I’m starting my flight training but I’m scared of dying.

Just skimming through a bit. It may take a handful of flights to start getting comfortable. I wouldn’t judge everything on one or two early, bumpy flights.
 
Tantalum said:
Actually this is a great point. We almost need an inverse Vx and Vy.. one keeps you in the air the longest, the other keeps you gliding the furthest... both could potentially be useful
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There is... power off, Vx will be min sink and Vy will be best glide, close enough.
 
I too was scared of dying when I first started flight instruction. My worst fear was structural failure in flight. I now own a DA20-C1, the same model you fly. To my knowledge, there has never been an in flight breakup of a DA20. These little composite buggers are strong as hell.

Also, with a 33kts stall speed in landing configuration, the survivability in case of an engine out off airport landing is excellent. And with such a low stall speed, and a stall horn that starts blaring 10 knots above stall speed, you would have to really to work hard in order to stall it in the pattern.

As for becoming queasy on bumpy rides, it’s perfectly normal and at first I became green every time we experienced even light turbulence but nowadays I just let the airplane sway in the wind and get back to straight and level with smooth control inputs.

You will eventually learn to trust the machine. The cockpit will become your office and you will feel exactly where you should be in the left seat.

As others have said, I would suggest you start with the private pilote license before borrowing money for the rest of the curriculum.

Once you will have confirmed in your mind that a career as a pilot is your calling, don’t let anyone bring you down. I wish you all the best.
 
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The way I see fear, its that thing that tells me I need to understand what I am about to do, and it motivates me to make sure I fully understand how to do it, and that I have a realistic backup plan, before I do it. It's a good thing. It is not a reason to quit.

For the queasiness, I always just do situps. Physical fitness training is excellent for making sure you brain is getting good nourishment and oxygen. Having a solid core, always helped me fly. Yeah, I get that the stuff in your inner ear is the trigger. Somehow, if I do situps, my stomach won't feel like jelly. That's what worked for me.
 
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old_biker said:
You want real fear? Start riding motorcycles! ...By comparison Planes are way safer!!!! If you want it, start small!
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Which planes? Part 135/121 aviation is definitely the safest mode of transportation, even safer than riding a bus but Part 91 (nonprofessional crew) is about just as dangerous as motorcycles.
 
If you’re not scared of dying you ain’t livin’
 
Yeah, people are being total downers around here! My first flight was also in a DA20...I was super excited and super nervous at the same time, and I think it's very natural for most first-time flyers, especially for those who have never flown in a small aircraft before. The feeling of being in a small plane versus a large airliner is an insanely different experience.

I DO NOT think it is fair to tell the kid that he should simply not fly just because he was nervous the first time around. Shoot, during my first flight, every bump made me think I was about to go plummeting to the ground. My instructor was very open and honest and reassuring, and after learning about how weather works during ground school and being told what actually causes those bumps, as well as how to tell what a plane can tolerate FROM said weather, I became less nervous. Now, I'll insist on flying in bumpy conditions (when safe) simply to keep me on my toes and always learning.

As far as the loan is concerned, parents take loans out for their kids' education all the time. I think your best bet, kid, is to be open and honest with your parents about how your first flight made you feel, express your own concerns about wasting their money, and see what they have to say. Honesty is not only the best policy, but it's highly efficient. Maybe take another few flights just to see if you can get a grip, and then decide. Read up on the things that made you nervous. As cliche as it sounds, knowledge is power. And, maybe you would feel better about the money aspect of things if you could figure out how to pay as you go on your own, ya know? Pick up a job, save up a little--don't get me wrong, it is NOT a cheap thing to take up, but it might ease your burden of feeling like you're wasting your parents money. I'm on your side, buddy.

I would also like to add that I am very disappointed in the way some people here responded to the original post. It was not one person, not just two people, but too many people who I feel were being negative and almost attacking. The OP was being open and vulnerable to a community that he is new to, and I feel like he was met very unwelcomingly. It is always important not to sugarcoat too much, but it is even more important to be nonjudgemental and to remember that everyone else's experience is not your experience.
 
I’m just saying that being a bit scared is a natural thing, complacency is what will get you into trouble. As a pilot you don’t want to be numb, you want to be a little on edge. Fear of death though, come on, everybody has that unless you’re blind drunk or on heroin and I don’t mean to belittle his fear, just that he can conquer and overcome it.
 
I’m with others, get the private done first. I don’t know if all Young Eagle EAA chapters do this but the local one I’m affiliated has a scholarship program to help provide flight training. So don’t just get a free ride, get involved with your local chapter.

Also, I didn’t take my first lesson until I was 41 or 42. I felt queasy as well but only on that first flight. After that it was all good. If on multiple flights you still feel uneasy then it’s time to re-evaluate.

People do die in aviation. It’s not a secret. Watch the accident case studies on YouTube. Or read the crash threads on this forum. Heck, read this thread about the 18-year-old woman who crashed and burned. My dad got his license in the late 60s and has experience flying on several continents. He’s known lots of pilots that didn’t make that last landing.

So, don’t take out that huge loan yet. Get your private which should be around $10-15k. Maybe get a glider or tail wheel cert after that. If you follow a cookie cutter ATP path there’s a ton of stuff that you will miss out on. At the least most pilots on the commercial path get their CFI and build hours that way.
 
I know I'm super late to this discussion, but it resonated strongly as a student pilot so I have to comment.

