Perhaps I am not meant to be a pilot ?

J

Joel

New Member
Any comments would be great.

I am 31 y/o, loved planes and flying
since I was very little..4 or 5 y/o. I love to
watch them and enjoyed doing the ground portion
of my training. My dream was to become an ATP.

I started flying recently, have about 8-9 hours towads
my PPL. My instructor says I am doing great and
should be able to solo in a few more hours.

I flew yesterday, prior to that was 27 days earlier before
weather and a vacation limited my flying time.

So, as I was flying and practicing turns and slow flight.. it came into my head that.. '[expletive deleted]', we can get hit by another plane or loose the engine and fall 5500 ft to the ground.

I know that is highly unlikely but I still had this cross my mind
while I was flying along.

When I am up there, I think to myself at times.. what the hell am I doing.. then I think..doing something I always wanted to do but didn't.

I thought, maybe I am not meant to become a pilot since
I am thinking too much about things other then flying.

Then I think later on, after flying.. that the 'not knowing' all that is need to be a pilot is hindering my thoughts and causing
me to second guess my own abilities etc.

My next big step is too land, oh boy.. it's easier to
read and watch how to do it then to actually do it..lol

I guess you could say that some feelings and emotions
are causing me a bit of confusion.

The funny part is... when I am not flying.. I wish I was..and
when I am up here.. I often think I should have stayed on the ground.

Oh well.. any feedback would be great!


-J
 
Just relax and talk to your instructor about your engine/collision concerns. These fears are normal, and are healthy in moderate doses. You will stop obsessing about these things in time, but it's important to stay alert so that you are prepared to prevent and/or deal with these situations should they occur.

Most student pilots go through this phase, and it is certainly no disqualifier. Keep practicing and it will all come together. You obviously want to earn your pilot certificate, don't give up after you've made it this far!
 
It sounds to me just like what went through my head my first time up. I was about 8, coming home from alaska alone, terrified, and the captain let me up in the cockpit for takeoff. Those engines roaring alongside really scared the crap out of me. All I could think of was them tearing off mid flight and dropping like a rock straight down. With all those blinking lights and switches, I thought it was a miracle that the guy could fly this beast of a plane. By the time we landed 2 hours later I was staring out the window as the plane touched down thinking, "Man I wanna do THAT again!"

So my point is, I think you're just second guessing yourself. I too felt that way. So good luck and god speed becoming a pilot, if you so choose.
grin.gif
 
Mate, hang in there. Everyone goes through different feelings and emotions on initial training, its normal.
I cant say i went through what you are on about, but like i said were all different, and respond differently to situations.
Hang in there. You will either overcome this, or if you dont, perhaps get a better understanding of what it is your afraid of, because fear comes from knowlegde, or lack of.

Good luck!


Aussie
 
I agree with your sentiments, and I have been there. Sometimes in flight training the flights are a little intimidating, but the fear can be harnessed in many good ways. Worried that an engine will fail? Fly tighter patterns, and look for a place to land. This has become useful to me, as I dealt with similar fears.
Dont worry about falling to earth, as you know that the laws of physics dont die if the engine ever does (not going to happen). You have a very nice glider, and many options. If a forced landing happens, think about this. When you touch down, your groundspeed will be ~50kts. Ever seen someone crash a car and walk away?
It seems like you have the bug for aviation, and that is a great thing. Stick with it, and tell your IP what's going on. You'll find a way to work past it, whether it be more confidence due to more flights, or rationalization that these things your fears are really shots in the dark.
Good luck, and I hope to see you up soon and flying along well. Take care, and you have the confidence of the GA community behind you. Just posting that shows you want resolution to keep on flying, and I say go up, have fun, and take it to your goals.
Cheers
 
Hi Joel!
I'm approaching 200 Hrs and I can relate to your chain of thoughts, specially during slow flight. The same thoughts come to my mind: midair collisions. It is a scary thought that gets stronger during this maneuver (don't ask me why).
I'm think that part of my problem is the fact that I fly around South Fla and that type of accidents seems to be the No.1 on the list, but I don't know if this is a big issue in your area.

Sometimes I start thinking in my kids and wife, and the devastating effect of something happening to me up there, but I need to be in control of these fears in order to be safe. In other words don't give your thoughts unrealistic dimensions, and don't let them paralyze you.

