Date: 19.Jul.2017
Flight Number: 22
Flight Hours: 2.1
Solo Hours: 0.0
Instructor Hours: 2.6
Landings: 4
Solo Landings: 0

What we did today:

• Monday was bad weather so we went over how to plan a cross country.
• Today we flew the XC.
• The intent was do do the XC once with the CFI and once solo.
• Note: Sport Pilot requires a 75 mile XC with one leg of at least 25 miles. The route we're using is 35 miles, 20 miles, and 35. The distance is so freaking short that as soon as I hit cruise altitude, I'm pretty much at my first and only checkpoint and then ready to start descent. Can you say 'busy'? I guess the good news is that this process will result in efficient cockpit management...at least that's the hope.

What went well:

• The planning was good for 2 of 3 legs and I hit my checkpoints pretty much dead on time.
• Getting into the pattern at 2 of 3 airports.

What didn't go so well:

• I screwed planning on the final leg and got the heading totally wrong. Lucky for me the GPS pointed me in the right direction and I was able to cover.
• Landings were really bad. I was rounding out too low, bouncing the landing, and the plane was drifting so side loads were bad. Landings were the reason I didn't do the solo XC.
• Getting into the pattern at GVL was totally wrong. I continue to have spacial issues and am just not 'seeing' how to get into the correct pattern.
• I also did not compute actual times en route or fuel used. 
• I totally sucked at managing the map, flight plan, checklists, and airport diagrams. I need a freaking desk and have my knee available for all the crap you have to use.

What I need to work on:

•  Entering the pattern from <some random> direction. I thought I had this one figured out by using the directional bug on the navigation system so I had a visual reference for the direction I'd be landing but that's not working consistently.
• We're going to do one or more days of just pattern work to get my landings back to a better place. I'm totally at a loss for how to get better and more consistent. I don't feel like I 'see' the landing yet; if I'm drifting off the center line like today, I just am not able to detect the motion in a way that is helpful. It's like someone telling you to 'think harder'...I hope today was just a bad day and that my overall awareness improves soon.
• Rick has suggested I try and get in flights on consecutive days rather than M-W-F with the thought that repeated short term practice will help drive in good habits.
• Once I have recovered reasonable landing skills, we'll do another dual XC followed the same day by a solo.

Prep for next flight:

• Re-plan the XC using lower altitudes for the last 2 legs and make sure I have the headings correct 
• Try and figure out tool management so I'm not flipping papers all over the place at the last minute.