Nervous Before First Solo Flight

[socal000]

Hello everybody.

I've been taking flight lessons for a little over a year now, and in October I will be flying my first solo flight.

I've still go a little over a month, and about 3 or 4 lessons before that time comes, but I already am feeling a bit nervous about it. I feel like I am capable of it, I'm pretty sure I am, I just feel nervous, and there are still a few things I need to work on a little bit over the next few lessons.

Does anybody have any experiences from their solo, or any tips for me to not be nervous about it?

 

[MBDiagMan]

SoCal,

I think this is natural to some degree. Just remember that your instructor is not going to release you to solo until he/she feels very comfortable that you are ready.

Just make sure that during the last few hours leading up to solo, your instructor is staying off the controls. Many years ago an acquaintance of mine who was about 5'2" tall said that when he solo'd he learned that since he could not easily reach the rudder pedals his instructor had been operating them for him. He said it was harrowing, but he got it down okay. Don't let anything like that happen to you. It's easy to avoid if you're aware what to watch for.

My tailwheel solo is coming up soon and I am paying close attention to instructor input in this last hour or two. My nervousness is about ground looping the taildragger.

Doc

 

[Jay Honeck]

Your response is perfectly normal. This is one reason that many instructors do not tell you in advance about your upcoming solo.

Mine, for example, simply told me to pull over, announced that he was getting out of the plane, and told me to go do what he'd trained me to do. I had NO idea it was coming, which gave me little chance to get nervous.

You'll do fine. Solo flight focuses the mind wonderfully.

 

[FlySince9]

Two don'ts
1. Don't stress, you'll do fine
2. Don't wear your favorite shirt

 

[TMetzinger]

As you progress, your nervousness should decrease. Not go away, but decrease.

 

[dmccormack]

My tailwheel solo is coming up soon and I am paying close attention to instructor input in this last hour or two. My nervousness is about ground looping the taildragger.

Doc

I still get nervous about ground-looping my taildragger -- so I practice, wiggle my feet on short final, and concentrate.

Works like a charm....

 

[EppyGA]

You won't be by yourself. Your will hear your instructor in your head the whole way around.

 

[steamee]

Don't think about it too much. When you're ready your CFI will know. A year of training seems like a more than adequate amount of practice time pre-solo. If you've been flying more than once a month in that time you've done enough landings that you shouldn't have many issues at your home field.

Note that the aircraft will be noticeably lighter without your instructor. You'll lift off faster and stay up longer so watch for that.

----

I remember being so psyched and jitterry when my CFI indicated that my current lesson might be my solo. I promptly got in the aircraft and made some of the worst landings that lesson at which point I didn't get recommended for the solo.

The next lesson we flew 3 laps around the pattern and I did a lot better at which point we taxied back to the ramp for the big moment. He got out and on a bit of a grey day I solo'd. I think I said something like "F- yeah solo baby!" (without keying the mic of course).

When I finally taxiied back to the ramp I and finished my shutdown checklist I noticed that the passenger door wasn't latched all the way down! I got away without the door suddenly flying open but it really was a good and fitting lesson for the day. I am PIC. These things are now my responsibility.

 

[Meanee]

My CFI told me that I've been ready. He wanted me to pass my written (92%), do a cross country first. I was to solo 3 weeks ago but things got in a way. First week was a scheduling conflict. 2nd week, aircraft was not available. 3rd week, whole hurricane thing.

A while ago, I was scared and nervous. 2 weeks ago, the "scared" part went away, and replaced by butterflies. I am hoping that Saturday will be the day.

I am nervous about the aircraft. I've been training in PA28-161, CFI's personal aircraft. His insurance policy does not allow students to fly solo, so he checks people out in his former school's aircraft, and signs them off for solo. He worked there for a very long time, and school still trusts him to check out students. But school's fleet is mostly Cessna 172's.

So, I am a bit nervous that my 1st solo would be in the aircraft that I only had 1 hour experience with. I do not think it's that different from Piper Warrior, but still.

 

[smccray]

You won't be by yourself. Your will hear your instructor in your head the whole way around.

And the plane will suddenly climb much better .

 

[MBDiagMan]

I still get nervous about ground-looping my taildragger -- so I practice, wiggle my feet on short final, and concentrate.

Works like a charm....

Funny that you should suggest wiggling the rudder pedals on short final. That was suggested to me just before my last lesson. It turned out to be a small part of it all coming together for me. It really helps. It's amazing how you can wiggle them a little and not feel any movement in the plane, but still get a feel for the pedals.

