Pilot needing a kick in the pants...

J

Jon David

Filing Flight Plan
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Jun 21, 2020
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RV8 Flyer
Ok let me start this out with, I received my PPL 15 years ago. I spent about 12 years renting planes and accumulated around 200 hours with an on again off again approach to flying. There were times I was out of currency and other times I was flying 3 times a month. About 3 years ago I purchased a Vans RV. Got my tailwheel and transition training and was flying my plane regularly (a couple times a week in the beginning) but slowly trailed off on the amount I was flying. When I bought it the plan was to fly it all
the time. Day trips to the beach or mountains, flying to all the hidden away airports and places to eat that so many people do. I found myself making a few of these trips in the beginning, but overall, time spent flying the plane had drastically reduced from when I first purchased it. I hesitate to use the term Nervous about flying the plane lately because ultimately I am not scared of flying the plane, I just really have to talk myself into going flying. There has been nothing that has happened in the plane that would have caused me any apprehension about flying it and I feel comfortable in this it, it’s just that when it comes time to go fly I find myself talking myself out of it... it’s too hot, it’s too windy... you get the idea. And none of these excuses are a good reason not to fly. Obviously things like wind would be a good reason to scrub a flight if they were too strong but in this case, I talk myself out of flying in winds that I know I could easily deal with. When I am not at the airport, the excitement of going somewhere in the plane is there and I tell myself all the places I want to check out and I’m constantly thinking about it... but when it’s time to actually strap in and go, the talking myself out of it begins. I live very close to my airport and initially enjoyed many evening flights with no destination, just flying for the sake of flying, but now I get in the air, fly close to my airport and after 10 min I decide I better put it back on the ground... it’s really been disappointing to me lately as I am not getting the enjoyment out of the plane that I purchased it for. I keep telling myself that the solution is just to suck it up and fly the paint off it any chance I get and that will push me through my mental block... but just curious if there are others out there that have similar situations and how you got through it?

Thanks!
 
Brad Z said:
Paragraphs, please?
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Jon David said:
Ok let me start this out with, I received my PPL 15 years ago. I spent about 12 years renting planes and accumulated around 200 hours with an on again off again approach to flying. There were times I was out of currency and other times I was flying 3 times a month.

About 3 years ago I purchased a Vans RV. Got my tailwheel and transition training and was flying my plane regularly (a couple times a week in the beginning) but slowly trailed off on the amount I was flying. When I bought it the plan was to fly it all the time. Day trips to the beach or mountains, flying to all the hidden away airports and places to eat that so many people do. I found myself making a few of these trips in the beginning, but overall, time spent flying the plane had drastically reduced from when I first purchased it.

I hesitate to use the term Nervous about flying the plane lately because ultimately I am not scared of flying the plane, I just really have to talk myself into going flying. There has been nothing that has happened in the plane that would have caused me any apprehension about flying it and I feel comfortable in this it, it’s just that when it comes time to go fly I find myself talking myself out of it... it’s too hot, it’s too windy... you get the idea. And none of these excuses are a good reason not to fly.

Obviously things like wind would be a good reason to scrub a flight if they were too strong but in this case, I talk myself out of flying in winds that I know I could easily deal with. When I am not at the airport, the excitement of going somewhere in the plane is there and I tell myself all the places I want to check out and I’m constantly thinking about it... but when it’s time to actually strap in and go, the talking myself out of it begins.

I live very close to my airport and initially enjoyed many evening flights with no destination, just flying for the sake of flying, but now I get in the air, fly close to my airport and after 10 min I decide I better put it back on the ground... it’s really been disappointing to me lately as I am not getting the enjoyment out of the plane that I purchased it for.

I keep telling myself that the solution is just to suck it up and fly the paint off it any chance I get and that will push me through my mental block... but just curious if there are others out there that have similar situations and how you got through it?

Thanks!
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Hate to hear that but if u have to force urself maybe it’s just not for u.
 
Do you have any friends that fly?? I love flying and enjoy it when I do it but for me it’s really about the trip or destination often. But I have been enjoying more of pulling the plane and just tooling around for an hour or so. When I start getting a bit lazy I usually get called out by a friend.
You have to decide if you really do enjoy flying or not?
 
