Staying Relaxed
Have you ever seen a 2-33 land two-point? The skid and main-wheel at the same time, even worse is skid first.
I tell my CFI Applicants, instructing is enjoyable but always remember the student is always trying to kill you. Normally I say it as a joke emphasizing to make sure they stay sharp and on edge. However, sometimes the student really tries.
In other articles, I have talked about landings and to make sure that you are looking at the horizon and to hold it off. I teach landing by trying to not land. I never even mention the word 'landing'. At no point do I want the student to land. They are looking at the horizon and I am telling them to float to the end of the runway gravity and the spoilers are getting the glider to land where we want.
Just let Gravity do all of the work, it is a constant and we have never left anyone up there yet... So do not worry about it, you will land. Do not rush the meeting with the ground, delay it for every second you can.
Just like in thermalling you have to stay relaxed so you can feel the air, determine which way to turn. You want to stay relaxed when landing so you can be smooth. Defiantly do not allow yourself to get tossed around on final, but you can still stay smooth and relaxed on final.
The other advantage about staying relaxed is to avoid a death-grip on the stick. With a white knuckle death grip on the stick, your arm gets tense, I can see it in their shoulder as their right shoulder is rising to the height of their ear. Now the student's whole body is tense, many times this has a direct correlation to how they are listening and comprehending the instructions I am saying.
I could tell it all went downhill when I watched the back of his head tilt forward as he watched some point on the ground quickly disappear under the nose...and dove for it. I have been sitting in the back of a 2-33 as a profession, not masonry, in a battle of upper body strength I was at a serious disadvantage.
In our first lesson, I teach the positive exchange of flight controls. I want it clear to the student when I am flying and when I am taking over control. I also teach to only fly with 3 fingers, that a death grip is not required. Rest your arm on your leg and a gentle grip on the stick.
Part of my landing mantra I have mentioned before "Am I high? Am I low? Is my speed OK?" (repeat) is to interject "Relax and breath". Sometimes this involves rubbing the student shoulder to get them to relax a little.
Back to about 30ft in the air when I watched his head tilt forward I tried to get the controls back. No amount of "My controls, my glider, let go, let go of the %^%#$% &%%$ %#$% &*%& controls." There was also no way I could physically overpower him. Thankfully Schweizer made an impressively strong glider. Now my student gets medical tape to have 2 free fingers.
Photo: Roberto Ruiz
Garret Willat holds a flight instructor rating with over 8000 hours in sailplanes. His parents have owned Sky Sailing Inc. since 1979. He started instructing the day after his 18th birthday. Since then, Garret has represented the US Junior team in 2003 and 2005. He graduated from Embry-Riddle with a bachelor's degree in Professional Aeronautics. Garret represented the US Open Class team in 2008 and 2010 and the Club Class team in 2014. Garret has won 3 US National Championships.