Many, many times i thought EXACTLY this:

[ QUOTE ]
When I am up there, I think to myself at times.. what the hell am I doing.. then I think..doing something I always wanted to do but didn't.

I thought, maybe I am not meant to become a pilot since
I am thinking too much about things other then flying.

Then I think later on, after flying.. that the 'not knowing' all that is need to be a pilot is hindering my thoughts and causing
me to second guess my own abilities etc.


[/ QUOTE ]

...I'm not a CFI, but it seems like a normal phase in the process of learning a challenging skill.

Trust me YOU ARE NOT ALONE

THIS is a great article,.. it helped me a bit.

Fly safe
 
.
I have 600 hrs and made it thru CMEL/Inst with the same thoughts rolling around in my head on every flight. I've quit or given up (mentally) more times than I care to remember because of my fears. The best antidote is to face your fears head on. ie., stalls were mine, fear of a spin, I did spins and now stalls are not 'skeery' any more. I still have fears of certain aspects of flying but that fear keeps me from becoming complacent and that is a good thing. You are normal, continue.
.
 
your fears are perfectly normal. If you never had fear or concern as a pilot, I'd be worried. Keep at it, finish your private training, THEN take stock of "is this really for me?" By then, after doing the whole course of training, you'll likely know. Good luck!

Sarah
 
[ QUOTE ]
I started flying recently, have about 8-9 hours towads
my PPL. My instructor says I am doing great and
should be able to solo in a few more hours.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nah, stick with it man. At 8-9 hours, everyone is still a little apprehensive.
smile.gif
 
Joel, you could also get hit by a truck crossing the street, or you could have a metal anvil fall on your head when you are walking down the sidewalk.

The most important thing is that you say that when you are on the ground -- which is probably at least 20 hours out of the day -- you wish you were up in the air. Do you want to spend the rest of your life wishing you were up in the air for 20 hours a day?
 
I had an engine failure with one of my students. It was pretty scary. One of our first options was to put it in the intercoastal waterway, not a pleasant thought.

After that flight I was constantly fearful of losing an engine. If I heard a funny sound my heart would skip a beat. I always had an eye out for the closest landing spot in case of an engine failure (actually a pretty good habit to get into.) I wasn't the same laid back CFI I was before the day the engine quit. For a week or so, flying wasn't as much fun as it used to be.

After about 3-4 flights the joy of flying returned. I wasn't scared any more. Being afraid is a normal reaction, it happens to almost everyone.
 
On my commercial x/c, I was climbing through 5000 for 7000 - JUST at the thin cloud layer and the engine sputtered. I about crapped. I was too far South of TLH and too far North of CTY - I was in no-man's land. My only option would have been to head for the coast and ditch.

I flew back to TPF with my butt clinched the entire time. But, I have tell you, I was aware of EVERY place below that could be a landing site.

A little bit of fear is a good thing. It's healthy and gives you respect for what COULD happen. Never get complacent. That's when bad things happen. Turn that fear into an ultra-awareness.

It'll pass, but don't let it get too far away.
 
Hi Joel,
Fear is like masturbation: anyone who says they’ve never experienced it is a liar. And it’s perfectly natural. I mean, hey, you’re flying an airplane. What could be greater, and yet with that comes a certain amount of risk. Only a fool would completely disregard the potential for ‘bad’ stuff to happen, it’s called being prepared.

When you’re driving your car do you ever think as you drive through an intersection that some crazed ‘soccer mom’ might blow the red light and t-bone you? Because hey, it could happen. Or have you developed a level of comfort with the hazards of the road? Most fears are put to rest with successful repetition, keep flying and for every fearful moment you have there will be countless “oh my God, I’m flying a plane how cool is that” moment. If you allow a few fears to put you off your dream you’ll regret it. Keep flying and good luck.

Keith
 
Just remeber this fair warning. It is more dangerous to drive your car from your house to downtown, or just drive 30 miles around your city, then it is to fly a plane from L.A. to N.Y.
Do you ever stop and think, "What am I doing on the road? What if a stupid drunk driver hits me from behind? Or what if I ride off a bridge?" What you are thinking about is normal for now, but you have to understand that almost everysingle profession out there involves some risk. You just have to decide if you are willing to take that risk.

spin2.gif
bandit.gif
 
What's the quote again? Flying is 98% monotony and 2% pure terror? Something like that, anyway.

