Did anyone feel 0 fear their first aerobatic flight?

What is a "zero" license?

If nothing else just to change the thread in the forum list - its been on flight chops for two weeks.
 
If your instructor teaches using a building block approach, as they should, then the fear should be a non-issue. For me, among the greatest experiences of my life were 1) the first time I did acro solo (ie, no one to bail me out if I messed up) and the first solo flight in my Pitts (ie, no one to bail me out if I messed up). Pure adrenaline rush. Intoxicating!
 
My first acro was in a Pitts S-2 just after getting my PPL. I was 17. Pilot was a competition Acro pilot and I had total faith in him. He told me he bought the plane brand new for the same amount he paid for his house, and he wouldn't let anything happen to his baby or us. Played Danger Zone over the intercom on takeoff.

A few years later went up in a Super D with a FedEx or UPS pilot who also taught acro for competition. I was afraid. Maybe because I was expected to execute the maneuvers? Maybe because I was a little older? Maybe because it was a thorough briefing and he had me practice getting out of the plane with the chute on (prior to start up)?

But, I'm afraid before every flight.
 
Just signed up for my first aerobatic lesson. So stupid excited. I do have fears about it, but those fears are simply that I'm going to become immediately hooked and that's all I will ever want to do going forward. :cool:
 
Cajun_Flyer said:
Just signed up for my first aerobatic lesson. So stupid excited. I do have fears about it, but those fears are simply that I'm going to become immediately hooked and that's all I will ever want to do going forward. :cool:
Click to expand...
If it is any comfort...it was fun to be upside down but hardly addictive. Spins were a blast but I've never wanted to do one in the 'kota. I have been willing to push the 'kota to it's limits with just me on board...
 
Clark1961 said:
If it is any comfort...it was fun to be upside down but hardly addictive. Spins were a blast...
Click to expand...

Just be aware that we acro heads get addicted to the sport not because we think being upside down or watching the horizon spin is fun or adrenaline inducing, but because of the never-ending challenge and satisfaction of learning new skills and finer degrees of control over the airplane. When you first start, it seems like a thrill to be inverted and see the ground spin, but that fades quickly and it becomes more about what I mentioned. Anyone who just wants an adrenaline rush will quickly get bored with acro. Not everyone becomes a G junkie, but it's great training and experience regardless.
 
PPC1052 said:
I'm sure her chute is hiding in her little sun dress somewhere.
Click to expand...

Given the French and the Maple leaf patch on the pilot's sleeve, I suspect this flight occured in Canada. I don't think Canada requires a parachute for aerobatic flight.

I'm wondering how long the FAR requiring a parachute be worn with passengers if aerobatics are done has been in existance. My dad did a loop with me in a J-3 cub when I was 3, and that was decades ago. We weren't wearing chutes. In any case, I'm sure that the statue of limitations has expired long ago on my first loop.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
That is a wonderful video. What a completely joyful laugh your daughter has. It's clear she was having a wonderful time.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
No, but I haven’t done any heavy acro. Just did a spin recovery lesson and the a couple of aileron rolls. It was fun. Need to go up time with someone and do something bmore than that.
 
its wierd. I am extremely susceptible to motion sickness... I even got nauseated one time while waiting for the Ferry to leave the slip in New York... but I don't have any issues with normal flight maneuvers, up to and including a few spins...But acro kills me... Go figure...:dunno:
 
First was in an AT6, no fear,however I realized I’m not into upsetting my stomach.
 
After my second aero lesson, I was afraid that I might be bulimic. Does that count? :)
 
No fear really, except a bit of nausea after 15 minutes. Got to fly the Super Decathlon and found it be quite a jump from the Cessna Aerobat that I had my initial aerobatic flights. Would one day like to try a Pitts/Eagle. Now that would surely be an experience!
 
Actually I was just excited, trusted my instructor.
 
No real fear, but during my first spin, in the Decathlon, I reached up and grabbed the roll cage bar.... as if that would prevent me from falling out. :D
 
Not fear that I recall, but plenty of excitement. But it was in an Extra with a pilot who spent 2500 hours in that plane doing airshow, so I wasn't worried either him or the plane would have problems. Started out as a BFR because I wanted to do spins, but had so much fun I asked him to run through his show routine, then he had me do rolls, snaps, inverted, tailslide, and some other stuff I don't know the names for. Would love to do it again.
 
