Fear of Soloing

[fasterlaster]

I have a problem.

I have always loved flying (etc etc) like us all, and like many of us on this board I decided to do something about it and have just paid for (wired the money yesterday!) and will be starting an integrated course (fATPL).

I'm not young (in my 30's) but I am worried my fear of soloing may become a problem. I keep thinking if alone in the cockpit I'll c*ck something up, panic and stall/crash/burn or get lost/fluff radio calls etc at the least etc.

This worries me, and I'm hoping that this fear will become resolved with the experience of an instructor getting me up to the stage where I'll feel comfortable to solo (I'm having a hard job imagining it though).

Is this a common fear? And how did anyone who has had it get over it? Any advice REALLY appreciated. I am feeling quite honestly that this is the ONLY thing that will block my flying career (after spending a few years getting the money together for the fATPL).

I have been up with an instructor in a 152 a few times and loved the experience (and flown as a pax maybe 100 times since a child and am always thrilled) so its not flying per se that is an issue (I also went up with a friend who flew what I thought were "unusual atitudes" and was petrified however).

The irony is, that once I get to the Multi stage I may never have to solo again and problem is solved.

If it helps anyone: I've also felt the same way about driving (i.e. travelled tens/hundreds of thousand miles with somebody else driving) but scared of driving myself - hence never got a licence. I did drive a car once for about 5 minutes on private land though with my girlfriend in the passenger seat (and was pleasantly surprised as it seemed not so bad after all).

[planeshipcar]

Hey,

I was just like you - the idea of my first solo scared the absolute crap out of me - yet it was the first goal I had to get to in my flying career and when the instructor got out the palne and let me go for the first time I was so pumped I just did. I remember getting out of the pane and my legs were shaking - the nerves were there - an addrenalin rush like no other and when I came down I couldn't stop smiling for hours. Its only a circuit that you'll fly first time which is generally between 6 min - 10 minutes but it feels much quicker.

I have to confess the nerves really kicked in after during my second solo - I had 10 hours of solo circuit cosilidation which helped with my confidence. Don't worry to much about messing up. When being taught to fly you are taught set procedures which are methodical making all the right moves. You are are extra causious as well so every landing you make will generally be good coz it has to be (sub-conscious). My solo certificate is on my wall in a very nice frame. I'm proud!

I never really like flying by my self so I built up my hours with firends or other pilot friends having a chat next to me in the RHS. Once you've finished your PPL you never have to fly solo again.

I believe that there is very little 'solo' flying in the integrated - but I'm no expert. So check.

[ONEWORLD_86]

hi,

I went up by myself for the first time when i was 17, and the idea of just going up around a circuit at a small grass field scared the life out of me, but looking back at it i think it was because i didnt have the required knowledge and ability to deal with a situation, and lacked confidence because of it.

Went through my ATPL and went solo for the first time (again) and felt much much more confident because i had more nouse and experience.

Its a great feeling all the same, and during your CPL you will do so much of it that it will just become the norm.

Have fun:ok:

[David_Lid Air]

I do not like to fly solo either, I had a not so pleasant experience a few months ago when I flew solo, I became ill when I was upp there (Bad food) that was not too funny, I could barely stay consious.

Now I prefer to fly with a friend if I am going to fly great distances. I do not want to experience that situation again!

[B200Drvr]

Fasterlaster,
Your Honesty is commendable, but as an instructor, and I think most instructors will agree that you will not be sent up solo before you are ready. IMHO you fear is to do with the unknown and what your imagination puts into your head, get over this by making sure you are well prepared for every flight lesson and know exactly what is expected of you and you will feel more confident, dont just tip up to a lesson and say "what are we going to do today" find out after your last lesson and prepare for the next. Most training aeroplanes are extremely forgiving, and dont just fall out of the sky at the first mistake. Just prepare properly and go through all your checks untill you know them pat. It will make you alot more confident and you will enjoy your lessons more, this in turn will give you the "can do" attitude.
Good luck and keep us posted

[maxdrypower]

Might I suggest that if you are looking at doing a full FATPL you dont pay any moey up fornt till you have least been solo even if you goto a local club and do it prior to starting your course , otherwise it may be a bit expensive should the worse happen and oyu really cant do it . On a positive note , everyone has the same feelings and apprehensions it is prefectly normal , by the time oyur time comes you will enjoy it like no other flight , everyone remembers their first solo and you will only ever do it once , look forward to it and thoroughly enjoy , good luck

[Oxeagle]

Fasterlander,
I agree with what everyone else has said. I'm in a similar position to you, pre-solo and with any luck and a bit of good weather I will going solo next week. You can either look at it as 'omg what happens if... etc', or you can see it as a real achievement, as the culmionation of all of your flying upto that point. Thats what I see it as, I get excited just thiniing about it now lol. Picking up on some of the above opoints, your instructor won't let you go solo until he knows your ready, but also until he knows that you yourself think that you are ready. I honestly think i'm ready. Question is, do you?