Overarching life lesson: pretty much any growth you're going to get as a person is going to take place outside your comfort zone. It doesn't matter if that's flying, public speaking, traveling somewhere new, or even trying a new type of food. Don't let a couple lessons with wind or turbulence derail your childhood dream of flying, it's just a new experience that put you outside your comfort zone (temporarily). The good news: comfort zones expand :)

I was both ecstatic and slightly terrified after my discovery flight, largely due to the same feelings (wind, a little turbulence, some altitude changes, etc). The cure to this (for me) was to sign up for several lessons back to back and desensitize myself to it (like three or four two-hour lessons within 2 weeks). Worked like a charm! By 3 weeks into training flying (with decent winter winds) it was no different than driving in the rain or snow in my car. It can be a little annoying or challenging at times, but it's all part of the ride. And remember, you're flying with a CFI to get started so there is definitely no reason to be worried about dying lol. This isn't their first rodeo. If you're every worried things are going sideways -- just glance over at your instructor and you'll see how bored they are. What you think of as a scary, turbulent, fear-inducing flight (at first) -- they're going to view that as "a normal Tuesday at work". That gave me confidence when I felt my stomach turn. By the time you solo, that fear will almost certainly have disappeared.

Re: flight school? I don't fly for a living, but I'd side with everyone's comments here. A huge financial commitment at that age is not wise. For a small fraction of that you can go get a PPL, rack up hours, and really determine if its something you can see yourself doing every day. Remember, most people your age change the idea of what they want to do several times before graduating school.
 
just be age 16, 17, 18 for a few years ...clearer heads prevail
air flight will become like driving a car was 100 years ago
 
Jah-Christo Decembre said:
’m pretty sure it’s normal to be scared at first. Whenever I think of my end goal it does get a little better. What do you guys think? I really want to be a pilot so how do I get over this fear?
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The loan part has been addressed. I think you should shoulder that burden instead of your parents - all I'm going to say about that. As far as your fears. the only remedy is more flying. If you think the wings are going to fall off, do some research on the airplane you fly and how much it would take for the wings to fall off, then research exactly how many wings have fallen off GA aircraft. There aren't many and those that did were maintained poorly or pushed beyond their structural limits. I saw a picture of a Piper Cherokee with all the employees that built it standing or sitting on the wings. That did it for me.

Good luck but know this - you're young and you have time. It's your call.
 
catmandu said:
Holy crap! Fears realized? Poor dude.
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Smart dude

Saw it wasnt for him and didn’t try to cram his parent square credit though a round not happening hole.

I’m not a natural at skate boarding, this is why I don’t skate board, with lots of work I’d, at best, be OK at it, instead I focus my efforts on things I can be great at.

Good on the OP for seeing it before $$$$
 
Yes, give the lad credit that he at least thought about it, and reached out to others for advice, etc. I'm convinced a 16 year old - no matter how mature they are for that age - really can't decide what to do for the rest of his / her life. Grow up a few more years, go to trade school, college, military, something. Then if you want to do flying and you find you have the temperament for it, great - you'll be a bit more mature for the training.
 
James331 said:
I’m not a natural at skate boarding, this is why I don’t skate board, with lots of work I’d, at best, be OK at it, instead I focus my efforts on things I can be great at.
Good on the OP for seeing it before $$$$
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Similarly, I give the game of golf a lot of credit for the direction my life took - it's why I learned to fly instead.
 
Jah-Christo Decembre said:
I’m 16, had my discovery flight on Monday in the DA20. I was excited but also scared at the same time. My stomach kept dropping etc and there were winds. I felt like we were going to fall out of the sky (It’s been almost 10 years since I last flew on a plane). I really want to become a pilot, I when I got off the plane going home I was happy, I wanted to do it again. Now here is the hard part. My parents are taking out a $81,000 loan so I can complete flight school and get all my certificates including atp. I don’t want to chicken out and make them waste their money. I really want to be a pilot. So how do I get over my nervousness. I’m pretty sure it’s normal to be scared at first. Whenever I think of my end goal it does get a little better. What do you guys think? I really want to be a pilot so how do I get over this fear?
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I'm 55 and have been flying for almost 18 years. I'll tell you when I find out. :-/

Seriously, my first intro flight went a lot like yours. I lay on the couch for hours after, swearing I'd never do that again. Then I did it again, and again, and again. I've never gotten over the pre-flight jitters before a big cross-country, even after 1,200 hours—my stomach churns, my heart races, and I cough like I'm dying of consumption because the adrenaline makes my sinuses drain into my upper chest—but now, as soon as the engine starts, I'm in a different zone, calm, focussed, and competent. If you decide to stick with it, you'll get there too.

And a little fear makes a good pilot. It makes you careful—you don't do idiot things like flying low and fast down a river, or buzzing your friend's house—and you put extra care into your flight planning, reading the NOTAMs, spending time understanding the weather, carrying an extra fuel reserve, etc.

So a bit of healthy fear is an asset if you want to be a great pilot. You have too much of a good thing right now, and need to ramp it down a bit so that it doesn't keep you out of the air, but the next time you feel those butterflies, instead of telling yourself "that means something bad is going to happen," tell yourself "my personal safety system just passed its pre-flight check, and that's how I know I'll be a good pilot."

Happy skies!
 
Ravioli said:
And what, pray tell, did you find as a focus? And what is your measure of greatness?
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Same way anyone measures anything

And not even touching the first part
 
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