Possible Solo Jitters...

jbrinker

jbrinker

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Jbrinker
Well, I'm 33.2 hours in. I have over 120 take-offs and landings. But all of it dual because my medical took many months to get. Now I have it, and I haven't been able to fly in the last two weeks due to weather and vacation and now weather again. I'm due to go Friday, and I don't really expect to solo, but the last oh, 10 lessons, I've felt ready, and I have a feeling if I knock the rust out and fly a couple good patterns he will solo me. I've flown "supervised solo" quite a few times (no input from instructor until on the ground). I've done two XC's now and both were excellent according to instructor. I do still botch a landing here and there, not to the level that the aircraft would get bent, just not super smooth every time. But the majority are good to really good.

Friday's weather is supposed to be good, clear, cool for this time of year, and winds under 5 mph.

Morning lesson was full though, so I go at 1pm. I still think I'm ready, I guess after a few patterns I will know, and so will he.

I think, frankly, all this time not being ABLE to solo has made it worse/made me think about it more.

Looking to sit down tonight and make/remake a checklist and really just fly the dang thing. I know what to do. I can land it dead-stick from anywhere in the pattern (except right after takeoff). I'm ready. But I am nervous. Looking for good ideas to feel extra prepared...
 
It sounds like you are good to go. Agreed, the waiting/thinking about it portion is the toughest, but all that chair flying is good reinforcement. The sink rate at solo weight will be slightly less, but it's an intuitive adjustment to make with pitch/power.

Good luck! Report back after the deed is done and your instructor has cut up that perfectly good shirt. :)
 
Once you rotate, those jitters will be gone. Like magic everything just gets right with the world all of the sudden.
Get it done. Report back.
 
they say your CFI won't send you off solo until you're ready. so, there's that.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
Once you rotate, those jitters will be gone. Like magic everything just gets right with the world all of the sudden.
Get it done. Report back.
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Yea, for me, It was oddly calming to not have the judge sitting over there, you'll be too busy getting it right to be nervous.
 
"I do still botch a landing here and there, not to the level that the aircraft would get bent, just not super smooth every time."

This will not change. With so many variables, landings and landing conditions are like snowflakes, not one of them is alike.
 
eman1200 said:
they say your CFI won't send you off solo until you're ready. so, there's that.
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Yeah, I've often thought of that. I even asked him (a long while ago now) about it, and he said the same thing, and added that no one so far has rolled it up in a ball. So on some level that feels good. Frankly, on one level I can't wait - getting the medical was like Christmas morning to me. But now reality sinks in. I'm sure after it's done I will feel just as elated as everyone else, and ready to go practice a lot more.
 
SoCal RV Flyer said:
Good luck! Report back after the deed is done and your instructor has cut up that perfectly good shirt. :)
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Umm. So what's this about? Is this one of these ritual things I've somehow managed to completely miss? Should I wear a disposable shirt?

Edit: OK googled it... Don't know how I missed this tradition, but I will wear a suitable shirt!
 
jbrinker said:
Well, I'm 33.2 hours in. I have over 120 take-offs and landings. But all of it dual because my medical took many months to get. Now I have it, and I haven't been able to fly in the last two weeks due to weather and vacation and now weather again. I'm due to go Friday, and I don't really expect to solo, but the last oh, 10 lessons, I've felt ready, and I have a feeling if I knock the rust out and fly a couple good patterns he will solo me. I've flown "supervised solo" quite a few times (no input from instructor until on the ground). I've done two XC's now and both were excellent according to instructor. I do still botch a landing here and there, not to the level that the aircraft would get bent, just not super smooth every time. But the majority are good to really good.

Friday's weather is supposed to be good, clear, cool for this time of year, and winds under 5 mph.

Morning lesson was full though, so I go at 1pm. I still think I'm ready, I guess after a few patterns I will know, and so will he.

I think, frankly, all this time not being ABLE to solo has made it worse/made me think about it more.

Looking to sit down tonight and make/remake a checklist and really just fly the dang thing. I know what to do. I can land it dead-stick from anywhere in the pattern (except right after takeoff). I'm ready. But I am nervous. Looking for good ideas to feel extra prepared...
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I had my solo delayed due to getting medical. About the same number of hours as you. I had 70 landings at that point. He wasn't working me in the pattern that much since I couldn't solo.
 
