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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!sdcsvax!sdcrdcf!hplabs!hao!seismo!harvard!gcc-opus!brad
From: brad@gcc-opus.ARPA (Brad Parker)
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Practical advice from those more experienced
Message-ID: <159@gcc-opus.ARPA>
Date: Sun, 9-Dec-84 12:21:18 EST
Article-I.D.: gcc-opus.159
Posted: Sun Dec  9 12:21:18 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 12-Dec-84 05:54:56 EST
References: <1218@orca.UUCP>
Reply-To: brad@gcc-opus.UUCP (Brad Parker)
Organization: General Computer Company, Cambridge Ma (creators of Ms. Pacman)
Lines: 57
Summary: 

I'd like to get some practical advice from all the aces on the net.
I'm still  (!) a student with about 55 hours, all in 150's and 152's
(Cessnas to you model flyers). I've been taken to doing a lot of solo
touch and goes, mostly because it's very enjoyable and I would like
to be good at it. I thought I had reached an acceptable level (for my
hours) till last week.
	It was a very nice VFR day except for wind - I'd say about 10Kts
gusting to 20Kts. At an uncontrolled strip I shot 3-4 t&g's with no problem
and was able to correct for the crosswind easily. At this airport the
active placed the crosswind comp. at about 10-20 degrees. So, feeling good
I went to a controlled airport with a different runway configuration.
This time the active placed the crosswind at about 70 degrees. To make
things more interesting, the airport is on a plateau, so you get interesting
surface wind effects. OK - on with the story.
	I entered the pattern high, and my first approch was horrible.
This is how students fly (don't worry, it's not acceptable to me). I got
about 10-15 feet about the strip, started to anticipate the ground effect,
all limbs in motion keeping the thing level and straight (not an easy task)
when the gusts either came or went (went I guess) and my stomach told me
I was falling faster than I should be. So, being a good boy, I punched the
throttle, subtracted carb heat, etc.... Informed tower I was going around.
	Second approch - much better.  All set, ready for touch down - BLAM
same massive sinking and lots of crosswind trying to turn my little volkswagen
with wings sideways. I execute another go around. Now I'm upset.
	Third approch - no flaps - fast (no less than 80kts). I'm gonna
do this. Everthing is fine - get into ground effect and BLAM - massive gusts
wild control motions to keep the thing straight - I'm about 3-4 off the ground
and real nose high - I get several stall warnings (I love that sound - sounds
like a old bull in heat) and finally touch down - not hard but skidding.
I had no problem controlling the skid - and took off again.
	I left the pattern and went home - no problem landing with the cross
wind at about 5 degrees off the runway.

OK - this whole adventure left me discusted and very warry (sp) of 
practicing t&g's on such a gusty day. I thought it would be good
practice.

Any advice on this very long winded description (I can't believe I just typed
all these words) ? What would a "pro" do in this situation ? How do us
young'ns learn to deal with light planes in gusty weather? I would
never want to put an inexperienced passenger through one of those
attempted landings.

-- 

J Bradford Parker
uucp: seismo!harvard!gcc-opus!brad
otherwise: what else is there ?

"Somebody take the professor into the back and plug him into the HyperDrive!"
	- Hann Solo refering to C3PO.

"What I did that night,
 what she did that night,
 Realizing my hope
 I thrust myself towards glory..."
	- David Burne