The view: Touchdown on centerline for runway 19 at 0W3
The airplane: Cessna 172S
The pilot: David Smith
The mission: Adjust airspeed on final to eliminate ballooning and hit centerline.
The memory: Watch airspeed, fly to the centerline, look down the end of the runway.
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David is currently Vice President of Technology and the Information Security Officer for a large healthcare organization in the northeast United States. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Music, a master’s degree in Information Technology Management, a master’s degree in Healthcare Administration Informatics, and is a Certified Information Systems Auditor. David began his journey to private pilot in May of 2020 with a completion to Private Pilot in August 2021. As an ISO David deals with risk and risk mitigation every day in the cybersecurity universe and learned quickly that flying is all about dealing with risk and mitigation. David’s home airport and flight school was and continues to be Harford Air located at Harford County Airport (0W3) in Maryland. David’s CFII Charles Schultz (Chief Flight Instructor) led David through his private pilot journey and is now continuing to provide instruction towards an IFR rating.
Latest posts by David Smith (see all)
- Friday Photo: waterfront runway - October 21, 2022
- Friday Photo: landing on the centerline - August 26, 2022
- Learning to fly after 55 - December 28, 2021
When I was a student pilot and unaware that landing on the centerline was a FAR, I was lucky to be anywhere on the runway and thought of it as the fast lane & the slow lane. Then I became more consistent and precise.
Thanks Alan for the comment, I remember my examiner for my private pilot certificate said to me at the end of my check ride – “did you notice you always land left of the center line?” I felt like saying, “did you notice I always land ON the runway,” lol
Lol. That perfectly describes my landings (I’m a student pilot), especially with a crosswind. With me, I’m lucky to be within five miles of the runway.
I soloed 6/3/68. Yes 1968! One of the things that my CFI really emphasized that really stuck after all of these years was to land in the middle of the runway, but there was no centerline. After solo, I flew into LBB and I thought, this is cheating! They actually marked the center of the runway!!
Actually, I am David Smith!! Safe Flying!
One of the most satisfying things I did in my early flight experience was to put the old Musketeer right on the centerline after approach in a strong, gusty crosswind. As for a few other rewarding experiences in life, the first time was the best!