Doc

 

[bobmrg]

Let everyone who was not nervous prior to his/her first solo raise their hand. Hmmmm....I don't see many raised hands out there.

Bob Gardner

 

[rottydaddy]

I was nervous, too... but it helped to remember that I wouldn't be signed off if I hadn't done it without help already. Like most of us, you'll probably laugh when it's over, wondering why you doubted yourself. It's no harder than with the instructor aboard, although you will have to make small adjustments for the lower gross weight.
It's still a little scary to think about having a problem up there on your first solo, but consistent practice, even just in your mind, of the emergency procedures should bolster your confidence.

 

[201Driver]

socal000, after more than 600 hours, i still get a little nervous before my flights!

 

[silver-eagle]

You'll do fine. Quite a normal feeling for something "new".
My solo... CFI gets out. I taxi around to takeoff all the while saying "I don't want to do this.". Go to full power and "I don't want to do this.". Even as the wheels leave the runway "I don't want to do this.". Still about the best thing I've ever done and as I climbed, I settled in and enjoyed the experience.
Just remember, this is what all that time you've invested is all about.
You'll do fine. Your CFI is betting on it.

 

[GeorgeC]

You'll be too busy soloing to worry about soloing. I don't think I noticed that the right seat was empty until I was on base on my third lap around the pattern.

 

[Jack Spectre]

Your instructor will likely practice being invisible a few times before you solo. Once you realize that he's not doing anything, you'll understand that you can solo without a problem.

Concentrate on your checklists and enjoy the lighter airplane. My bet is that you're capable of doing it right now.

 

[RoscoeT]

Let everyone who was not nervous prior to his/her first solo raise their hand. Hmmmm....I don't see many raised hands out there.

Bob Gardner

I was not nervous at all...perfectly ready and willing to do it. Not much to worry about. Did it at a practically vacated grass strip.

 

[Henning]

Dibs on your iPod...

 

[dell30rb]

I was not nervous at all...perfectly ready and willing to do it. Not much to worry about. Did it at a practically vacated grass strip.

I don't think I was nervous either. Of course I was anxious, but it was something I was really really looking forward to! I remember once I was on downwind at pattern altitude and I had a few moments to myself, it really sank in. I took a good look around and was pretty excited to be up there by myself.

Walking into the flight school after was really cool as well. There was a PPL ground school in progress and they all knew I had just finished my first solo, I got some applause which made my stupid grin even bigger. I'm sure they were watching from the windows as I was making my 3 landings hoping to see a porpoise or something.

 

[lostpilot28]

Nervous is fine...just don't let yourself get caught off-guard. My instructor had another student that was literally 3 minutes away from solo'ing. My instructor told me she was going to jump out after landing and let the other student go alone.

But, on that downwind with the instructor, the passenger side window popped open and the student pilot freaked out. No questions asked, she just wasn't ready. You don't need to have nerves of steel, but you should not over-react to anything. Hardly anything can happen that's going to make the airplane just fall out of the sky. No matter what obstacles pop up, just remain calm and fly the airplane.

BTW, where in SoCal are you training? I did everything at Santa Paula airport, just East of Ventura.

 

[AggieMike88]

Let everyone who was not nervous prior to his/her first solo raise their hand. Hmmmm....I don't see many raised hands out there.

Bob Gardner

<chuckle> and I made mine worse because I had an audience. CFI and my Dad were in the tower cab at KAFW, so I had at least 5 people closely watching my performance.

 

[Challenged]

I had prior warning about my solo, so everyone on the field came outside to watch (small field and it had been years since anyone else had done a solo there). The best thing was that my wife took off of work and was there to watch and videotape it. Honestly, I think it was one of the proudest achievements of my life. I'm typically not a very emotional guy, but I recall tearing up as my wife and I hugged afterwards.

 

[jwriteclub]

In retrospect, I think I was way more nervous the first time I signed someone off to solo than before my first solo. Don't get me wrong, they were ready, but still ... "holy s**t, I just signed someone off to solo!".

 

[Jay Honeck]

I was just as nervous watching my son solo as I was when I soloed. Maybe more!

 

[Meanee]

Solo yesterday myself. While I wasn't really nervous, but butterflies were there before me and CFI piled into the aircraft. But after few touch and goes, CFI did a simulated engine failure and told me to land. I guess after I landed, all my worries went away. I thought that if I can land with engine failure, then a flight in lighter aircraft should be cake. When I took off alone, I was not worried at all.