Fear is a normal, healthy thing if (like Alchemy said) it's in small doses. If you go up there twitching like Tweak from South Park every flight, somethings need to be worked out on the ground. If you go up there thinking that the engine might quit or another plane could come from no where, odds are you will always have a landing site picked out and your traffic scan will be pretty good.

Coming back from Ocala (THE x/c destination for the Orlando area), the engine started acting funny. By funny I mean, left mag no worky. The whole time between that point and ORL, I was looking for a place to put down. In retrospect, I was probably stupid and chancy since Leesburg was RIGHT underneath me at the time. I could have set the plane down there and had someone come get me, but I kept going. Probably would not make the same decision again.

The absolute most terrified I've ever been was flying into Sun N Fun a couple of weeks ago. Circling a lake in a VFR hold with about 20 other planes for 45 minutes to me was a mid-air waiting to happen. Luckily I had two other people spotting traffic for me in the plane. If I had been solo, I think I would have turned back or not tried it at all. What amazed me was watching the other pilots and saying "What the hell is he thinking?" several times. I saw more guys cut off by other pilots that day than a typical driving day on I-4. A Commander and a Piper RIGHT in front of me almost clipped wings. I was already thinking how I could avoid the flaming wreckage when they both jerked away from each other. I felt for some of the Mooney pilots, especially when the guys in front of them slowed to about 70 knots. I know that stall horn must be annoying.

My point (and there was one in there somewhere) is that what you're going through is normal. Just talk to your CFI about it. Odds are he/she has had another student with the same issues, and they will help you through it. Otherwise, ten years from now you might be kicking yourself for not trying it.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Do you ever stop and think, "What am I doing on the road? What if a stupid drunk driver hits me from behind? Or what if I ride off a bridge?"

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes. lol....

One morning last month, we had a really early showtime, so I was driving to the airport at 4am in a snow/slush storm. The roads were some of the worst I've ever driven in (and I grew up in the snow belt of NY). Its an hour drive on dry roads, but this particular morning, it took 2 hrs. I was driving like a little old lady, scared to death of sliding off the road and being late. Then I finally got to the airport, and had no reservations about jumping in the plane and going flying.
 
Thanks to everyone who made posts
on this subject. It's great to hear that
I am not the only one.

I was apprehensive on letting my CFI know
what I was thinking, I decided to call and leave
him a message about these issues.

I hope we can work through it and continue on
with less stress levels.

As for Mid Airs.. I am flying at GEG, Spokane, Intl in
WA. There is not alot of GA traffic up here so if I get
hit.. it will be a 737 or Q400 on my arse..lol

I like flying the pattern with the 'big goys', I think there is
a lot to learn from flying with these guys though I think its
funny when ATC says 'Maintain Visual Seperation with the Southwest Jet" as I think, yeah.. I will be able to watch out for him at a 125 KTS. as he is doing circles around me..lol

I think I need to do more Power Off Stalls so that
I am more comfortable with those.

Are there any simulations for Engine Failure practice ?
 
The big airplanes have TCAS. You've really got to worry about the little Cessna "no see um's" puttering around out there!
smile.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
I think I need to do more Power Off Stalls so that
I am more comfortable with those.

Are there any simulations for Engine Failure practice ?

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh, man, engine out. Those were fun. Just when I was like, hey, I think I have this flying thing down, I'd get a little surprise. First they'd distract me. "You said the fuel selector is on both, are you sure about that?" or "make sure you stay away from P-40, which is right over there." Then they'd cut the power to idle.

They didn't let me solo until I didn't freeze when they did that.

I actually liked the stalls, if that makes any sense. It was fun to have the plane just hanging there. I really LOVED slow flight. I think I learned more from doing that about controlling the plane than with any other manuever.
 
[ QUOTE ]

Are there any simulations for Engine Failure practice ?

[/ QUOTE ]

In my opinion, one of the best ways to prepare for engine failures (when not in the aircraft), is to go through the flow mentally.

Sit in a chair, imagine the panel in front of you, and go through the motions... basically, be a chair pilot. Go through the motions again and again until you have the engine failure checklist and actions memorized.

It doesn't take too long, it can be done anywhere, and IT WORKS!

Have a great time with your training. Your fears are 100% normal and healthy. All of the previous advice is great.

Cheers,
 
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