Purposely plan out and fly an actual trip. Something with an overnight. I think that will get you unstuck...at least for a bit...because its enjoyable from the initial research to the execution.
 
Maybe you should go talk to someone who is all fired up about airplanes and aviation. Excitement can be contagious.

Another option is one time, when you want to go fly, bring your laundry with you to the airport and sit in the hanger next to your plane and fold it. You'll want to go flying in a hurry. ;)
 
I think I understand what you are describing. What it would appear is that you are lacking a purpose for flying. It happens to many. Or maybe you are like others who love the idea of owning a plane, but not necessarily love the idea of flying said plane. Like many things in life, you have to be intentional in flying. There are some who do it spontaneously but many are like me - I have to be intentional meaning I need a specific reason or purpose to fly. What has helped me is Pilots and Paws and there may be other organizations that can give you a purpose that you can use your airplane for. As others have suggested, find a friend or another couple to go flying with, although I will admit, I’ve tried that and those people are hard to find. That said, there are lots of social groups on Facebook and other places that you may join and find some kind of community there. If you’ve tried all of that and have not been successful, then maybe you should think about doing something different.
 
I have found that my interests change and modify over the years. Some things hold my interest longer than others. Still working on my flying and ratings after 5 years.

But I have never forced myself in hobbies and just do what I enjoy. I think changing is pretty natural and would not necessarily force myself.

That said I use my plane to either take trips somewhere and go on adventures. So much of the world to see from that different vantage point. So I agree with many of the suggestions here to try something new.
 
Jumpmaster said:
I think I understand what you are describing. What it would appear is that you are lacking a purpose for flying. It happens to many.
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beat me to it.
I was going to write the same thing more or less, about purpose. I flew most, and enjoyed it most, while working on my cert, ratings, endorsements, check outs.
 
Very natural...it happens to most of us....I have been flying 50 years...you will sometimes lose interest, and all of a sudden you will be at the airport ready to go.
 
Daleandee said:
Where are you located? Perhaps a few guys can get together where you are and fly out together somewhere. Misery loves company ... :)
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And if the wife hates flying time for a girlfriend :eek::rolleyes:
 
Anyone who has to force themselves to fly an RV8 doesn’t belong in the game. That said, if the OP is really worried about the aircraft he can give it to me. It’ll get flown plenty. Promise.
 
I will just come and get your plane, I will fly it a lot!
 
If you really wanted to fly, you'd be flying. If you really don't want to fly, you're probably not going to fly. Pretty simple.

Is it the flying you're not excited about, or is it flying in that plane that you're not excited about?
 
It really sounds like you don't really want to do this, or else some facet of your experience is scaring you.
 
I think I know where you are coming from because I felt similar. You own a plane now. You're the only person flying it and there isn't another student, renter, or flight school mechanic acting like a second pair of eyes on it to make sure something isn't slowly falling apart without anyone noticing. Haven't flown in awhile better do a real thorough pre-flight, then you hop in and get past the run-up and you're still wondering in the back of your mind if you checked every nook and safety wire possible..now you're all wound up in your head and don't want to go too far in case the prop stops spinning?

Also, in my opinion farting around the local area in an RV8 sounds boring. Save that for Cubs, 152s, or other slow stuff (or maybe your RV is slow? :p.) You SHOULD be going somewhere. That is where the joy of owning your plane is...for me any way.
 
I tool around in both my RV-4 and J-3. The RV just lets me cover more ground tooling around the area...I can buzz more friend’s private strips in an hour.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
It really helps if the flight actually has a purpose. Going somewhere, for example. It's also harder to work up enthusiasm and drag yourself out to the field if your family doesn't fly and you don't have friends that are pilots.
 
steingar said:
I smell a troll.
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:rolleyes:

Yeah, because trolls always compose and deliver content that is well thought out, introspective, and relevant to thoughts many other pilots may have.

For the OP, perhaps a good solution is to book some time with a CFI, and explore flight regimes you find unsettling. You could get pointers on tailwheel operations, and practice crosswind landings and takeoffs. Heck, you own an RV. Go out and do some overhead breaks. Just kidding, heheh.

