GUMPS

Gas - On and Hot; Undercarriage - down and fixed; Mixture - full and rich; Pitch and Safety Belt. This verbal checklist on landing a plane is permanently fixed into my memory.

Final approach on landing was always a time of excitement - a sense of anticipation (not necessarily fear - just a nervous anticipation).

I remember one landing in particular - it was a hot summer day and I was wearing contacts. It was early in my flying lessons and I was sweating - big time. As we approached the final, I tried to wipe my brow and somehow the right contact popped out of my eye. There was no time to say anything to my instructor - I just closed my right eye for focus and landed the plane.

I was too embarrassed to mention anything to my instructor and felt it was a good test of what could happen sometime. I would add a reminder.

GUMPS + glasses.