As someone who has only flown as P1 in gliders and thus been spoilt with excellent forward vision out of the canopy, could someone explain how the pilot of a big single engined tail dragger plans his landing? I understand the turning (carrier) approach method to keep the landing area in view until the flare, but wouldn’t you look out for potential obstructions on the approach?

I appreciate that he may have been preoccupied with other issues and that leaving items of heavy machinery in the middle of an airfield is asking for something to bump into them. Having said that surely you need to have a good look out of the window at your landing area before you commit yourself? I had a few cases where gliders landing ahead of me planted themselves in less than favourable positions and I had to alter things accordingly.