParkInn.com
> "Your Aviation Destination"
>
>



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("Jack Allison" wrote)
>> Remember to add a touch of power ...equivilant to 3 Mary's in right seat
>
> Easy now...not sure Jay could handle that...heck, I don't know if anybody
> could :-)


Jay flew me over to Muscatine, IA last fall. I was in the front, Mary was in
the back. Jay thought he'd carry a little extra power for landing. It came
down to, how much more would he need with "3" Marys in the right seat?
Whatever he did worked, it was a nice landing.

The return trip had Mary as PIC and me in the back. That girl can flare an
airplane! <g>


Montblack

On Sun, 27 Feb 2005 03:29:29 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
> wrote in
<t8bUd.61071$tl3.27936@attbi_s02>::

>>>I read an article about the importance of keeeping your
>>>control mechanisms lubricated
>>
>> That's part of the 100 hour maintenance for PA28s.
>
>For sure. I keep the yoke shafts lubricated (with spray-on silicone spray)
>every few flights.

Silicone seems like a more appropriate lubricant than engine oil, but
that is what is specified by Piper.

>It makes an amazing difference.

I've found that keeping the shafts lubricated reduces PIOs and
ballooning. It's often overlooked; I've never had an instructor
mention it.

> Jay flew me over to Muscatine, IA last fall. I was in the front, Mary was
> in the back. Jay thought he'd carry a little extra power for landing. It
> came down to, how much more would he need with "3" Marys in the right
> seat? Whatever he did worked, it was a nice landing.

Well, I'm not sure I'd call that one of my better landings.

That was my first experience with a very forward CG, and we *could* still
use the plane afterwards -- so I suppose it was okay!

:-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

("Jay Honeck" wrote)
> Well, I'm not sure I'd call that one of my better landings.
>
> That was my first experience with a very forward CG, and we *could* still
> use the plane afterwards -- so I suppose it was okay!


There *were* some looks exchanged between you and Mary, after which you both
went out and ran your hands over the prop tips, and then I was bannished to
the back seat, but other than that I thought it was a great landing! <g>

Meal was good too.


Montblack

Jose wrote:
>> Just as tornadoes are caused by mobile homes, any landing other than a
>> perfect squeaker is caused by the hideous heavy gravity transient.
>
>
> I thought they were caused by observers.
>
> Jose

You've got it right Jose.

John's third law of flight: "The probablility of a great landing is
inversely proportional to the square of the number of observers. A
rated pilot in the right seat is equal to a dozen people watching, a CFI
is equal to a hundred observers."

There are occasional exceptions. I once nailed three great landings in
a row during a BFR -- the kind where I flared just before I reach the
numbers, the stall horn sounded, the mains gently kissed the runway, I
gently lowered the nose and I made the first turnoff (850 feet) without
braking. After the third the instructor said "Good landings" so I asked
him "Would you believe all my landings are like that?" He then asked me
to do a short field landing over an obstacle. I paid for my smart-assed
comment with one of those 'arrivals' where I flared and stalled at what
felt like ten feet above the runway.

So I recommend (1) pretending that nobody is watching, and (2) not being
overconfident.

- J.O.-