ON THE SPOT

摘要

ONE OF THE LESS OBVIOUS REASONS TO mourn the cancellation of 2020's EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, is that hundreds, perhaps thousands of pilots felt less impetus to refresh their spot landing technique. Like many things we learn to pass checkrides, precision landing skills are a perishable commodity, and while pride and self-respect should provide enough motivation to stay sharp, these apparently pale next to the potential embarrassment of missing the mark in front of the world's largest airshow audience. Well, whatever it takes.... Backcountry pilots, of course, rely on their ability to put the gear on the ground right there. Reaching the approach end without floating a couple of hundred feet beyond can easily become the difference between flying yourself out and hoping someone hears your emergency locator transmitter. But those of us who habitually operate off thousands of feet of pavement are at risk of creeping complacency. If I've stopped before the last turn-off, why fret over how many stripes drifted past before the airplane decided to stop flying?