How can I be more confident?

danpass said:
I didn't see a mention of aerobatics.

Fly with someone who competes. Notice how they land the plane.

Good example: http://youtu.be/7AaBCIZRspA
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Uh - test, test -- is this thing on?

BTW, that video is pretty cool but a +60 deg bank to landing is bad in any plane, I don't care if the pilot is superman. Bad habit, and may become fatal at that low altitude.
 
Unregistered said:
I think deep down part of the reason is my CFI. When we parted ways it wasn't pretty, and I lost a lot of the mental prepardness I had going into my IR ride because of how he handled the situation.

I did an acro flight once, just once. I didn't like it at all. It was open cockpit and I constantly felt like I was going to fall out of the airplane. Maybe if I could do it in an Extra 300 or something that wasn't open cockpit I'd feel better, but I didn't like it. I would do tailwheel but my old CFI is the main tailwheel guy... don't wanna do that again.. I have done spin training in a 172, though stupid old CFI won't give me the spin endorsement so I need to do it yet again.
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This is sounding more and more like a personnel issue and not a plane issue. I would find the oldest, crustiest codger CFI around and do a little more spin/acro in a Citabria or Decathlon. Acro is kind of like painting, which I can't do at all. It's about the art of flying and not strictly the procedural aspect.

fix your personnel problem and I think your comfort level will improve.
 
So, I have been following this thread and, having some similar experience of my own, let me hazard a guess as to what is going on here. I think that your ratings have outstripped your ability to control the airplane. It does not matter that you have an IR and it does not matter how you got along with your old CFI. What matters, I think, is that you realize at some level that your skills with stick and rudder are not up to the level needed to ensure the safety of yourself and your passengers. I do not think that taking some solo cross-countries or going to fly-ins is going to help you much. Heck, you might scare yourself more trying to land in some short field in a crosswind for some second-rate pancakes and sausage.

You need to find a competent CFI and get your skills up to the level where you KNOW that you are competent to handle your airplane in just about any situation. You need to quit with the excuses and get this done. The best way, IMO, is tailwheel time and lots of tailwheel work in a crosswind. See the video on my YT channel of me doing that at F45 shortly after getting my tw endorsement. Do you think that, after an hour of that, that landing a tricycle gear airplane in a crosswind holds much fear for me?

Quit with the excuses. Make the effort to do what you need to do, travel where you need to travel to, to get this handled. Think of all the investment in flying that you have already made. Get past this.

Don't know if you can find someone like the CFI below but you should be able to come close:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iBdHTYvVYE
 
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Cool article that is relevant, talks about pilots as well.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/10/m...e-others-fall-apart.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&
Some scholars have suggested that we are all Warriors or Worriers. Those with fast-acting dopamine clearers are the Warriors, ready for threatening environments where maximum performance is required. Those with slow-acting dopamine clearers are the Worriers, capable of more complex planning. Over the course of evolution, both Warriors and Worriers were necessary for human tribes to survive.
 
OP, please feel free to PM me. We can set a time to talk on the phone if you want.
 