Don't wear your most expensive and favorite shirt. Once you go solo your instructor will cut your shirttail off to show the world that you soloed for the first time.

And don't forget to pick up your instructor after the last landing.







Like I did.......
 
jbrinker said:
Umm. So what's this about? Is this one of these ritual things I've somehow managed to completely miss? Should I wear a disposable shirt?
Click to expand...

To be on the safe side, don't wear your favorite shirt. Depends on the CFI I guess, some will clip off the shirt tail, mine didn't. No fanfare, I had to take my own selfie after walking back in to the FBO. :)

(and i'm really anti-selfie)
 
jbrinker said:
Umm. So what's this about? Is this one of these ritual things I've somehow managed to completely miss? Should I wear a disposable shirt?
Click to expand...

Interesting history behind that. One story goes that in the old days of flight training, there were no intercoms and the instructor pilot sat in tandem behind the student. When the instructor wanted to get the student's attention he'd pull on his/her shirt tail. Hence cutting off the shirt tail.
 
It's interesting to see just how much performance having someone in the second seat costs you. Relative to what you're used to, you'll ascend like a rocket.
 
I was scared out of my mind first solo. Nobody to bail me out!

Don't worry, it gets better, like... other things in life.
 
I think it's safe to say we all had jitters before we soloed. Remember what you've been taught and everything will be fine.
 
You're over thinking it. If you're ready on that particular day more than likely your CFI will turn you loose. Just think a little ahead of the plane as to what you're going to do next. After the first circuit you'll be loving it. And it's really the only thing you can only do once in flying. Good luck, relax, you got this! :thumbsup:
 
I don't think I wrote much about mine here, but I was nervous as hell. Instructor asked me if I was ready, and I said, "maybe after the next lesson..."
He said, "ok. Pull over." I pulled over, he got out, and that was it! I was nervous but like 6PC said, instinct took over and I just did what I'd been taught.
After that I soloed as much as I could. Probably have more pre-PPL solo hours than most people!

You'll rock it
 
Yea, for me, It was oddly calming to not have the judge sitting over there...
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The same for me, I really liked not having my instructor there.

The one thing I did have to keep telling myself was to Slow Down! I was so excited to actually solo I was bouncing all over checklist items. Force yourself to focus on what you were taught and what you know...you will be fine. Once those wheels leave the ground you will be smiling the whole time.

Good Luck!
 
I've soloed hundreds of students over the years. All were successful although some were a bit reluctant.

You have the right attitude. A little trepidation is a good thing. It's the students who beg to solo before I feel that they are ready & the one's that are overconfident that I worry about.

You'll do fine. I bet you'll even hear your instructors voice as you venture around the pattern.
 
They didn't cut up my shirt after my solo. They wanted to get a picture of me in front of the flight school entrance (office on second floor). My instructor had the camera and told me to back up a little for a better picture. For some reason I got this weird vibe and looked up to see another instructor starting to dump a large bucket of water from the second floor. I managed to evade the splash. They all laughed and then told me I was only the second student ever to NOT get wet. Not sure if that was a good or bad omen, but it's something I will never forget.
 
I use to get nervous before a flight. Once the engine started, that all went away.
 
I agree with the overall sentiment here. Once your wheels leave the runway, the jitters will be gone and will transform into a huge grin.
Don't forget to wipe it off after a week or two! :D
Or keep flying and keep it on. :thumbsup:
 
I didn't get the huge grin until I landed. What I did get was focus. In a big way.

Some nervousness is normal, even helpful. As long as it doesn't interfere.
 
On takeoff I thought "engine please don't quit now"
and on landing I thought "don't wreck the plane".
 
My shirttail got cut off and autographed by the CFI with the date, etc. I still have the shirttail.

