Bounce, bounce, bounce
Had a nasty scare today on my third solo flight in Cessna 172.
Wind was light variable NW-SW.
My instructor mentioned before take-off that previous student had encountered one unusual low thermal which caused sudden upward pitch and veering to right shortly before touchdown on rwy 32.
After completing four or five touch and gos with instructor on rwy 32 and another three or four on rwy 21 (nothing out of the ordinary in landings which I thought ranged from not bad to good), instructor let me go solo for one final circuit on rwy 21.
No problems on circuit but I crossed the threshold a touch fast at 68knots. I applied flare as usual but had a hard landing. Aircraft bounced a couple of feet and then bounced again, and again, the third time probably about eight feet. Fourth bounce was not as high and I managed to keep the plane on the ground after that but had to brake sharply as I was quickly running out of runway.
I pulled up quite shaken, but not as shaken as my poor instructor who had watched all this.
He told me he thought I was coming in a bit fast and that he had noticed the plane's tail had suddenly lifted causing a more nose-down attitude just before touchdown. This could have been caused by a thermal. He agreed a go-around was not an option after the first bounce.
My reaction to the first bounce was to pull back the stick, but it is possible I might not have kept it fully back throughout. I was quite amazed how easily the Cessna bounced (ballooned) and how difficult it was to control and keep on the ground.
This was by far my worst experience as a student pilot so far, but I do want to learn from it. I am flying again on Friday and hope to get my confidence back.
Any advice, suggestions gratefully accepted.