"BTW, that video is pretty cool but a +60 deg bank to landing is bad in any plane, I don't care if the pilot is superman. Bad habit, and may become fatal at that low altitude."

~~~~ it's a PITTS for heavens sake. A slipping turn to just above the runway is SOP. It isn't a good example of normal landing behavior in what is likely the OPs aircraft.
 
I was certain my opinion would find some backlash. I've got some time in a Pitts for heavens sake. You wanna do a 60+ deg bank to landing, fine. I'll save that kind of stuff for up higher.
 
docmirror said:
I was certain my opinion would find some backlash. I've got some time in a Pitts for heavens sake. You wanna do a 60+ deg bank to landing, fine. I'll save that kind of stuff for up higher.
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What do you think the angle of attack was there? It looked stable and within safe margins during that banked approach. If you have flown any aerobatics you surely understand that bank and AoA are independent of each other.

Remember you can't spin without a stall, and you don't stall unless you exceed critical AOA.
Even if you did stall it during a slipping turn, the plane won't duck into a spin like it would if you stalled it in a skidding turn
 
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dell30rb said:
What do you think the angle of attack was there? It looked stable and within safe margins during that banked approach. If you have flown any aerobatics you surely understand that bank and AoA are independent of each other.

Remember you can't spin without a stall, and you don't stall unless you exceed critical AOA.
Even if you did stall it during a slipping turn, the plane won't duck into a spin like it would if you stalled it in a skidding turn
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Read what I wrote to begin with. It's a bad habit. Can it be done? Sure. Is a Pitts more controllable should something go wrong? Yup. Is it worth hot dogging near the ground? Nope.

I love acro, I love the Pitts, I really enjoy cranking and banking. But when I'm within 600' of the turf, I'm done with the macho bullspit and keep it to 30deg bank. Everyone else wanna do steep banks on base to final? Like I said(again), go ahead, but it's still a bad plan.

And I'm done on this subject.
 
I hesitate to say don't over think it - but don't over think it.

At the same time you need to think enough to fly safely.

Get a job as a freight dog locally - fly checks or something - he says facetiously - but that's the kind of thing that turns flying into a muscle memory - remembering the brain is a muscle that needs to be exercised.

Honestly - take a day in the middle of the week if you can, pick 3 or 4 airports with something to do there - museum, shopping, restaurant, and fly to each of them and do something at them. Eat, coffee, shop etc. Get back in the airplane and go to the next place. do something there - get back in the airplane. This type of flying inures you to planning, taking off, landing, doing something, taking off, landing etc etc etc.
 
docmirror said:
Read what I wrote to begin with. It's a bad habit. Can it be done? Sure. Is a Pitts more controllable should something go wrong? Yup. Is it worth hot dogging near the ground? Nope.

I love acro, I love the Pitts, I really enjoy cranking and banking. But when I'm within 600' of the turf, I'm done with the macho bullspit and keep it to 30deg bank. Everyone else wanna do steep banks on base to final? Like I said(again), go ahead, but it's still a bad plan.

And I'm done on this subject.
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It's banking without the cranking.
 
dell30rb said:
It's banking without the cranking.
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Exactly. It seems mostly a lot of slipping in the turn (something I like to do myself) once he gets within maybe 600'. Closer to 90 deg up high but so what? Great fun!
 
comanchepilot said:
Get a job as a freight dog locally - fly checks or something - he says facetiously - but that's the kind of thing that turns flying into a muscle memory - remembering the brain is a muscle that needs to be exercised.
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Problem is you need 1200 hrs to be a freight dog. P-51 time!
 
Swear Jar.

For every bad landing, money goes in the swear jar. When you consistently nail 10 good ones in a row, go buy a reward for yourself.
 
EdFred said:
Swear Jar.

For every bad landing, money goes in the swear jar. When you consistently nail 10 good ones in a row, go buy a reward for yourself.
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I like this idea!! Thanks everyone for the advice.. I decided I'm gonna just suck it up and go fly solo, or with non-pilot passengers. I've been sick the last couple days so my planned flight today I canceled. Maybe I'll get to go up on Saturday or Sunday, that's what I'm hoping for anyway. I also am going to try starting my CPL and working on it while building time, but we will see if that works out or not. I figure if I start my CPL and we start with more of the landings/airwork I'll build confidence in that I can do commercial level maneuvers and landings. I still need the long XC so that's at least a few hours.
 
Unregistered said:
I like this idea!! Thanks everyone for the advice.. I decided I'm gonna just suck it up and go fly solo, or with non-pilot passengers. I've been sick the last couple days so my planned flight today I canceled. Maybe I'll get to go up on Saturday or Sunday, that's what I'm hoping for anyway. I also am going to try starting my CPL and working on it while building time, but we will see if that works out or not. I figure if I start my CPL and we start with more of the landings/airwork I'll build confidence in that I can do commercial level maneuvers and landings. I still need the long XC so that's at least a few hours.
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Well, let us know how it works out.
 
Unregistered said:
I like this idea!! Thanks everyone for the advice.. I decided I'm gonna just suck it up and go fly solo, or with non-pilot passengers. I've been sick the last couple days so my planned flight today I canceled. Maybe I'll get to go up on Saturday or Sunday, that's what I'm hoping for anyway. I also am going to try starting my CPL and working on it while building time, but we will see if that works out or not. I figure if I start my CPL and we start with more of the landings/airwork I'll build confidence in that I can do commercial level maneuvers and landings. I still need the long XC so that's at least a few hours.
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You're welcome. And you can PayPal me 10% of the swear jar proceeds.
 
I cannot imagine anyone taking the controls from me after I had 100 hrs..... I wonder if your cfi has a hero complex and needs you to need him?
I'd find another cfi to fly with because his ego could be undermining your confidence.

Since my PPL at about 55 hrs or so, I have never had anyone take the controls from me... Im not a great pilot I am saying that it is very unusual for a cfi to take the controls from a 100 hr pilot who is current/active owner....well possibly if you are disoriented from being under the hood but otherwise no.

I could be wrong but it doesn't quit sound right to me.

My brother is a conscience pilot and he had a CFI that chewed his ass for every little thing and my brother began to doubt himself where he needed to be confident. It got better after he got a new CFI.
Unregistered said:
I am the OP.

I don't think testerone therapy is a good idea, considering I'm a female haha. Though that fact has nothing to do with this conversation.

I just get kind of bored flying solo. When I was building time for the IR I did a lot of it, at least for me and I listened to books a lot in a CD player. I also don't think a trip to the coast would take 3 days... 3 hours maybe if I slowed the plane down! But again, why would I go to the coast by myself? I love sharing my love of aviation and my little airplane with friends & family, and spending 3 days or whatever it is by myself doesn't sound like the best way to do that.
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I admire your boldness in flying a complex retractable. I am happy with my gear welded to the bottom and slow Warrior II. It is really tough to stall that plane. I don't suppose you would consider maybe working with a less complex plane for a while.

For fun I have done many touch and gos, I hear you say that is too boring for you but it sure helps to improve the landings.
 
I asked a friend several years ago when I would feel ok getting back into the plane after not flying for two weeks. He said at about 800 hours. He was correct as far as my experience is concerned.

What really helped my confidence was joining Georgia Flyers which, unfortunately, is no more. They were a social flying club and took trips to different places. I doubt I would have had the nerve to go to the Bahamas except for experienced pilots walking me though it and someone who had done it before coordinating the trip. Flying the same trip as the seasoned pilots and discussing it over dinner helped me immensely.

Just flying around gets boring very fast if you have just finished your PPL. It is what you have been doing and its time for a change. Plan trips even if just to get a burger. Try to find a seasoned pilot and make friends so you and your family can take trips with them each in your own plane. These trips build confidence.
 
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