I think a little bit of nerves is normal. My wife and brother-in-law thought I was going to solo the week before, and they had gone out and bought a pair of depends :). Fooled them!
 
saddletramp said:
You'll do fine. I bet you'll even hear your instructors voice as you venture around the pattern.
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All of them, for the rest of your life. Heh.

bmoeller said:
They didn't cut up my shirt after my solo. They wanted to get a picture of me in front of the flight school entrance (office on second floor). My instructor had the camera and told me to back up a little for a better picture. For some reason I got this weird vibe and looked up to see another instructor starting to dump a large bucket of water from the second floor. I managed to evade the splash. They all laughed and then told me I was only the second student ever to NOT get wet. Not sure if that was a good or bad omen, but it's something I will never forget.
Click to expand...

Spidey senses tingling... :)
 
Thanks everyone for the support and advice!

Well here's the update from Friday... I did not solo.

Keep in mind, I had not flown in almost 3 weeks, and my last two lessons before that were XC. Instructor seemed ready to let me solo - in the office as we discussed me getting my medical and so on. We left KSYR for KFZY (Oswego) and things went pretty well, I handled all the tasks as usual. Arrived at Oswego and runway in use was 24. I have done, I think, one prior landing on 24. No big deal I tell myself, I just flew 2 XC's a few weeks ago landing very nicely at strange airports. So I descend, enter the pattern, and proceed to wind up a bit high, and I was too tight so I was too far to the right entering final. I correct this, and wind up slow.

Now, 24 at Oswego has a pretty decent hill RIGHT off the approach end of the runway. It's actually a landfill. As you approach, visually, you feel that you are too low if you look at it. Which I did. So I wind up actually high. Basically, I should have gone around, but I pull power back and tell him we are going to just land long. Then I float it, and bounce it on landing. Unstable approach=bad landing. Not cool.

Try #2, a bit better approach but still bounce the landing...

Try #3-#6 were much much better, because by now I had my pattern down and was not high or low or fast or tight etc. Somewhere in there he did a "lost engine" and I did a great short final to 33, and then he announced at the last POSSIBLE second go around (just for practice, I was going to land), which I executed well.

A few more runs around the pattern, then back to KSYR and 3 runs around there with all good landings.

In the debrief, he said I am ready but I needed to get everything back in practice again. He said to schedule another lesson early this week and we will see. So - Tomorrow at 8:30am we shall see how (or if) I do.
 
jbrinker said:
Thanks everyone for the support and advice!

Well here's the update from Friday... I did not solo.

Keep in mind, I had not flown in almost 3 weeks, and my last two lessons before that were XC. Instructor seemed ready to let me solo - in the office as we discussed me getting my medical and so on. We left KSYR for KFZY (Oswego) and things went pretty well, I handled all the tasks as usual. Arrived at Oswego and runway in use was 24. I have done, I think, one prior landing on 24. No big deal I tell myself, I just flew 2 XC's a few weeks ago landing very nicely at strange airports. So I descend, enter the pattern, and proceed to wind up a bit high, and I was too tight so I was too far to the right entering final. I correct this, and wind up slow.

Now, 24 at Oswego has a pretty decent hill RIGHT off the approach end of the runway. It's actually a landfill. As you approach, visually, you feel that you are too low if you look at it. Which I did. So I wind up actually high. Basically, I should have gone around, but I pull power back and tell him we are going to just land long. Then I float it, and bounce it on landing. Unstable approach=bad landing. Not cool.

Try #2, a bit better approach but still bounce the landing...

Try #3-#6 were much much better, because by now I had my pattern down and was not high or low or fast or tight etc. Somewhere in there he did a "lost engine" and I did a great short final to 33, and then he announced at the last POSSIBLE second go around (just for practice, I was going to land), which I executed well.

A few more runs around the pattern, then back to KSYR and 3 runs around there with all good landings.

In the debrief, he said I am ready but I needed to get everything back in practice again. He said to schedule another lesson early this week and we will see. So - Tomorrow at 8:30am we shall see how (or if) I do.
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Sounds like my second 'first solo'. It had solo'd in one plane and was supposed to solo another one so I could use either. It was supposed to be show me 3 and get out but the wind(90 deg. cross) and my rust had other plans. By the time I got dialed in my time was up. I got it on the next session.
 
Yes, when you approach from a direction 180 degrees off from what you're used it, it can seem like another airport altogether! For the most part, it sounds like you handled everything well and accrued some valuable experience.