Discuss your ability to fly the aircraft precisely, then make up a 'test card'. Work on stalls or tight banking turns that roll out on a predetermined heading. Go over radio procedures and the rules for transiting Class B airspace.

Spend a Saturday afternoon cleaning the cockpit, or perhaps remove the cowl and perform a good visual inspection.

Another idea is to find things to do or places to visit in your airplane. Are there nearby geological formations or pristine lakes to enjoy? How about museums, sporting events, festivals, and the like? A weekend trip could provide fun and pleasant memories.

All of these activities can provide you with ways to enjoy your aircraft, improve your flying skills, and spend time with your significant other. I hope you can reset the meter and recall what attracted you to flying. My best wishes to you.
 
Thanks everyone for the input. No, I’m not a troll, just busy with work and haven’t had a chance to respond. While I can understand some of the comments saying to maybe look at other hobbies, I am not quite ready to hang up my wings yet! Flying is still something that intrigues me very much and it seems I am not alone in the situation I am having of it being a little fluid in desire to go fly. I am just trying to find that spark that drives me to get out to the airport and go somewhere. I feel that the suggestions of finding a purpose to go flying is a good one and I should work on that. The airport I am at has a very low level of activity, I can go out there several times a week and it’s pretty normal to never run into anyone else out there or out flying, so I don’t really have the influence of others up flying and get me jacked up to go flying. I am going to force myself to plan out some more trips that get me in the plane. You guys are right, if I have a reason to go fly, it becomes a mission that I need to do and I do it.
 
3393RP said:
:rolleyes:

Yeah, because trolls always compose and deliver content that is well thought out, introspective, and relevant to thoughts many other pilots may have.
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No, because the initial post was nearly impossible (A guy with an RV8 who doesn't want to fly?) and the OP had but one post on POA. I am wrong this time around, since the OP chimed in. If the mission is to scratch his upside down itch he has the right airplane to do it for certain. The mission for my Mooney is travel. The mission for an RV8 is to go have a blast. I doubt with yours truly it would get old fast, but I haven't the coin to find out.
 
Jon David said:
Thanks everyone for the input. No, I’m not a troll, just busy with work and haven’t had a chance to respond. While I can understand some of the comments saying to maybe look at other hobbies, I am not quite ready to hang up my wings yet! Flying is still something that intrigues me very much and it seems I am not alone in the situation I am having of it being a little fluid in desire to go fly. I am just trying to find that spark that drives me to get out to the airport and go somewhere. I feel that the suggestions of finding a purpose to go flying is a good one and I should work on that. The airport I am at has a very low level of activity, I can go out there several times a week and it’s pretty normal to never run into anyone else out there or out flying, so I don’t really have the influence of others up flying and get me jacked up to go flying. I am going to force myself to plan out some more trips that get me in the plane. You guys are right, if I have a reason to go fly, it becomes a mission that I need to do and I do it.
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Is there a Mrs David? Take her on an early morning flight to the beach or somewhere she can shop. Then she’ll see the utility of it and hopefully want to fly. Then you’ll be more motivated, hopefully. OR, maybe getting out of the house and away from mrs david for a bit is ur motivation. Flying for food is one of my favorites, as my growing gut will show. Fly over a lake and buzz some boats (safely and legally, of course).
 
Mention your general location and I’m sure you’ll get plenty of people letting you in on their favorite destinations for a fun day trip or overnight.

Let us know how it goes in a year or so, Jon.
 
steingar said:
If the mission is to scratch his upside down itch he has the right airplane to do it for certain. The mission for my Mooney is travel. The mission for an RV8 is to go have a blast.
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You can get upside down (and I don't mean financially) in the side by side RVs. 6/7/14 Not in the 9, not in the LSAs, and could you imagine a 10 inverted?!?
 
Ravioli said:
You can get upside down (and I don't mean financially) in the side by side RVs. 6/7/14 Not in the 9, not in the LSAs, and could you imagine a 10 inverted?!?
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OP has an RV8, and outstanding aerobatics platform.
 
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