When pilots earn their money

[Walter]

[Deleted]

My dad has some wild stories about flying through the middle of thunderstorms and having to crab in on landings.

[Deleted]

I sent my dad the video. Here's his response:

"It takes skill to make smooth landings in strong crosswinds. I frequently requested crosswind runways for landings to maintain my proficiency. This practice served me well. I enjoyed watching other pilots wrestle their aircraft to the ground. Thanks."

He would frequently get compliments from passengers on how that was the smoothest landing they ever experienced in air travel.

[Deleted]

Feb 12, 2020 21:46:12 GMT -5 @kelliers said:

I sent my dad the video. Here's his response:

"It takes skill to make smooth landings in strong crosswinds. I frequently requested crosswind runways for landings to maintain my proficiency. This practice served me well. I enjoyed watching other pilots wrestle their aircraft to the ground. Thanks."

He would frequently get compliments from passengers on how that was the smoothest landing they ever experienced in air travel.

A good landing is the most challenging phase of flight, and it begins miles away from the airport, when you establish the proper airspeed, altitude, and attitude for approach, complete the checklist, and start thinking about things that can go wrong.

When you get down to short final, you're making constant small corrections in the aircraft's attitude, trying to prevent the plane from actually touching down until you have almost zero rate of descent, and barely over stall speed.  A really good landing will have the stall warning horn or light activated before you touch down.

I remember once coming back in to my home field, and on final, there was Delta Airlines in their big fancy jet, holding short of the active runway for my little old Cherokee.  Or was it a 172? 
Oh well, no matter............   My brother in the right seat said "Don't look now, but Delta is going to be grading your landing."  Of course my smartass self responded "Do you think they'll give me a job?"

I don't remember the actual landing, but we and the airplane survived it.

I've had my share of stinkers, too.  I misjudged an approach at Mobile, and was halfway down the runway, still flying. Too high and too fast on the approach.  The smart thing to do was fly the missed, but instead I forced the plane down on the back half of the runway.  My face was blistering as I heard "What was that guy thinking?" on the radio during rollout.  I kept my mouth shut, switched to ground, and got my taxi instructions to the ramp, mentally kicking my own ass the whole way.

Flying is fun!!