100 Hours and Still Nervous

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WingsOverNY

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WingsOverNY
So I reached 100 hours this week and I'm still dealing with my nerves for some reason. On the occasion I go up with an instructor I'm so comfortable in the airplane I could take a nap if I so desired however when I'm flying with frends I seem to be very anxious and nervous in the airplane. As you can probably imagine, I have not flown a solo fight since my checkride. My takeoffs, landings, and flight planning is always spot on but I just can't seem to shake the fact that if something goes wrong I'm the only one in command of the airplane. Is this normal to some degree for my number of hours or am I just bats hit crazy? :)
 
You've flown all 100 hours with your CFI? That's pricey. (well, sans XC solo's and other things that you had to do alone...)

I'd say it's a little koo-koo to get all the way through your PPL and still not want to go up by yourself. But hey, on the bright side - your CFI likes you, I'm sure. :)

No substitute for experience. Just get up there and do it - even if it's just pattern work or something for awhile.

I think I can speak for the majority of us on the board to say that, yeah...a bit of nerves early on...but that is a good thing...keeps you on your toes.
 
Very normal, when you get comfortable you get complacent and you get stupid - I would know.

Learn to be comfortable with being nervous - a little bit is good for you.
 
WingsOverNY said:
So I reached 100 hours this week and I'm still dealing with my nerves for some reason. On the occasion I go up with an instructor I'm so comfortable in the airplane I could take a nap if I so desired however when I'm flying with frends I seem to be very anxious and nervous in the airplane. As you can probably imagine, I have not flown a solo fight since my checkride. My takeoffs, landings, and flight planning is always spot on but I just can't seem to shake the fact that if something goes wrong I'm the only one in command of the airplane. Is this normal to some degree for my number of hours or am I just bats hit crazy? :)
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Welcome to the world of command, if everything goes well, you will never lose that. That feeling, it's known as responsibility, and in the plane, the responsibility of all their lives rests with you and that is a scary thought, and should be. Keep up the good work, you'll get used to the feeling soon enough and it won't bother you as much as you gain more experience and confidence.
 
kenjr said:
You've flown all 100 hours with your CFI? That's pricey. (well, sans XC solo's and other things that you had to do alone...)
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God no..I got my ppl in 41.5 and have done about 10 hous of additional dual for higher xwind proficiency and night training.
 
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I'm a bit confused. While you have more hours than me, you have not flown alone since your PPL? You do realize your passengers will be of no help (unless they happen to be pilots) on your flight, right? If you have not flown solo since your PPL, get your butt up there and do it!! If nothing else, just lap the pattern. Or better yet, take a XC somewhere! Your PPL is only your license to learn. If you feel like you can nap while flying with a CFI, then you dam well better be able to nap without a CFI! Figuratively speaking, of course!
 
Have y'all considered he might not be making solo flights not because he is scared to be alone, but because someone is with him that he is responsible for and/or wants to be there with him?
 
An instructor told me something a long time ago that you may benefit from.
"You don't have to comfortable, just competent." i don't care how long I fly, there are moments when I repeat that to myself to help focus my attention on the task at hand.
 
Nervous? Good. Read, explore for data that you missed in training (there is a wealth of information out there in the A.I.M., Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge) ask why, learn rules of thumb and practice. Read something, think about it and go practice it. You will find that you quit thinking of what might go wrong but will relax as you try to become more precise.
Learning should never cease. There are always old wives tales to dispel. Learn the regs. You will be amazed at the misconception on the Regs.

You will find that as your state of "nerves" changes that they will "evolve" to a different level. Hours don't matter...attitude does. BTW, I just hit 21000 hours and spent a few minutes last night looking over information for my trip that starts tonight. Be a pilot, not a passenger.
 
Start slow go up in the pattern solo and do some practice like you did before the ppl. Then start to expand your flights with short cross country flights. Then take a passenger with you. It will all work out.
 
I only have a little over 60 and always nervous before I go up and speak to people with 1000s of hours who say they still feel like that


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Find another pilot or two to buddy up with and fly with him/her for the next year on pancake runs, etc.. You'll get to be in the air twice as much, you'll have the comfort of another pilot on board, and you'll also learn from his/her flying.
 
