Date: 19.Jun.2017
Flight Number: 16
Flight Hours: 1.5
Solo Hours: 0
Instructor Hours: 1.9

What we did today:

• Troubleshoot weird noise. After we took off we heard this weird noise that sounded like it was coming from outside the cockpit toward the rear of the airplane. It was sort of like the sound SaranWrap makes when you crumple it. We thought there might be a seat belt hanging out of the door but that wasn't it. We went to Winder, landed and pulled off into an off runway area and killed the engine. We spent 15 minutes going over the airplane and the only thing we could find were a couple of small covers on the underside of the wings that were a little loose; when you pushed on them they rattled a bit. Nothing seemed broken and we weren't leaking oil so we headed back toward Gainesville. It'll be interesting to see what it turned out to be.
• Steep turns
• Pattern work

What went well:

• Steep turns

What didn't go so well:

• Pattern work sucked. I couldn't manage speed; I was putting out flaps too soon and flopping between way to fast and way too low on final. 
• I couldn't manage descent; too high mostly.
• Had problems staying centered on final and was tending to land way left of center. I was also 'wagging my wings' which Rick really doesn't like; if I'm off center he wants me to just use my rudder to get back on line. 
• Winds were variable today so that may have been causing some of the problem. And by 'variable' I mean that on final they switched from headwind to crosswind to tailwind. I was tending to stick with a setup rather than adapting to what was happening.

What I need to work on:

• Frustrating day.  Need to get back to doing better landings.

Prep for next flight:

• Not really sure where to go from here. I'll try doing some chair flying to see if that helps. I'll add in variable winds and talk my way through what to do.
• Hoping this was just a bad day