Newsgroups: rec.aviation.student
Subject: Re: Pilot attitudes
From: jbolinger@lintek.com (J L Bolinger)
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In article <712gd4$u61$1@nnrp1.dejanews.com>, snarayan@my-dejanews.com says...
>
>Reading solo and checkride stories of newly minted pilots indicates a highly
>self-depracatory attitude regarding ones own abilities. With a few hundred
>hours under the belt, one notices (in many cases) a turnaround in this
>attitude (that of invincibility). Wonder when this transition occurs?
>

I read something once a long time ago that said that most accidents occur
at around 100+/- hours, because this is when new pilots begin to feel like
they know everything.

>I recently was humbled on a rather poor landing and perhaps incorrect
>decision of not going around on a landing. Must be my own transition in
>attitudes. We had 15-20 knot direct crosswind with gusts up to 22 knots at
>Livermore, CA due to a cold front a couple of weeks ago. I was lined up
>reasonably well and kept the speed at 80 knots to reduce the effect of the
>Xwind.I also had a C182 behind me so tightened the pattern somewhat. On touch
>down, I drifted across the runway and nearly landed up in the weeds but
>managed to keep the plane under control even though I probably didn't have
>any more rudder/aileron authority for the gust factor. I was really angry
>with myself for not going around the first time. I have always been a safe
>pilot and (and on the checkride many years ago, the DE complimented me on
>that), so this was a bit of a rude awakening.
>

I consider my self a good safe car driver, because I know that someday I 
will have an accident and I would prefer that it be someone elses fault.
I am attempting to apply the same philosophy to my flying, although if I 
am not here to think about it....

>So be careful out there and don't hesitate to go around. A few recent
>incidents reported on the aviation ng's have had less fortunate outcomes on
>go arounds.
>

There were times with my previous CFI that I would have gone around, but
he wanted to salvage the landing.




Jim

