Ray was back and the weather was suitable for flying but with a 10-12 knot direct crosswind. Yep, time for crosswind landing practice.
Unfortunately, one aircraft was out in use on someones' longish solo, one was down for maintenance, and N757MK had an shimmy damper problem, as in non-functional, at all. So much so that landing on it could pose a control problem. So the name of the game was "Be nice to the nose wheel". No touch and goes, just taxi backs.
I was rather determined to set aside the variety of negative thoughts I've been having regarding learning to fly recently and be positive, light on the controls, and really fly the plane. Deliberately forcing a good frame of mind seems to have helped.
So I had a good takeoff of 27 with the wind coming in at 180. I had quite the crab angle in on the downwind but flew a good pattern and my first landing was pretty decent.
Second one was even better as was the third and the fourth was a textbook crosswind landing - landing on the downwind wheel first and holding it off, the upwind wheel coming down next, and finally the nosewheel.
For the fifth and sixth I didn't quite do as well as the fourth, still landing crosswind ok but flat-ish with less of a delay between the downwind and upwind mains touching I need to really keep the aileron into the wind as I was tending to relax it a bit at touchdown.
Certainly one of the better flying experiences I've had in a while and I'll try to keep this on the upswing.
I've gotten some good advice recently from Murph, Brigid, and Comrade Misfit, and it's all appreciated.
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