I fear the possibility of a mid-air much more than doing aerobatics. In SoCal where I used to fly I had a couple near misses that freaked me out. We had an aerobatic box off the coast of Palos Verdes and it was a great place to practice aerobatics. Don't recall being scared of aerobatic flight.
 
FlySince9 said:
its wierd. I am extremely susceptible to motion sickness... I even got nauseated one time while waiting for the Ferry to leave the slip in New York... but I don't have any issues with normal flight maneuvers, up to and including a few spins...But acro kills me... Go figure...:dunno:
Click to expand...

Motion sickness is interesting. When I joined the USAF, flight school didn't appeal because I "knew" I would never make it. Then I discovered a helicopter program. (This was over 50 years ago.) I immediately volunteered, helicopters don't do acro. I didn't do any due diligence... first you learned to fly in a T-28A and did all the basics; after solo you started stalls and spins, then all the positive g aerobatics (no snaps or split Ss) and formation. Spins (three turns roll out within 10*) were the worst, I loved barrel rolls. With the help of a flight surgeon's suggestions and a very helpful instructor, I made it. The only guy that washed out of our class was the only one with a pilot's license. A CFI actually. He could not handle the acro.

To this day, if I read a newspaper while riding in a car, I am pretty sick after about 5 column inches; But I like nothing better than going up and practicing the Primary maneuvers in my Taperwing. If can ever get my spins to stop consistently at 1 1/2 turns and my slow rolls to be closer to the goal, I will compete for the heck of it.

To answer the original question - I was terrified that I would get sick and wash out, but I don't remember being afraid of the acro by the time I did it.

Ernie
 
I apologize for posting this here but I don’t really know how to get it where I wanted to go. In any event, I have a Grumman Tiger 1979 which is not certified for spins. Certainly it’s design does not seem that different from other planes that are certified for spins. Does anyone know why this plane is not certified for Spins?
 
ssscomp said:
I apologize for posting this here but I don’t really know how to get it where I wanted to go. In any event, I have a Grumman Tiger 1979 which is not certified for spins. Certainly it’s design does not seem that different from other planes that are certified for spins. Does anyone know why this plane is not certified for Spins?
Click to expand...
It’s because it couldn’t pass the spin test without a parachute. The only reason the chute wasn’t required for certification is because only awesome pilots are allowed to fly Grumman aircraft.
 
ssscomp said:
I apologize for posting this here but I don’t really know how to get it where I wanted to go. In any event, I have a Grumman Tiger 1979 which is not certified for spins. Certainly it’s design does not seem that different from other planes that are certified for spins. Does anyone know why this plane is not certified for Spins?
Click to expand...

Sold mine recently after 10 years and about 700 hours ... love the Tiger. The Tiger is difficult to get out of a spin because of the rudder-elevator relation, which does differ from most of the AC out there ... the lower surface of the rudder does not extend below the neutral line of the elevator. I got to do acro training in a Pitts with a CFI that also competes quite a bit. First ground school (not charged) went over the difference between the tail feathers of the Pitts vs the Tiger. If more than one spin or rotation, he indicated that because of the Tigers rudder-elevator relation, the only way to stop the spin would be to convert it to an inverted spin ...

All of the CFIs I used for flight reviews over the years were well aware of the spin limitation, most asking for only 2300 RPM on the "power on" stall and reminding me to please stay coordinated:eek::confused:;)
 
I got to fly with the guys at Sky Combat Ace in Henderson NV last year and absolutely no fear or sickness at all, and we did it all. We did the Red Rock Canyon run, 3 dog fights and all the aerobatics I guess there are to do. Rolls, loops, tail slides, hammer heads, lomcevaks, inverted flat spins etc. I think it helps to know the plane won't come apart also. We flew the Extra 300, rated for +- 10 G, unlimited aerobatics. We pulled 8.5 G's in a turn during one of the dogfights. They actually let you fly also. It was great and I will be going back.
 
I've been doing competition acro for over a year and I still feel fear! Well, let's just call it a healthy respect for what could go wrong.
 
Nope. I did it at 41 and thought it was a blast.

