Originally Posted by
Engineer Pilot
Hey Fellas... I also just completed my first solo (4/19/07) at KDSM Brown Field (San Diego, CA) flying a C172. Now I have strong weather minimums (7,000 ft. ceiling, 7 kt headwind or 4 kt crosswind) I must wait for in order to fly again. I can't wait for the weather to get good again so I can keep flying! I also wasn't too scared... but I was little nervous on my final landing when the variable wind rose from 5 knots to 9 knots with a slight (30 degrees) crosswind.
Is your training including cross wind landing? There is nothing like getting out and learning how to handle cross wind landing and then when you are faced with it you focus on the effects of the wind and make the correct control inputs.
You can also practice side slips and foward slips at cruise alitude at approach speeds. Ask your instructor about Dutch rolls. This is where you try to keep the nose on a point by applying cross control inputs.
I have seen vast improvement in cross winds landing when this manuever is mastered. Oh yeah, do not lock yourself into any landing when you have the option of going around and setting up again for a landing.