Bobanna said:
This is not unusual, and I don't think it means anything is "off" if you're comfort-zone doesn't come together until several times that number of hours. Who cares? Our command as aviators has a lot more to do with responsibility than authority (NB: iHenning).
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That really is an excellent point you made eloquently, and it's not just in aviation, it's relative to all command positions. I see the failure in that comprehension often in the captains in the yacht business where egos can get freaking huge. There are those who seek a captain's position because they seek authority. You can tell the minute you walk up to their boat they are poison. Not one person on deck is smiling, there is bickering going on between the crew... it's not a pleasant environment to work in, now multiply that with that you also spend your off time together as well, 24/7 for months at a time; and the boat shows the resulting lack of care as well.
 
There is a difference between a little nervousness and anxiety. The former is normal and useful. The latter is not; it's a problem to be solved, and it's what the OP reports.

If not too severe, it might be solved by going up solo for a bit. If it's worse than that, especially if it shows up in other parts of life besides flying, it may need outside help.
 
Everyone is different, it also comes down to how often you go up.

As long as you're not nervous to the point of freezing up or hesitation and second guessing, you're fine.

Suck it up and aviate :D
 
Pattern work,,,,, naw. What you need to do is short trips from here to there, by yourself. If you are not going to separate from the umbilical cord, I say stop flying.

What you want is someone to take the wheel when anything complicated happens and you are deathly scared of crashing. You don't want to be responsible for anyone else in the plane to include yourself. Your reliance on the CFI is caustic and you simply lack any confidence.

The thought of flying PIC puts your stomach in knots and so much so, prevents you from detaching from your warm blankie CFI.

I'll be honest, I don't want to be in the air with pilots like yourself. I'm no superstar aviator, but I have been around unconfident pilots who are deathly afraid of leaving the pattern. You need to check yourself something serious, my friend. Look down and find a pair, then go fly somewhere by yourself. Period. Do it. Over and over. If you can't do that, go down the local Hobby Town and pick an RTF and a gallon of fuel and enjoy.
 
Brad Z said:
Fly more.
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Yes, this! I have 300 hours and I still get nervous if I don't fly often. Flying more often will fix this!

Plan on flying 3-4 days for a couple hours solo within in one week and get back to me on how you feel. ;)
 
WingsOverNY said:
So I reached 100 hours this week and I'm still dealing with my nerves for some reason. On the occasion I go up with an instructor I'm so comfortable in the airplane I could take a nap if I so desired however when I'm flying with frends I seem to be very anxious and nervous in the airplane. As you can probably imagine, I have not flown a solo fight since my checkride. My takeoffs, landings, and flight planning is always spot on but I just can't seem to shake the fact that if something goes wrong I'm the only one in command of the airplane. Is this normal to some degree for my number of hours or am I just bats hit crazy? :)
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Not bat **** crazy (on this subject anyway :D )

As other have said, fly more. More specifically, take a long cross-country or three. Fly eight or ten hours in one day if you can.

Also, at 100 hours it's not a bad idea to review emergency procedures with a CFI - practice engine outs, no-flap landing in a Cezzna, maybe a trim stall, - the types of things that are unlikely but the brain can use some re-assurance that it is trained to deal with'em.
 
I was talking with a B-2 pilot recently and we were talking shop when the subject came up of me flying my wife and boys for the first time since I got back into aviation after 21 years and how I had an extra level of anxiety. He seemed very interested in this statement and asked me to elaborate. I told him I couldn't, I knew I was safe or I wouldn't take them, but for some reason I had a stress level that wasn't there when I flew by myself. He told me that was an excellent trait to have and that the anxiety was a result of my concern I might be missing something. In the end, the guys that worried him were the ones that had gotten complacent and lacked at least some level of anxiety about a mission.
 
