What kept you going through training?

[SkyChaser]

I think I put too much pressure on myself to improve in great leaps and bounds and its just not happening. Every flight leaves me with the feeling of, "I did such and such alright BUT my 3rd landing was awful and I couldn't remember the proper procedure to set up for a power off stall"

I had this same issue of putting myself under a lot of pressure to perform perfectly and become a good pilot fast. Flight training was one of the first things that I really, really struggled with learning and as someone who picked most other things up pretty quickly, it was hard. It got easier after I decided I would rather be a very good pilot even if it took a million hours than an average pilot who got through in 45 hours. I ended up being a pretty average pilot who took a million hours, but we're not going to talk about that bit. Two things that helped ease the performance pressure were a. reminding myself that I was still a student and I was supposed to be screwing things up still and b. deciding to view all my mistakes as learning opportunities instead of evidence that I was the failure or idiot I'd always suspected I am and let my CFI tell me if I was that bad.

Something my instructor said shortly before solo helped me really snap into that mindset, and maybe it would help you. I came in for a horrible landing and botched it terribly, including an extremely hard touchdown and a rather large and violent bounce. On the upward spring, I initiated a go-around. It was the first time I'd ever bounced a landing and I felt awful and thought maybe I should just quit since I was so deficient in piloting skills and hadn't even soloed yet despite having over 20 hours. As I am thinking this, my CFI holds out her hand for a highfive. I am so confused, as I just botched something so badly, and she goes, "Now I don't have to create a bounce to teach you how to get out of one!" The second part of this is figuring out why mistakes happen and what to do to fix them. As we turned downwind for another go, she asked if I knew why I'd bounced and what I'd change to keep it from happening again. I did know, and although I did bounce another landing many hours later in a much less spectacular fashion, I didn't do it again that day because I knew where my problem areas were that day and where I needed to add a little extra focus. I was able to carry that over to other areas as well, and start treating mistakes as simply markers of where my weak spots were.

Instead of focusing on the problem, I could focus on the root of the problem. My 3rd landing was awful? Well, I was carrying too much speed as I turned final and I didn't reduce power or add flaps early to allow it to bleed off so I floated much longer in ground effect than I wanted to. Next time I'm coming in fast, I'll pay closer attention before the final turn and allow some speed to bleed off earlier so I'm not carrying it into ground effect. It takes the focus off you making a mistake and puts it squarely onto what the mistake is and how to fix it.

 

[SebIp]

I hated soloing simply because I wasn't confident in my abilities. I wasn't scared during the flight, as I just kept telling myself to stick with my training and was honestly, too busy to be frightened. Afterwards, I chalked my survival up to dumb luck that nothing bad happened. As for why I'm doing this, I grew up flying with relatives and always loved it. I love the freedom, I love the feeling of flight, I love adventuring. It's ME that's the problem. I think I put too much pressure on myself to improve in great leaps and bounds and its just not happening. Every flight leaves me with the feeling of, "I did such and such alright BUT my 3rd landing was awful and I couldn't remember the proper procedure to set up for a power off stall"

Still to me reads a lot like you set some mental picture of some expectations of what flying equals and the target isn’t just flying.

You also keep kicking yourself and as someone mentioned you show some signs of resignation attitude. Your mind set is that you survived by dumb luck. If that is the case really stop flying your luck will run out. And it isn’t but your attitude will lead to why brother to do this or that and oh well it’s spinning my luck ran out I am not going to try and recover.

General Aviation is a choice not a fate forced on your man.

 

[Mooneymayhem]

OP here. I want to thank you ALL for taking the time to respond. You've helped me get some clarification on my training and more importantly, my mindset towards it. Over time, I realized that the unrealistic expectations I placed on myself have (predictably) led to disappointment and frustration, which left unchecked for too long, led to discouragement and demoralization. To the members who rightfully called me out regarding my resignation, thank you. I didn't even recognize it until you pointed it out.

 

[Salty]

OP here. I want to thank you ALL for taking the time to respond. You've helped me get some clarification on my training and more importantly, my mindset towards it. Over time, I realized that the unrealistic expectations I placed on myself have (predictably) led to disappointment and frustration, which left unchecked for too long, led to discouragement and demoralization. To the members who rightfully called me out regarding my resignation, thank you. I didn't even recognize it until you pointed it out.

The most important thing is to remember the antidote. You’re not helpless. You don’t have to rely on luck. You can do things to make your flight a safe one.

You aren’t going to be perfect, but that doesn’t mean you let it up to luck.

 

[Gary Ward]

Hey fellow students,
For 2 years..I've been through 4 CFIs, a lengthy/expensive S.I. medical process, and countless cancelations due to all the usual reasons. I've soloed twice and hated it, now I'm prepping for my cross country training and I'm just not enjoying this anymore. I don't want to quit because I'll be letting myself down along with all the people that have supported me this whole time. I know I'm not alone, how did you all keep going?

I forgot to mention that music helped me to stay motivated, I have a old Ipod that I would listen to in my truck on my way to training. Sounds weird but Tom Petty was my favorite , Running down a Dream was at the top of the list. Then Learning to Fly of course and few others. Still have that old ipod and still listen to it sometimes while flying.

 

[Salty]

I forgot to mention that music helped me to stay motivated, I have an old Ipod that I would listen to in my truck on my way to training. Sounds weird but Tom Petty was my favorite , Running down a Dream was at the top of the list. Then Learning to Fly of course and few others. Still have that old ipod and still listen to it sometimes while flying.

Chappy wouldn’t approve Doug.

 

[WDD]

Down right stubbornness.

 

[Ashara Keliyn]

I forgot to mention that music helped me to stay motivated, I have a old Ipod that I would listen to in my truck on my way to training. Sounds weird but Tom Petty was my favorite , Running down a Dream was at the top of the list. Then Learning to Fly of course and few others. Still have that old ipod and still listen to it sometimes while flying.

Absolutely. Pink Floyd's "learning to fly" was my training anthem and a great motivator. For those who don't know, pay very close attention to lyrics. The first 2 lines are pure gold.

 

[Dana]

Although I've long known and liked the song and suspected that David Gilmour had done at least some flying, the above post got me curious, turns out he had a collection of vintage aircraft and started an aviation museum to house them:

"Intrepid Aviation was a way for me to make my hobby pay for itself a little bit, but gradually over a few years Intrepid Aviation became a business because you have to be businesslike about it. Suddenly I found instead of it being a hobby and me enjoying myself, it was a business and so I sold it. I don't have Intrepid Aviation any more. I just have a nice old biplane that I pop up, wander around the skies in sometimes..."​

 

[Tools]

In 1987 and 1989 if you had eyes you could fly out of the Naval Academy. In 1988 you also needed a modicum of grades. I didn’t exactly have even a fraction of a modicum of grades, so I became a Surface Warfare Officer. Who knew the culpable result of going to the NAVAL Academy would be driving a ship? Hmmm.

Making a long story short I hoodwinked a flight school slot.

So what kept me going? The fear of going BACK to driving ships!