Flying Blind

Yesterdays flight was almost all about hood work. We did our normal takeoff and proceeded to the practice area. It wasn't soon after I turned for the downwind departure my instructor handed me the hood and instructed me to wear. This was the beginning of the more boring part of my flight training to date.

Where are we going?
Nowhere as usual. It is just I couldn't tell with my head focused on the instruments. My instructor gave me heading call outs and altitude call outs as I blindly navigated around the skies. Left to... climb to... turn right AND decent to ... left 360...and on it went. Finally after 25 minutes of this he had me pull off the hood. First thing I heard on the radio. "Cessna 4963G, be advised, oncoming traffic at 12 o'clock, 2 miles at 4000." I was a little anxious looking for the traffic until I remembered, we were 1000 feet below and the traffic passed harmlessly above. What? Me doubt my instructor? Never...

Landing number 6. Why not 7 and 8 while were at it.
With eyes to see, we headed back to the airport for some pattern work. Each time, my landing improved a little bit but was still off. My biggest problem was flaring too high. Looking at the runway, it seems a bit unnerving to continue nose down towards the runway as it gets closer. I would slowly flare up soon after passing the threshold, and I would end up level at 10 ft above the ground. The ensuing drop as the plane lost speed was not the most comfortable land. On the third and final time, my instructor forced my to continue the decent to the runway and flare just above the ground. I will have to say the landing this time was much smoother. My instructor claims I was hiding smirk on my face after that landing, but I didn't notice. I played it off real cool. ;-)

Flight hours logged: 1.2
Total flight hours: 8.0