I had the wind change during my last flight at my home field, so I landed on 06 instead of 24 for the first time since I've been based there (70 hours of flying so far). It felt a little weird overflying the college a little on the base leg (something we normally avoid for noise abatement when taking off from 24) but I did it in order to fly a nice, standard safe approach. Moral here: Don't let a nonstandard situation take you out of your safety comfort zone.

I hope tomorrow is the day for you! But if it isn't, don't sweat it and enjoy the process.
 
Well, today went really well. I can say with confidence that my jitters are 99% gone. Practice really does help a lot. Out of Syracuse to Oswego again, much much better than last time. The XC to Owsego went perfectly, first and really all landings were good to very good. Had a crosswind of about 5 kt, but did well on my approaches. Really have that nailed down now, I feel confident as long as I get the right speed (80mph) dialed right in on downwind that I can adjust as needed on final. Two surprise power outs, and I did well on both. He said he would have soloed me, but that the crosswind was too much for first solo (even though I nailed it every time...). I understand. He said "next time, if the wind is down one of the runways or calm, you solo". So, maybe Saturday AM (next good weather day other than tomorrow, and I can't go tomorrow).

He did also say I need to be more consistent with holding the nose up on touchdown. I land mains first, but the nose is probably only 2" higher. He wants to see 6" or more on touchdown. I have to work on that.

I guess I think of this just like everything else - all things come in time. Rushing does no one any good, whether it be "get there itis" or worrying about solo.

Funny thing - seriously - I left the airport, and heading home on the highways there were so many idiots and truckers, and crap, I thought - you know I honestly felt safer flying the plane around today than I do in the car on the way home. Statistically not true, but still. I don't think I've ever actually felt that before, or maybe just never thought about it. That to me is a sign that sufficient practice and frequency of flight really is a key to safety.
 
I soloed today for the first time - I did get some jitters but I held it together! It was a real feeling of relief after that first landing, because like you the not-knowing whether today's the day was adding some stress to my lessons.
 
TylerSC said:
I soloed today for the first time - I did get some jitters but I held it together! It was a real feeling of relief after that first landing, because like you the not-knowing whether today's the day was adding some stress to my lessons.
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Nice! Congrats.

jbrinker said:
Funny thing - seriously - I left the airport, and heading home on the highways there were so many idiots and truckers, and crap, I thought - you know I honestly felt safer flying the plane around today than I do in the car on the way home. Statistically not true, but still. I don't think I've ever actually felt that before, or maybe just never thought about it. That to me is a sign that sufficient practice and frequency of flight really is a key to safety.
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I was thinking the exact same thing. This morning I had a nice, serene flight over the Grapevine to Bakersfield and back; afterward, multiple knuckleheads were dive-bombing me on the freeway on the way back from the hangar! Sheesh and [sigh]
 

You will do fine. Look ma, no hands.
 
I did, indeed solo back in Sept. Since then I have about 5 hrs solo PIC, including now two small XC's (25 miles) and trips to the practice area to practice my maneuvers. Today I got gas alone for the first time (heheh, seems weird to count this milestone, but everything is new when you are solo).

Today I had 1.2hrs solo, again out to KFZY from KSYR and over to the practice area. For the first time I felt "at one" with the plane. It felt more like an extension of myself, like learning to ride a bike or motorcycle when it finally becomes second nature. Yes, I still had quite a bit to do, and lots to remember. But for much of the time I just felt almost scared that it was coming easily to me. I felt like "wait, I should be overwhelmed right now, or overthinking everything.... but I'm not. I'm calm and I know what to do."

I also learned that I really need to spend some more time on maneuvers. I've gotten rusty in the PTS (ACS) list of must-do's with nearly all my time over the past 2 months spent in the pattern or doing simulated engine out/power-off landings. I did 4 steep turns (2 right, 2 left) and only 2 (the lefts) would have passed. My stalls were uneventful, but my cleanup/recovery was not as quick and smooth as it should be. Next time we go out I asked for a dual lesson, work/critique on all maneuvers and he said we would also do unusual attitude recovery -which I have done zero of so far.

Any of you pre-solo folks out there, keep in it. If this old dog can learn to become comfortable and do this you can too!
 
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