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No Sweat
Hey Schmoo,
First off, you are worrying a bit early in your career. I had almost the same problem when I began flying about 35 years ago - darn, make that close to 40. Anyway, I've now got 15,000 hours or so. Here's what I did about the directional control problem - which, by the way, probably comes from your seating position in the aircraft. Does the aircraft always seem to be angled off in one particular direction? It always seemed to be off to the left a bit and I had a darn hard time getting it straightened out on short final. What I finally did was have the instructor do a normal approach and landing while I sat there and watched, paying particular attention to the visual directional cues. I discovered that when he was lined up, the aircraft seemed a bit to the right for me. Right then and there I decided to do my landings with the aircraft aimed a few degrees to the right. From then on I had no problems with directional control. I just made it look like it did when my instructor flew it. I was actually playing a little mind game with myself and I knew it. But it worked and after a while I forgot about that game, as you will, and recognized when I was lined up.
Another recommendation. Make sure you are not focusing too close to the aircraft on short final. If you are looking down or within 10 or 15 feet of the nose, every little movement of the aircraft is magnified and it is easy to overcontrol at that time. On final, line the center line up - approach end to departure end - to run between your feet. This is in no wind conditions or after you have begun cross-controlling in a crosswind. As you reach short final make sure you are looking at least about 30 feet out in front of the aircraft - but don't stare at one point! Keep your eyes moving a bit so you can pick up your closure rate and descent angle.
Other than that, just relax and enjoy it. You are probably doing fine or your instructor wouldn't have soloed you at all. Don't expect every landing to be perfect. It doesn't work that way in the small aircraft we are flying. And you are still a pretty low time pilot. Give it time and it will all come together for you. Some day you'll wonder why you had so much difficulty landing. Stick with it.
Bill
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