New pilot frustrations

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mike m

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Tex
OK everyone, I'm new to this site and just received my wings. I need help!
Throughout my entire flight training everything was spot on, until just before I received my license on a solo flight when things started to become uneasy for me, for whatever reason. I can't really explain it, but i'll tell you things are fine if i'm in the pattern, it's when I'm away from the pattern I start feeling anxious. I hope this is just a low time pilot issue, and ends soon. Does anyone have any remarks as to how I can overcome this issue? I have no problems when someone is in right seat, it's just when I'm solo. I know this sounds strange, but maybe someone else has experienced the same situation.

Thanks
 
Always take a passenger with. ;)

I would say try some short cross country trips to get you in the flow. Fly somewhere for lunch or something.
 
Not everyone experiences this but it is not uncommon either.

I would recommend that you expand your envelope incrementally. You are already comfortable in the pattern. Why not re-fly the routes you did on your dual x-c flights where most things will be familiar. Then push the envelope again by re-flying your solo x-c's. Then pick some other x-c's you haven't flown yet that aren't too far away. Gradually expand the range.

You will get there!

-Skip
 
Hey Tex:

First, congrats on gaining your wings.

What is it that you get anxious about? You need to nail that down to be able to combat it. I guess the bottom line, whatever the source of your anxiety, is to get away from the pattern more. The more you do that, the more comfortable you will become.

As to my own experience, I built a homebuilt, an RV6A. My anxiety was knowing that *I* was the one that built this thing...... a scary thought in itself! :yikes:

But as I flew it more, I realized that I was not leaving parts on the runway on takeoff and that the airplane was actually reusable after each flight.

The point I am making, is familiarity will ease any apprehension you may have. Just get out there and fly some sight-seeing type flights near your home airport. Then work yourself up to some short cross countries to nearby airports. You'll find that you will feel more and more comfortable.

Hope all this helps.
 
Not terribly uncommon...

The first few solo flights for me were also a bit anxious as I went out to do them... fraught with some "OMG, what if I ef up and bend or break something or...."

Especially around a then new to me aircraft that was bigger and more powerful than what I had been in before.

But it's a needed step to confront that and prove to yourself that if you get out there and do it, and practice good habits like checklist usage, maintaining PTS level standards for heading and altitude, and working proper speeds for pattern, approach, and landing, then these anxious feelings fade away. And they are replaced with feelings of accomplishment and experience.

Perhaps if you start small and work your way up when you're ready.

Go run some laps in the pattern. They fly out to an airport within 30-40nm a few times. Then one that is 40-75nm. Then one that is 2hrs away, etc.
 
Kudos, explore safely.

It sounds like an irrational but mild phobia that may lessen some with experience. After many years, I never feel totally at ease for any flight, solo or not. Why would anybody with those unpredictable engine-outs and mid-airs to keep in mind?
 
denverpilot said:
I get anxious when I leave the driveway with the Yukon. Absolutely terrifying. ;)
Click to expand...

kinda like my Aggie buddy who heard that a huge percentage of all bodily injury accidents happened within 2 miles of the home.




So he moved.
 
denverpilot said:
I get anxious when I leave the driveway with the Yukon. Absolutely terrifying. ;)
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Which is funny since you dont even live in the bay area. talk about anxious driving :rofl:

Anyways, I find that when I push myself out of my comfort zone...that is being anxious or nervous, is when I am learning new experiences.

During my CFI training I hated getting in front of others to present knowledge, I got anxious just thinking about it. This came down to two things, (1) being unsure of the material and (2) being unfamiliar with the situation.

I think your problem may lie in the fact that now you must rely solely on yourself, your knowledge, and your descisons. This is no simple first for a brand new private pilot. The only times you were on your own were for a couple cross countries and some pattern time.

I had this to a small extent as well and the only thing I found to help was by just getting out and going to new places. Start by flying to other airports in easy airspace, echo and delta airports. Get flight following so if you are ever unsure ATC is there to help and IT NEVER HURTS TO ASK; They are there to help you not report you. Fly out to places with a goal, whether to pick someone up (non pilots) especially, or places to eat...make it a rewarding experience. Before long it will subside and you can take on Class B airspace to get that uneasy feeling back :wink2:
 
Hang in there, Tex. I am pretty comfortable going somewhere I have been before, but when going to a new area, I am a little anxious. I think it is primarily the "fear of the unknown." Keep in mind you can always divert to a nearby airport if you need to, and that airport will likely have a lot of friendly people to help you with whatever problem you may be having. What you are experiencing is not uncommon.
 
mike m said:
OK everyone, I'm new to this site and just received my wings. I need help!
Throughout my entire flight training everything was spot on, until just before I received my license on a solo flight when things started to become uneasy for me, for whatever reason. I can't really explain it, but i'll tell you things are fine if i'm in the pattern, it's when I'm away from the pattern I start feeling anxious. I hope this is just a low time pilot issue, and ends soon. Does anyone have any remarks as to how I can overcome this issue? I have no problems when someone is in right seat, it's just when I'm solo. I know this sounds strange, but maybe someone else has experienced the same situation.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Tex, it sounds like more experience is all you need. I don't mean to over simplify your issue but in most cases it's true. The more you fly, the more skill and proficiency you will gain and the more you will trust yourself! Get out and fly, be SAFE and have fun!
 
