ORIGINAL: javelinaflyer
Gray Beard,
It wasn't like learning everything all over again. I could easily put the plane where I wanted it. However, approaches and landings gave me the most trouble. My instructor (my dad) wouldn't let me solo until my landings were up to his standards, and they are high standards. It took me a while to get in the groove for landing, mostly nerves when the plane gets low and slow. The past month we've been flying off and on, weather permitting. Today the weather was great and we went out to the field. My dad put me through a full tank of buddy box touch and goes, then refueled, and he let me solo.
It feels great to be flying again.<br type=''_moz'' />
I was always landing off the runway center line, usually away from me or on the opposite side of where it should be. What got me right was my instructor telling me to set up the final with the plane pointed right at me, and watch closely to make sure I could never see the bottom of the wing. So, I did just that. Eventually, it just happened and my landings were much better.
One thing that is difficult is to see it coming at you at "such a great speed" and reacting to it.. or in the beginning, over-reacting to it. It was interesting to me to try to do two or three things at once.. focusing on the landing, then making sure I didn't over-control, watching the bottom of the wing, and so on. But, what happens is if you do the right downwind, the right turn to base, and the right final, things just work out and the plane settles in without much work at all. It's nice when that happens.
CGr.