 

[N747JB]

I was just as nervous watching my son solo as I was when I soloed. Maybe more!

My son soloed on his 16th birthday, it was "our" goal when we bought the plane. His mom was a nervous wreck, I was fine until his instructor got out, then I got nervous. of course, on the outside I was calm and down playing the whole event, on the inside I too was a wreck. I'm certain I am prouder of his solo than anything I've done in an airplane.

 

[N747JB]

Solo yesterday myself. While I wasn't really nervous, but butterflies were there before me and CFI piled into the aircraft. But after few touch and goes, CFI did a simulated engine failure and told me to land. I guess after I landed, all my worries went away. I thought that if I can land with engine failure, then a flight in lighter aircraft should be cake. When I took off alone, I was not worried at all.

Congrats!!

 

[dell30rb]

Big congrats!

 

[Jeanie]

Good on you ! Congrats

 

[MBDiagMan]

I will probably do my third solo tomorrow, but it's in a taildragger. I solo'd 20 years ago in a 150, took up flying again this past Spring and solo'd a 150 again. I was not at all nervous then. The taildragger is another animal, and I have to admit I am a slight bit apprehensive.

Doc

 

[kimberlyanne546]

Funny that you should suggest wiggling the rudder pedals on short final. That was suggested to me just before my last lesson. It turned out to be a small part of it all coming together for me. It really helps. It's amazing how you can wiggle them a little and not feel any movement in the plane, but still get a feel for the pedals.

Doc

I used to do this pre-solo to remind myself to "stay alive on the pedals" in case of any mis-alignment with centerline... or surprise gusts ..... or anything else.

And I don't even fly a tailwheel aircraft!

 

[Henning]

I used to do this pre-solo to remind myself to "stay alive on the pedals" in case of any mis-alignment with centerline... or surprise gusts ..... or anything else.

And I don't even fly a tailwheel aircraft!

There really are no "surprise gusts", they are all predictable, by the clouds in volatile situations and by timing in the benign ones. Benign gusts like you will see, ones that aren't caused by outbursts from clouds but rather complementary pressure zones. In the northern hemisphere, the gusts associated with moderate to strong winds will almost always increase to counter clockwise in the northern hemisphere and will veer between 5 & 15 degrees typically. The frequency of the gusts can be variable, but we get that rythem flying down final. It not just "Stay alive on the pedals" it's also "Keep the pedals in synch with nature". There is also the othe gotcha and that is wind shifts and local anomalies caused by buildings and trees. It does not take much observation before you'll be coming down final and you'll see some buildings close to the runway and you'll realize that "with the current winds playing off those buildings It's going to turn my quartering headwind into a direct crosswind right in the spot I intend to touch down. I have plenty of runway, so I'll land past where those buildings are going to influence the wind and have a smooth landing." (BTW, that is a hint if you are landing northbound at San Carlos)

 

[denverpilot]

Keep the pedals in sync with Mother Nature.

Very Zen, Henning. Very Zen.

 

[BrianR]

Solo yesterday myself. While I wasn't really nervous, but butterflies were there before me and CFI piled into the aircraft. But after few touch and goes, CFI did a simulated engine failure and told me to land. I guess after I landed, all my worries went away. I thought that if I can land with engine failure, then a flight in lighter aircraft should be cake. When I took off alone, I was not worried at all.

Congratulations, Meanee!

 

[Henning]

Keep the pedals in sync with Mother Nature.

Very Zen, Henning. Very Zen.

Everyone should learn to sail. I forces you to be Zen with Mother Nature or she's gonna kick your a$$ to Timbucktoo... You do learn a lot of good flying applicable stuff sailing. My instructor tried to teach me the "Longer distance across the 2 surfaces of the airfoil" theory of lift on my intro lesson and I had to straighten him out on how lift was generated....

 

[kimberlyanne546]

Everyone should learn to sail. I forces you to be Zen with Mother Nature or she's gonna kick your a$$ to Timbucktoo... You do learn a lot of good flying applicable stuff sailing. My instructor tried to teach me the "Longer distance across the 2 surfaces of the airfoil" theory of lift on my intro lesson and I had to straighten him out on how lift was generated....

LOL. You tell 'em Henning.

 

[denverpilot]

I've sailed a few times so I can appreciate what you're saying. Unfortunately we're so land-locked here the sailing is pretty crappy.