We aren't talking about pilots that followed the evil side of the force, but rather good pilot's that for one reason or another, seem to have lost their way with some pretty basic skills.  Al confessed to having trouble with his basic landing skills, after building a pretty good track record with the airlines, corporate flying, and teaching a lot of people how to land a single engine airplane.  Marc was not immune  either as he was reminded of his difficulty in Pipers, after becoming accustomed to landing SR 22's and a V-Tail.  What is it that makes that happen?  And how long will those skills desert us?  Tough questions to be answered.  The answer may just start with flying with an expert to advise and coach us.  Just as Michael Jordan had a shooting coach and Tiger Woods employed a coach (bad example these days), all of us need an objective view of what's going on and what is necessary to correct it.  It may be a CFI or a flying buddy, but if your results are changing, it means you're doing something different, and it'll take an outside view to diagnose and repair what's wrong.

 

Marc also issued a request for all our listeners to chime in with things you do in a cockpit that aren't necessarily part of your flying duties.  Whether its playing a game, having to relieve yourself during a flight, or learning new things about your avionics, we're interested to hear how you spend your time on a longer flight.  And if you do use the "Johnny on the Spot" relief aids, how do you put yourself in a position (literally speaking), to effectively use the device.