landing your own plane

[McFueler]

Isabel, I talked a lady that learned to fly here at our culd into flying IMAC and she did for a couple years. I told her it would make her a better pilot and she did become a much better pilot. She still flies at our club field but did not fly IMAC at all last year, I'm still trying to get her back to a contest she started out with a 35% Hurley extra that she scratch built and now flies a 35% Carden extra, she is a very good builder and flies about every weekend at the club field.She used to get me to land it for her at contest but after awhile of flying contest she started landing it her self.
Mark

[Tired Old Man]

Just a little story.

Back when I still thought one could make money flying full scale I taught people how to fly for a living. There was a neighbor that had flown quite a bit with a guy that owned his own Piper Pacer. He never landed or took off but he got to fly the plane around with the owner quite a bit.

One day he stopped by the house and mentioned that he was a pilot too since he had flown that Pacer quite a bit. After a bit of discussion about take offs and landings we went to the airport to take my plane (a C-152 on leaseback to a flight school) up for a few trips around the patch. He did ok flying basic straight and level stuff and a few turns in the pattern so I thought, why not coach this "pilot" through his first landing?

So I had him fly the pattern and talked him through the power reductions, rpm, speeds, and flap use from downwind, through the base turn, and onto final. Now the guy is getting nervous. I reminded him that he said he was a pilot as we flew down to short final and crossed over the fence. By this time he had forgotten what the rudder was for and was drifting towards the taxiway. The plane was jumping all over the place from his coarse control inputs and sweat was dripping off his face on a 65 degree day. Of course he had already asked if I would take the plane but I kept coaching him through the approach to see how well he could do.

About 5' off the ground and over the grass between the runway and taxiway he said something like "We're gonna die!" and got off the controls. I took the yoke and a quick kick of the rudder and a little aileron into the wind put us back over the center line and in for a nice touchdown. My neighbor had a good case of the shakes by this time.

After the taxi back he admitted that he no longer thought he was a pilot.

Moral? If you can't take off and land you're not a "pilot" and not qualified to compete in flight events. That's my perspective anyway.

[The Dirt Doctor]

I agree!! I always teach a beginning RC pilot to land before he takes off!! It is easy to take off but that landing is a whole different story!!

Bobby aka TDD

[kwilson]

I dont think the issue is wether she CAN land, just if she feels comfortable landing in an unfamiliar surrounding after the pressure of contest flying. Why risk a plane if the rules dont state that you have to land your own plane? I saw top quality pilots in Tuscon this year having other people land their planes because of the unfamiliar conditions. Personally, I see nothing wrong with this practice, especially if it gets more folks flying competition.

Kevin

[Trumpetman]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Tired Old Man
	Moral? If you can't take off and land you're not a "pilot" and not qualified to compete in flight events. That's my perspective anyway.

Sorry Tired Old Man, I disagree ... Here's my little story: At the very first IMAC contest I attended there was a middle aged gent who also was flying in his first contest. He had just learned the Basic routine and had only been flying his 25% gasser for a few weeks. I called for him and despite having to call a few breaks he got through the routine. He was very nervous and the freaky wind was constantly changing direction, this had him completely rattled (even Unlimited pilots were making 4 or 5 approaches!). He tried a couple of approaches and finally had a friend land the plane for for him. The plane was safe, he was happy and IMAC has another committed member! Moral? If having someone else land your plane means you have a good time and get hooked on IMAC then more power to you!