What's wrong with me?....

Well the flying thing is all you have going for you, so if you lose that might as well donate your pogo-stick to science.

See funny you bring this up, see I'm afraid of heights, roller coasters, all that stuff. Stalls used to scare me to death, and the feeling of stalls would mess up my stomach for a day or two. But in a very short amount of time I got so comfortable with flying airplanes that every time I'm alone in cruise I just want to do a split-S or something. Now, in a 172 with gravity fed tanks thats of course a big no-no. But its funny how I'm a total sissy to the point that I can't climb a latter on the ground(no joke), yet in the air I feel like I want to go rolling thru the sky. Trust the airplane, Badonkaduncan. It doesn't want to crash anymore than you do. Keep on your toes, but trust the airplane.
 
I couldn't even read your post because my eyes hurt. The giant block on letters just merged together. Just playin'

I had the same thing on wednesday of last week, I don't know what it was, but now I'm good to go. Granted, I'm working on my IR so I'm under the hood, it was still weird.

RD
 
JordanD said:
I wish. I don't know of any place that does aerobatic instruction anywhere near me. :(
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You don't need to have aerobatic instruction. Just see if you can find a pilot that's proffecient in aerobatics and go up with him. Or else you can do spins with any CFI.
 
I would suggest flying a larger airplane maybe. You should feel less bumps flying and feel more comfortable with the size of the airplane. It's like driving a Cadillac compared to a Honda Civic. That is why you see older people driving bigger cars, because they feel safer. (not saying that you are old).
 
... this might sound funny but how about this:
Your inner groundhog is struggling with your inner pilot. The groundhog is probably freaking out and and simply wants to keep you safe, it does not trust the pilot part yet. The two might have to get reconciled as you're looking for your peace of mind.

If you can start working on the instrument rating, I bet that would help.
 
Actually, go up with a CFI who is comfortable with this, and practice turning the airplane by opening the doors. Not only is it fun as hell, but it's a good way to maintain some control if you lose the rudder.
 
Henri Pablo said:
... this might sound funny but how about this:
Your inner groundhog is struggling with your inner pilot. The groundhog is probably freaking out and and simply wants to keep you safe, it does not trust the pilot part yet. The two might have to get reconciled as you're looking for your peace of mind.
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I don't have an inner groundhog lol. In my opinion, the higher the better. I did most of my training in a 152 and the pilots side door popped open on a regular basis. It was more of an annoyance than anything else. My instructor thought it was funny because I was his only student that didn't freak out when it happened.

Don't worry so much. Fears are a mental thing. You just have to be accepting of the situation you're in. Not unwilling to fix things if they aren't up to par but don't let yourself get freaked out by something that isn't worth freaking out over. Sure, you're several thousand feet above the ground in a very small airplane that doesn't have a lot of power and you can tell when the wind changes without having to look at a windsock. So what? You're not going to fall out, even with the doors open. That's what seat belts are for ;). And if you do, somehow, actually fall out and end up free falling to your doom, there really isn't any point freaking out while it's happening. Screaming louder won't lessen the impact.

The way I look at, you can either freak out and lose your head when you find yourself in a less than favorable situation, OR you can take a deep breath, think about your options in a rational manner and handle the situation as effectively as possible.
 
IMO, you need more seat time, more experience. I think plenty of aviators get scared at one time or another. I've flown in all types of weather, day and night to the aircraft carrier in the biggest POS the Navy fly's. I've done OCF, spins, aero, stalls, etc with students whom I had more flight time in left turns than they had flight time (meaning they sucked) and I was afraid plenty enough. Even through a mishap, kept flying. Experience is the way to do it I think.
 
bunk22 said:
IMO, you need more seat time, more experience. I think plenty of aviators get scared at one time or another. I've flown in all types of weather, day and night to the aircraft carrier in the biggest POS the Navy fly's. I've done OCF, spins, aero, stalls, etc with students whom I had more flight time in left turns than they had flight time (meaning they sucked) and I was afraid plenty enough. Even through a mishap, kept flying. Experience is the way to do it I think.
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Just went to the Blue Angels airshow this past weekend in P'Cola. It was great!
 
flyingmaniac said:
Just went to the Blue Angels airshow this past weekend in P'Cola. It was great!
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I just came from an IP tour in P-cola, great place to fly IMO. I'll be back in a year to fly T-6's as well. The Blues are the best but then again, I'm biased :beer:
 
bunk22 said:
I just came from an IP tour in P-cola, great place to fly IMO. I'll be back in a year to fly T-6's as well. The Blues are the best but then again, I'm biased :beer:
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I'm sorry that you might have had to deal with some of my students from the academy IFS program :-P
 
Screaming_Emu said:
I'm sorry that you might have had to deal with some of my students from the academy IFS program :-P
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I just may have. When I went through, we didn't have IFS (you know, when we walked uphill to the brief through 3 feet of snow in the Penscaol summer) and I'm nost sure how much it really helps performance. I think it's more for an intro to determine who might have the skills to continue on or simply who might like or dislike flying. I did read an ERAU capstone project that demonstrated where IFS helped reduce attrition but I forget how or why.
 
I went up in the R the other day and felt fine. I was able to stick my head out the window (didn't really have a choice when your right seater decides to rip one though ;)) so I think it is the fact that the 150 feels like a decomposing coffin standing still in the air. And the fact the ventilation is a million times better and you can breathe in the summer in there.
 
That's good to hear, man. I saw a C-150 in one of the hangars at GFK the other day. That thing is a rust bucket. If you had fly in it... hehehe.

It doesn't fly.
 
I used to get those feeling when flying solo for some reason. Then when I'd fly with someone else, I felt like a million bucks. Now all I do is fly with a crew, so it's never an issue anymore. Now that I have alot more experience since I was flying single engine airplanes, I wonder whether or not those feelings would return if I was by my lonesome. I dunno.
 
I used to fly an airplane called a husky A1-B, basically a tougher version of the super cub. It was a tandem configuration, and once and every now again while on a five hour cross country, the boredom would let my mind wander to the image of the piece of ply wood floor falling out of the bottom of the airplane, and me plummeting to my death still strapped in with the 5 point harness on a ply wood shuttle to the ground, while I watched the airplane continue on above my head.
 
Im glad you came out and said it Jordan. Im scared Sh** of spins. :dunno: I hate doing spin training. Every time that first wing dips I wonder if I am going to piss myself. I thought I was the only one who had any type of fear in the air. Every time you talk to or listen to a pilot he is so damn calm and mellow, regardless of the situation (some type of Clint Eatwood thing going on).
My first instructor just let us drop like a rock once while doing a spin. He kept saying "right rudder" calmly and I kept turning the yoke to the right. I was so dumbfounded I forgot what rudder meant and he didnt do anything to correct it. We fell for an eternity before I came to the realization that the rudder wasnt controlled by the Yoke. After that I figured to be a pilot you must have some type of eternal iron in your gut and I was going to have to forever conceal my fears, either that or go home after every spin and :bandit:. So thanks for coming out Jordan :clap:
 
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