What you are experiencing is perfectly normal. Heck, I get antsy if Mary isn't my copilot, after all these years. :lol:

Tomorrow I go up for my first aerobatics lesson. Anxious feeling? Yew betcha!

Stoked? Uh huh! :rockon: :D

BTW: If you didn't feel a teensy bit anxious, throwing yourself bodily through the sky, people might think you're crazy. :lol:
 
I want to thank everyone for all your suggestions. I will take this one flight at a time, and hopefully everything will become more enjoyable.

Mike
 
Congrats. After a 31 year absence, I did essentially an extended BFR to get my conversion to a FAA certificate from a Transport Canada PPL, and received my certificate on July 7. Three days later I took a mini flight to an airport 20nm away from my home base, then a did a 50+nm xc to a airport I had flown out of previously. Familiarity helps.
 
I'm still a student pilot and have done 4 Solo XC trips so far and I can totally relate to what you are feeling. With so much emphasis on what can go wrong during our training, its impossible to not be thinking about the worst case scenario each time we go out. The only thing that helps me is to not think about the things that can go wrong when I am flying. I already know what can go wrong, I don't need to ruin what could be a great enjoyable moment in the sky. But before you guys jump on me, I do focus on things that will help me if something does go wrong and obvious others that could prevent things from going wrong. examples, as a good habit I am trying to keep good emergency landing options through out my flight and doing thorough checks of everything I know, before flying. I just cant be thinking about the worst case all the time. If I did, I would not be able to fly. Good luck with that struggle. Hopefully you can overcome that. Remember, most of us are just simply flying these things. There are others out there pushing them to their limits and they seem to get back on the ground regularly. :) well, that at least makes me feel better. :)
 
I didn't see it asked, but how OFTEN are you flying? I find that the longer I wait between flights, the higher my anxiety level.
 
Getting Flight Following helped me with the anxiety of Solo flights, it is just way too quite when you are alone up there! good luck.
 
Checklists! You know how to fly, you'd have to to get your PPL so the only things you can forget should be on checklists. If you're at the end of the list for your phase of flight and everything's done, do the other thing FLY THE PLANE!
 
mike m said:
OK everyone, I'm new to this site and just received my wings. I need help!
Throughout my entire flight training everything was spot on, until just before I received my license on a solo flight when things started to become uneasy for me, for whatever reason. I can't really explain it, but i'll tell you things are fine if i'm in the pattern, it's when I'm away from the pattern I start feeling anxious. I hope this is just a low time pilot issue, and ends soon. Does anyone have any remarks as to how I can overcome this issue? I have no problems when someone is in right seat, it's just when I'm solo. I know this sounds strange, but maybe someone else has experienced the same situation.

Thanks
Click to expand...

I think it's perfectly normal and makes sense. Even though your pax may not be able to help you during an emergency, you're not alone. Some level of anxiety is perfectly normal and probably a good idea. I'm right along with you, I've got maybe 120 hrs total. Personally, I'm MORE nervous with I have passengers because their lives are in my hands.

This weekend I've got my longest trip to date with my family, from Chicago to Oklahoma. 4 hour flight each way...am I nervous? Yes. But I know I can do it. I've been trained..I'll be checking the weather extensively before I go...I've got my fuel stops planned....and I'm really looking forward to the trip. I'll definitely have butterflies as I preflight & take off..but I know I got this...I've been trained well..I just need to RELAX and Enjoy...and RELAX..Hah.
 
It will get better as you do it more. We are that way with change. You are comfortable in the pattern, where you have spent most of the time with your CFI. It is a change outside of the pattern, you will overcome this feeling if you stay with it and get used to being alone and away from the pattern.
 
I'm just short of 300 hours now and I'm still anxious on every flight. It's not enough of a problem to keep me out of the air, but I can't think of any other activity I do that elicits similar emotions. I believe it comes from my need to always think ahead about what can go wrong. There's worse character traits to have, I imagine, and I would think it makes me a safer pilot, but it does take some of the enjoyment out of flying for me. At this point, I think it's just my personality and I don't think I'll ever be truly relaxed while flying. I've discussed this with my wife, and she had no idea I felt that way until I mentioned it, so I must be good at hiding it, which probably helps to keep passengers at ease at least.
 
I have 2826. total time in the air. I don't think about something happening while I am flying. I have a good plane and a great mechanic. I have never had an engine out or a mid air collision. For you new pilots that don't know me this is the kind of flying I do out here in Oregon and Idaho:

8EPJkvyIt_E

 
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Take small steps.
Go out to the practice area, and run through a few ground reference manuvers.
As you do this you'll probably find yourself getting more relaxed, as you concentrate on what you're doing, rather than on your anxiety. Or run over to the nearest airport for a few T&Gs there. Then mabe over to the next nearest airport for a few more T&Gs, then back home, for a couple of power off 180* approaches.
Confidence comes with experience.
 
