Disappointed

Sport Pilot

Sport Pilot

Pre-takeoff checklist
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I flew today with my instructor with a 11 knot crosswind. My takeoff tracking and crab landings were way off.

Today I was scheduled for my second solo; to go out to the practice field and come into traffic pattern at a 45.

Due to the crosswind, I told my CFI that I wasn’t ready for solo (IMSAFE).

I am very disappointed in myself. I just soloed last week and now I can’t even land the damn plane.
 
Patience grasshopper! You’re gonna have days like this, and then great days. Don’t beat yourself up. It’ll come back to you.
 
Relax, it’s smart to stay on the ground if your not comfortable.
 
Don't let it bother you. During my recent Flight Review I had one EXCELLENT cross wind landing, and 5 others :mad2:

And a song:
 
Sport Pilot said:
I flew today with my instructor with a 11 knot crosswind. My takeoff tracking and crab landings were way off.

Today I was scheduled for my second solo; to go out to the practice field and come into traffic pattern at a 45.

Due to the crosswind, I told my CFI that I wasn’t ready for solo (IMSAFE).

I am very disappointed in myself. I just soloed last week and now I can’t even land the damn plane.
Click to expand...
I was doing great landings in my last couple of flights but yesterday got up with my CFI and we had 6G11 xwinds. Only got two good out of 6... The others made me question myself... But, at the end of the day, the plane was re-usable so...
 
You just gotta buck up, crank it into a slip, hold that centerline on approach and realize that you can always go around if things deteriorate. Your instructor will laud you for making that excellent go-around decision!
 
If the CFI hasn't done this already, you need to just fly down the centerline of the runway keeping the aircraft straight instead of "trying" to land. Once you've got the basic building block of *how* to keep the airplane straight, it will be easy to add the flare and landing.
 
11 knot crosswind in a LSA is nothing to be trifled with given the light wing loading. Your ADM was good as you made the call based upon your personal maximums.

FWIW, my personal maximum crosswind is 10 knots. If it’s more than that, I don’t need to go, or if I need to be somewhere, the car is what I take.

Hang in there - it will happen. Plenty of time to bore holes in the sky... but getting the right muscle memory and procedures down is critical.
 
Good ADM on your part if you were not ready. Being a pilot for a long time will involve many decisions. Don’t be pressured, don’t pressure yourself, and as was said, patience. It can be a very humbling process at times. There will be great days as well. Better to be down here wishin...well, you know the saying...Enjoy!
 
Many people made the choice to fly when they shouldn’t have and paid for it. Good job knowing your limits and even better job not feeing like you had something to prove.
 
There will be time to be a total stud crosswind-landing pilot later. :) Right now it's good that you know your limitations and when not to fly.
 
RyanShort1 said:
If the CFI hasn't done this already, you need to just fly down the centerline of the runway keeping the aircraft straight instead of "trying" to land. Once you've got the basic building block of *how* to keep the airplane straight, it will be easy to add the flare and landing.
Click to expand...

Agree with Ryan. Talk to your CFI about showing you how to side slip to keep one wing low to the wind using rudder to keep on the center line. As a student I learned how to crab into the wind on decent and transition to a side slip technique. Works like a champ and by keeping a wing low to the wind, the main tire lands first.
 
I have flown with some high time, experienced pilots who made some ugly crosswind landings. That being said, my biggest problem on the crosswind landing is becoming lazy in the flair, that is as the plane slows, both aileron and rudder need to be increased to maintain the centerline and wing down. The consequences of becoming lazy in the flair is you are blown off centerline or you touch down in a crab position. So, if you are attempting a wing down landing, both rudder and aileron control will increase as speed decreases. Practice helps, but understanding the concept is the first step to a good crosswind landing. Otherwise continuing to practice with bad techniques will only reinforce bad techniques. My plan on a crosswind is to crab in, wing down, rudder, and DON'T RELAX IN THE FLAIR!!!!!!
 
Sure it's a man thing... you are not very experienced now, because you need more flying to get experience.... and I think knowing your limits is also very very important and nothing to be ashamed or disappointed for :eek:
Stupid people, who dont know their limits make mistakes....
For next solo you will probably say yes... but never force yourself into things you dont really feel you are ready for.



Sport Pilot said:
I flew today with my instructor with a 11 knot crosswind. My takeoff tracking and crab landings were way off.

Today I was scheduled for my second solo; to go out to the practice field and come into traffic pattern at a 45.

Due to the crosswind, I told my CFI that I wasn’t ready for solo (IMSAFE).

I am very disappointed in myself. I just soloed last week and now I can’t even land the damn plane.
Click to expand...
 
I agree with Ryanshort1...find a quiet runway with a crosswind and fly the whole length a foot or so above the surface while keeping the upwind wheel over the centerline. Do not touch down. This worked like a dream for my paraplegic students, who had more problems to deal with than you do. You will find yourself making continual minor corrections with rudder and aileron in order to track the centerline.

Bob
 
You should probably just quit now;). You’ll get it. Don’t worry about it
 
Thanks for the replies of guidance and suggestions everyone. My CFI and I did 7 landings in the crosswind. During the entire flight pattern instruction, we were bouncing and shaky. It just wasn’t my time and I knew it. My CFI had no problem with me saying no.

I fly twice a week at 6:30pm. I have a 2 1/2 drive to the airport. The wind is extremely calm at that time. However, I flew yesterday at 5:00pm and there was wind.

My CFI said I have been spoiled by the calm wind and the wind is a great learning tool; something I have not encountered until now.

Though not as intense as what you pilots have flown in, this rudimentary experience gives me a grand appreciation of pilots and wind.
 
FYI many many pilots with all kinds of ratings struggle with cross winds and most weekend warriors are apprehensive about it.

If you don't fly in xwinds often, the skill gets rusty (and most PPLs are rusty at xwind landings).
 
Sport Pilot said:
Thanks for the replies of guidance and suggestions everyone. My CFI and I did 7 landings in the crosswind. During the entire flight pattern instruction, we were bouncing and shaky. It just wasn’t my time and I knew it. My CFI had no problem with me saying no.

I fly twice a week at 6:30pm. I have a 2 1/2 drive to the airport. The wind is extremely calm at that time. However, I flew yesterday at 5:00pm and there was wind.

My CFI said I have been spoiled by the calm wind and the wind is a great learning tool; something I have not encountered until now.

Though not as intense as what you pilots have flown in, this rudimentary experience gives me a grand appreciation of pilots and wind.
Click to expand...

So, my take on this, never be disappointed about making a good decision and never second guess a no go decision. This aviation thing is full of days where you want to fly but for one reason or another you don't, can't or shouldn't, that's just part of it, get used to it. Live to fly another day.
 
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