We went up to spin recovery. Everyone was surprised I had breakfast beforehand, and then more surprised to find out it was a big breakfast (eggs, hasbrowns, sausage). I just don't get motion sick. We did some maneuvers to get a feel for the plane, and I suspect to see if student gets queasy; some lazy-8's. We go through the spins and recoveries easily and quickly, and I didn't need any time to feel better. So, the CFI says, "Want to do an aileron roll?" "Hell yeah!" :cool: He describes what he does to do it and after leveling back out says, "Ok, your turn." I told him I heard what he said, but didn't realize I would do the next one and to run through the steps again.

Yeah, that was fun. :D

So, yeah, nothing radical, just some aileron rolls. But the right plane and instructor and I would be fine with more aggressive stuff too.
 
My first was in an open biplane, and it was a great time.

My second was a fighter combat class in Mesa, AZ using Extra 300s.

Never fear, but I did urp after 2 hours of dogfighting and aerobatics.
 
I've not even set up my first aerobatic flight, which I need for my CFI. I'm already scared-ish.

ssscomp said:
I apologize for posting this here but I don’t really know how to get it where I wanted to go. In any event, I have a Grumman Tiger 1979 which is not certified for spins. Certainly it’s design does not seem that different from other planes that are certified for spins. Does anyone know why this plane is not certified for Spins?
Click to expand...

Lots of planes prohibit spins. Cherokees haven't been spin rated since the 140. No spins allowed in a Bonanza. No spins in a Mooney either. No spins in any Grumman. No spins in a Diamond. No spins in a Cirrus (and the spin recovery there is to pull the chute).

danhagan said:
Sold mine recently after 10 years and about 700 hours ... love the Tiger. The Tiger is difficult to get out of a spin because of the rudder-elevator relation, which does differ from most of the AC out there ... the lower surface of the rudder does not extend below the neutral line of the elevator. I got to do acro training in a Pitts with a CFI that also competes quite a bit. First ground school (not charged) went over the difference between the tail feathers of the Pitts vs the Tiger. If more than one spin or rotation, he indicated that because of the Tigers rudder-elevator relation, the only way to stop the spin would be to convert it to an inverted spin ...

All of the CFIs I used for flight reviews over the years were well aware of the spin limitation, most asking for only 2300 RPM on the "power on" stall and reminding me to please stay coordinated:eek::confused:;)
Click to expand...

There is also the issue of Tigers being kinda hard to get into power on stalls anyway - at least conventional ones. Why? Because a power on stall, more correctly called a departure stall, is supposed to simulate a power on condition from rotation speed. Well, you rotate a Tiger at 55, which is 2-3 knots slower than the clean stall speed. So, you have to bring it down to like 65, so you don't have the horn chirping at you, then bring the power in and pull. Of course, if you put too much in, the plane will just blast up and you'll need to have a ridiculous angle of attack to stall. It makes the plane pretty damn safe in an unsimulated power on stall situation, but also makes it hard to do the demo.

Tarheelpilot said:
It’s because it couldn’t pass the spin test without a parachute. The only reason the chute wasn’t required for certification is because only awesome pilots are allowed to fly Grumman aircraft.
Click to expand...

LOL. Would be funny, if true, but it isn't. The Tiger, like almost every other light GA plane, passed a spin test in certification.
 
I was lucky enough to fly with Amelia Reid to get checked out in one of her Decathlons. The checkout eventually turned into an impromptu acrobatics lesson.

It was fun and exciting. I didn't feel ill until it came time to pay for the "lesson."
 
ebetancourt said:
With the help of a flight surgeon's suggestions and a very helpful instructor, I made it. The only guy that washed out of our class was the only one with a pilot's license. A CFI actually. He could not handle the acro.
Click to expand...

Care to share with the class what the surgeon's suggestions were and how the instructor was able to help?

I enjoy aero but can only tolerate it in small doses. Too small to really be able to practice many of the maneuvers and the tendency towards feeling queasy only seems to be getting more sensitive. Zoom climbs in particular seem to set me off.
 
N1120A said:
LOL. Would be funny, if true, but it isn't. The Tiger, like almost every other light GA plane, passed a spin test in certification.
Click to expand...

Had one for 10 years ... never put it into a spin. Supposedly if you screw it up, they go into a flat spin very quickly ...
 
danhagan said:
Had one for 10 years ... never put it into a spin. Supposedly if you screw it up, they go into a flat spin very quickly ...
Click to expand...

Those were mainly the older, small tail AA-1 and original AA-5 Traveller. The Tiger and Cheetah are far more benign.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top