I’ve got about 18 hours and it’s time for me to solo, D. says. Unfortunately, I need winds of not much more than about 10 knots before I can do it. So lately, it’s just been sit-and-wait. It’s been 20-30 knots lately. Since the winds are typically calmer in the morning, I’m scheduled for Monday morning at 8am. I have my doubts, though. I still can’t land crosswind very well. I understand how, I just need much, much, more practice doing it. But, I’m comfortable flying, and I do just fine as long as the wind is mostly down the…
When I showed up for my lesson yesterday, D. said, “Today is the day for operation Landing.” We stayed in the pattern, doing touch and go’s for what seemed like an eternity. It doesn’t really bother me since I’m the sort of person who can do something a few hundred times in the effort to perfect it without being terribly bothered. In fact, I find the repetition almost calming. Flying in circles (or rectangles to be precise) can get somewhat dizzying, though. About 200 feet AGL on approach, I heard a THUD and caught something dark out of the corner…