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WingsOverNY said:
So I reached 100 hours this week and I'm still dealing with my nerves for some reason. On the occasion I go up with an instructor I'm so comfortable in the airplane I could take a nap if I so desired however when I'm flying with frends I seem to be very anxious and nervous in the airplane. As you can probably imagine, I have not flown a solo fight since my checkride. My takeoffs, landings, and flight planning is always spot on but I just can't seem to shake the fact that if something goes wrong I'm the only one in command of the airplane. Is this normal to some degree for my number of hours or am I just bats hit crazy? :)
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A bit of apprehension is probably a good thing - it tends to keep a person's head in the game.

Yes, there is a lot that can go wrong. BUT, fortunately, it seldom does and when it does you've been given the tools (and demonstrated that you know how to use them) that have been proven to deal with them by many generations of pilots.

A wise pilot will never stop being a student of aviation. There is a lot to learn and most 5-figure logbook guys will tell you that the more they learn the more the realize they don't know. You don't have to know everything, you never will.

Keep training. That is the single most important thing that you can do. Never mistake currency with proficiency - those words are not synonyms. Grab an instructor once or twice a year and go looking for rust. You will find it. A basic BFR isn't enough.

Expand your basic skills. Go fly a glider and a taildragger and take a basic aerobatics course. They will do wonders for your basic stick & rudder skills and your confidence. (Engine? I don't need no steenking engine!) Start working on that instrument rating. There's a lot that you can do if you'll just take a little step or two outside your comfort zone.

You're a good pilot. You demonstrated it to two people - your CFI and DPE. Now you just have to demonstrate it to yourself.
 
"Normal". Every time that I have upgraded to the left seat I have felt this way.

Cheyenne, Lear 35 , Citation X, G550. All with lots of right seat time. Your safety blanket is gone. It's all on you. And it is a very large responsibility. I bet it took me at least 100hrs in each type to feel comfortable.

Just hang in there buddy. It's all about seat time.


First post

Your post made me finally sign up after reading for years

Good luck
 
WingsOverNY said:
So I reached 100 hours this week and I'm still dealing with my nerves for some reason. On the occasion I go up with an instructor I'm so comfortable in the airplane I could take a nap if I so desired however when I'm flying with frends I seem to be very anxious and nervous in the airplane. As you can probably imagine, I have not flown a solo fight since my checkride. My takeoffs, landings, and flight planning is always spot on but I just can't seem to shake the fact that if something goes wrong I'm the only one in command of the airplane. Is this normal to some degree for my number of hours or am I just bats hit crazy? :)
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Totally normal
 
Get some solo. Your only solo experience has been at the direction and supervision of a CFI or school. Get out on your own a bit and your confidence will increase. Don't try to build confidence with other people in that cockpit looking at you.
 
kenjr said:
You've flown all 100 hours with your CFI? That's pricey. (well, sans XC solo's and other things that you had to do alone...)

I'd say it's a little koo-koo to get all the way through your PPL and still not want to go up by yourself. But hey, on the bright side - your CFI likes you, I'm sure. :)

No substitute for experience. Just get up there and do it - even if it's just pattern work or something for awhile.

I think I can speak for the majority of us on the board to say that, yeah...a bit of nerves early on...but that is a good thing...keeps you on your toes.
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+1 :yes:
 
You passed the checkride. Does that mean you are going to be perfect? No. Are you going to make mistakes? Of course. Just remember, the examiner signed you off and passed you because he thought you were safe and competent.
 
Jim Logajan said:
Normal.
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Ditto this. I wasn't "comfortable" until I bought my own plane and flew 100+ hours/year the first few years. Frequency of flying is as important as total hours.

Also, don't just fly to the same airports all the time. Save some money, make an overnight xc flight that requires at least one fuel stop enroute.

Also see if you can fly with more experienced pilots from time to time to see how they do things.


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Henning said:
Have y'all considered he might not be making solo flights not because he is scared to be alone, but because someone is with him that he is responsible for and/or wants to be there with him?
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I don't think many folks actually think what "might be behind" someone else's comments any more.
 
