My Way

I said to my CFI once, "There's a right way, a wrong way, and my way, which is usually neither of the two."

Tonight I raise my glass to my CFI, Scott... Once again you are right, sir. Once again I had to bang my head on a wall for a couple weeks/months before I finally figure out, my way, what you've been telling me for months.

Don't know what it is about me that I can hear something a dozen or more times, understand intellectually, but not actually understand and implement until I "figure it out" myself. I would have certainly saved myself thousands of dollars in flight time and training time if I could just do what Scott says the first or second or fifth time he tells me. But, I have to do it my way. I suppose that's OK. It means once I learn something this way it stays learned.

So today I figured out if I keep flying the plane and focus on the end of the runway, not only are landings smoother, I am able to maintain directional control (in other words, keep the plane going straight after landing). If only my CFI told me that.. but wait, he did! *laugh*

Oh well, I can be upset that it takes me extra long to really learn some times, or I can be happy that I DID learn and I'm that much closer to my license. I choose happy. Another step on my way to becoming a pilot. If you are an aspiring pilot, listen, really listen, to what your CFI says. He/she can save you a lot of time and money if you do. Or you can be like me and do it your way... either way, it works as long as you never, ever, give up.

Keep on flying!