License to Learn

[AR Dave]

I remember when the FAA Examiner signed me off. He told me that this is a license to go learn. I understood what he was saying and so I attacked the ski's around the Matanuska Valley. Did hundreds of touch n goes. Paced the distance, over and over, of my take off and landings. Thought I'd learned to fly well by the way I made STOL landings, and etc, etc, etc... over the years.

If you're an expert, don't read any further - this is for us Special Pilots.
Well now I'm the first to admit I'm a Knucklehead, but I've recently come to the conclusion that I'll have to re-learn over and over. I've been a bit aggrivated for some time that I just couldn't land like I once routinely did. Seems like the plane just want's to drop out of the air, if I tried to land as slow as I used too. Well FINALLY, I learned to fly again yesterday. Don't know how I drifted away from the BASICS, but here's what I rediscovered.

Rate of Descent = Control by Throttle (RPM).
Airspeed = Control with Yoke and Flaps.

I set up at 1500 RPM through the whole landing pattern. Turned final at 2 notches on flaps and 60 mph (prob slower than norm 170). Made myself leave the Yoke alone and use the throttle to control descent (1500 rpm baseline) 450-500 fpm. Pulled 3rd or 4th flap notch to slow down to 50 mph, just before landing (full stall or wheel). Real shortly I'm flying to Cabool to show Carol Coats I can safely land a 170.

Alright - I'm open for thoughts, suggestions, and good discussion.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

I don't have much to say Dave. As an expert, I didn't read past your first paragraph as you directed.

[futr_alaskaflyer]

Ah. The aviation version of "the shanks."

I suspect you are going to get the navy and air force chaps on this site awfully mad at each other presently though I hear varying stories about how branch pilots are actually taught.

But as you say is how I was taught, and how I generally land the best whether in a 170 or something faster and heavier (not that I get much of that anymore.) In squirrely winds I am using both.

[futr_alaskaflyer]

http://williams.best.vwh.net/smxgigpdf/smxall.pdf

I don't know what any of that means but I thought it looked great

[GAHorn]

Whatever happened to the cat-and-duck method?

[AR Dave]

George you read past the first paragraph - didn't you?