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WingsOverNY said:
So I reached 100 hours this week and I'm still dealing with my nerves for some reason. On the occasion I go up with an instructor I'm so comfortable in the airplane I could take a nap if I so desired however when I'm flying with frends I seem to be very anxious and nervous in the airplane. As you can probably imagine, I have not flown a solo fight since my checkride. My takeoffs, landings, and flight planning is always spot on but I just can't seem to shake the fact that if something goes wrong I'm the only one in command of the airplane. Is this normal to some degree for my number of hours or am I just bats hit crazy? :)
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I felt the same way at this point. My solution was to start my instrument training. It improved my confidence (and my flying) immensely.
 
nosehair said:
Get some solo. Your only solo experience has been at the direction and supervision of a CFI or school. Get out on your own a bit and your confidence will increase. Don't try to build confidence with other people in that cockpit looking at you.
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Nothing like a 5000nm cross country loop vacation to gain confidence and experience especially with weather, plus to me there is no better way to see the USA than GA. The views you get are spectacular. It costs more than an airline because the experience is worth more than an airline. If it wasn't for the view, I would have quit flying after I figured out I didn't want to pursue airline flying (I already had 1200 hrs by then), but the views are worth it and it is a great way to travel.
 
retailguy said:
I don't think many folks actually think what "might be behind" someone else's comments any more.
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I beg to differ, kind sir.

I made an attempt to psycoanalalize the young pilots trepidation in my previous post. I do believe many, many pilots had the same feelings once kicked out of the nest of their CFI. He is just unable to handle it as well as those who couldn't wait to grab the yoke and point it somewhere others than the training area or local square.:yes:
 
If it wasn't for the view, I would have quit flying after I figured out I didn't want to pursue airline flying (I already had 1200 hrs by then), but the views are worth it and it is a great way to travel.
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That makes two of us Henning! (although not the airline flying part -- I never wanted to do that).
 
This is normal, and will never go away...until you bite the bullet and get some solo time.

I was VERY nervous probably the first twenty flights I went on alone after getting my ticket. But I knew that if I didn't keep going up alone, I would never be able to progress as a pilot. Repetition and familiarity made the nerves and vague sense of dread go away. Then all that is left is the fun and joy of flight.

I only have 160hrs, but 120 of them are PIC time. You have to get over the nerves at some point, unless you'd really rather always fly with a CFI. That's fine if that is what you want, but if not...
 
bullwinkle said:
This is normal, and will never go away...until you bite the bullet and get some solo time.

I was VERY nervous probably the first twenty flights I went on alone after getting my ticket. But I knew that if I didn't keep going up alone, I would never be able to progress as a pilot. Repetition and familiarity made the nerves and vague sense of dread go away. Then all that is left is the fun and joy of flight.

I only have 160hrs, but 120 of them are PIC time. You have to get over the nerves at some point, unless you'd really rather always fly with a CFI. That's fine if that is what you want, but if not...
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It doesn't really matter if it's solo time or not, time is time in these regards. He may be relieved during the intervening solos, but until he gets there, every time he has a pax it will still be there. Not an issue.
 
Nerves are a good thing. Passengers are a distraction. Go get some good solo time. Start small and work your way out. Build confidence in your abilities and expand your personal envelope without that distraction. Fly frequently. You want to get where you instinctually do things; where you are devoting less brain power to the little details and keep the big picture in your head. It'll raise your confidence tremendously. At a 100 hours I did a few 200nm cross countries where I was totally exhausted afterward (and it wasn't the weather). I'm now approaching 250 hours and doing 600nm cross countries (in a basic LSA) without feeling that level of exhaustion after. It's exciting to get out and practice the craft.
 
Been flying for over 40 years and it scares the crap out of me every time I go up (ha, ha)
 
Pghsteel said:
"Normal". Every time that I have upgraded to the left seat I have felt this way.

Cheyenne, Lear 35 , Citation X, G550. All with lots of right seat time. Your safety blanket is gone. It's all on you. And it is a very large responsibility. I bet it took me at least 100hrs in each type to feel comfortable.

Just hang in there buddy. It's all about seat time.


First post

Your post made me finally sign up after reading for years

Good luck
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Thanks for signing up and contributing! I agree...seat time, which is exactly what I need to do also.
 
Steel

Glad you posted.

OP: I have 350 hours now. Been through all types of crap. Still feel nervous. But mostly I just like the company of people even if they are not pilots. I find it a bit boring flying by myself.
 
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