Genghis:
I also was addressing the subject of how to hold the center line while landing. What I was pointing out was one should not look to far foward, i.e. at the end of a long runway. That is why I used the crop dusting analogy, to point out that one can not acturately judge height or lateral position over the surface if your point of reference is to far away.
The inability to hold center line during approach and landing is one of the most frustrating shortcomings in flying skills that I find in the pilot pool.
I use a camcorder mounted at eye level when doing advanced training, after the flight I plug the camcorder into a T.V. and give the student a laser pointer. When the airplane starts to divert from the correct flight path and or the flare for the landing is incorrect I stop the picture and ask the student to show me with the laser where he/ she was looking and what they were thinking.
After we discuss why it has started to go wrong I start the camcorder again and stop it where ever a problem shows up.
This method of fine tuning errors in flying works extreemly well and saves a lot of guess work trying to determine where the student is looking and thinking at any point in an approach and landing.
I first used the Camcorder method of debreifing people during training on the water in large flying boats where attitude and rate of decent control during the landing is critical. It works so well that I now use it teaching precision flying and tailwheel training, especially wheel landings for judging correct flare height and attitude.
To sum up, where one looks is most of the secret in judging height and lateral position when landing. And looking to far ahead or to close in any given situation will result in inacurate flying skills.
I hope you now understand why I referenced crop dusting.
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The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no.
[ 21 November 2001: Message edited by: Cat Driver ]