It's been a few years, but I recall being anxious the first time or two I flew after passing my check ride. Maybe because I didn't have to clear the flight with my CFI and I was totally on my own deciding whether it was a good idea to fly that day? I wouldn't stress too much about this, what you are feeling is normal. The only solution I've found is to go fly. Wonderful when that's the advice, just go do it. :yes:
 
If you looked at my video of me flying into Mackay Bar, I was nervous that flight as I had never flown into Mackay Bar before. I had only looked at a poor video where all I could hear was the engine noise. I didn't know exactly where the runway was around the bend. You can't see it until on short final. If you watch the video close you will see me steer to the right at the last moment to hit the runway. I know maybe I shouldn't have had the camera running but it was a new landing and I wanted to have it on film.... But I had a few anxious moments.
 
I've had my license for a total of... 13 days now. When I did the solo XC's prior to my checkride, I experienced the exact same thing you mention in your OP. I did some of the things that others recommended here, and were a help... I needed someone to talk to, such as Flight Following. Noise on the radio helped, so tuning into airport CTAF and wx freqs as I passed by was a help. I assumed that I was missing the reassurance of having my CFI next to me, but in my first licensed flight this weekend, with wife and young 'un along, I realized I mostly just needed someone to talk to. The "talk" was mostly me reading through checklists and explaining what I was doing and why, so in effect, it was a bit of knowledge reinforcement. Anyway, I did just fine and the flight was reassuring - I really do know how to fly. Whether or not that works for you, idk, but your experience sounds very similar to mine, and I thought this perspective might be of some use to you. Congratulations and have fun!
 
I feel the exact same way. I am low time as well and it seems as long as I have someone in the plane with me I am great. It doesn't have to be another pilot or CFI, just someone to talk through everything with. When I am up on my own I get into my own head and start wondering what in the world I am doing and who said I was good enough to fly a plane by myself?!? I am trying to fight this by just pushing myself out there more. Of course on my last and longest xc to date I had a full electrical failure. Even then though while I was during with that I was pretty calm. I think when I have someone to talk to or am task saturated it takes my mind off of everything else and I can fly the plane. It's those long moments in cruise where the doubt starts creeping in.

I think we just need to get out there and push (safely) out of our comfort zone. Of course I haven't flown in the past two and a half months so I am planning on grabbing my cfi for my next trip around the pattern just to make sure everything is fresh.
 
My first thought, and I don't think anyone has suggested this already, is that you are anxious about where you are. I have felt similarly early on, I think having good situational awareness is key here. Get an iPad and either Foreflight or Wing X and lesrn it. Then you have a moving map showing you where you are in the world at all times.

I think your concern is you are hurtling through space at well over 100mph, are losing a sense of exactly where you are, and can't just pull over to get your bearings the way you can in your car. Not an irrational thought by any means, but easily overcome with time, experience and familiarity. And good SA.

Go fly.
 
Funny, I never had any fear of flying until I started learning to fly. I'm terrified of the engine quitting and (the airplane I'm learning in has folding wings) the wings failing.

Only advice I can pass along is the one my CFI gave me. He explained that it's a completely rational fear to have. The best thing you can do is be prepared for emergencies and keep getting back on the horse. The more repetition you have successfully completing a task, the less the fear can grip you. So far he's right, my nuts climb into my stomach any time we take off or do steep turns, but it's getting less and less.

And frankly I'll be damned if this silly fear is going to hold me back from a life long dream.
 
It's a minor touch of fear. The more often you face your fears, the sooner they will no longer be fears.

Just fly, go places, you'll get used to it.

-John
 
Bob Bement said:
It will get better as you do it more. We are that way with change. You are comfortable in the pattern, where you have spent most of the time with your CFI. It is a change outside of the pattern, you will overcome this feeling if you stay with it and get used to being alone and away from the pattern.
Click to expand...
It's likely nothing more than the normal apprehension when doing something unfamiliar. I expect that after 25 or so hours flying on your own this will pass.
 
After the Air France 447 accident Airbus changed the software in their backup ADI to show AOA in high alpha situations.
 
I will start by saying that I am not yet a pilot, in fact, I haven't even started training, but I am familiar with the feeling you're having and I would say it is a little bit of an opposite case of "ignorance is bliss". The more you know, and the more you're in charge, the more anxiety you're likely to have. I think a lot of people have given you good advice about slowly increasing your flight lengths. You will probably continue to feel anxious on these longer flights, but then the shorter ones will feel better.

I think the another part of it might be a "fear of the deep end". When you learn to swim but always know you can just put your feet down if needed, you're as confident as a fish, but when you go to the deep end you know that you will really have to rely on your skills. As you learn to trust your skills, and learn that your plane doesn't fall out of the sky when you're more than a few minutes from the runway, hopefully the anxiety will lessen. I truly hope this is the case since I may feel the exact same way in a few months.

Also, since it has been about a month since the OP, it would be great if Tex would check in and let us know how he's feeling.
 
I only have about 75h and I'm the same way. I don't stress cross country until I start getting close, then I start worrying about prepping for descent and getting into the pattern. I bought a mooney and need to do 25h dual in it for insurance. It's more fun having a co-pilot.
 
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