[planeshipcar]

Maxdrypower is right. There is more than one way to becoming an Airline Pilot. Remember your being trainined to be able to perform your duties as a responsible pilot. You have to enjoy your flying to gain the confidence to achieve this. You can do this even if your scared now the fear may change each challenging flight you complete. Like anything the more you do something the better you get.

However, beware about jumping into an integrated because the pressure will be there to the point where you may end up hating flying before your 15hrs in.

I can't help but think you should go modular this will give you time for your confidence to adjust or atleast do your first solo and a couple of hours after. Don't give your self more stress that you need. Remember your becoming a PIlot so you have a beautiful job that you can enjoy. This can only be done if you go easy on yourself and choose the right training for you.

Good Luck Mate!

[sicky]

It sounds like a bit of a confidence issue, which will only be gained through practice. I used to struggle with self belief when i was a bit younger, in everything i did, except for driving, which i just picked up and could do. I feel like i'll be the same with flying, like i'll pick it up easily. However, even when i was driving there'd be times when i wasn't sure if what i was doing was right, so i'd ask someone, and then i'd practice it.

With the degree i'm doing now, there was a workshop module, and every single thing we did in the workshop, i would ask 3 or 4 different people to chekc what i was doing was right before i did it, on every little aspect of the job, just because i didn't trust myself not to cock up. However, once i got the hang of things and thought about it a bit, everything turned out fine.

Some things you can pick up straight away, some things you don't. All you need todo is figure out what you don't know, or why and just work at it and you'll be fine. Practice makes permanent ;)

[TJF97]

If it helps I'm doing my PPL at the moment and I feel exactly the same. I went on my first solo nav ex last week and I was scared stiff, but all those procedures you are taught suddenly kick in and you just get on with it.

I also whistled the theme tune to the "A-Team" as well to calm down!! Well it helped me!!

TJF97

[Leezyjet]

One of the guys at my flying club in South Africa gets airsick every time he fly's, and yet he still goes up each day armed with a handful of sick bags (or the inside of his shirt if he forgets them :yuk: ) as he loves flying and wants to be a pilot so much, that he's prepared to put up with it in the hope that eventually he will get used to it, or "grow out" of it.
If you love flying as much as he does, and once you have been flying enough, then you will realise that it will be worth pushing yourself to overcome it.
The way the training is set out, is designed to take you a small step at a time and to make sure that you are confident in each stage before moving onto the next, so you won't be sent solo until your instructor is 110% confident that you are capable of it.
When you do go solo though, make sure you try to take a few seconds to enjoy it as you will never do it again - have a look over to your right at that empty seat, then look back out of the window at the ground. It all looks so different when you are by yourself. :cool:
I also whistled the theme tune to the "A-Team" as well to calm down!! Well it helped me!!

Ha ha - I sang/whistled "Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines" on my first solo !!!
:)

[Alpha Bravo Bravo]

i used to have that fear also, and of heights too. I just sat down one day and said to myself if others are doing it, why not me!

[VC10 Rib22]

fasterlaster,

I commend you for admitting that you have a problem and are taking steps to address it. Fear of soloing is something the majority of pilots have faced and is completely natural - it is just your body's way of telling you that it is unhappy with the situation you are going to be putting it in, a defensive mechanism shaped by thousands of years of evolution. Were it not for this mechanism humans wouldn't live that long - falling off cliffs, walking in front of cars, etc.

Where humans differ is in how much fear they feel, and how they deal with it. Clearly you are feeling very scared about what lies ahead, but I feel this is because you are imagining all the things that can go wrong up there. What you are failing to do is realise that you are going to be trained, to a very exacting standard, what to do when such situations arise. There is a world of difference between the two! You will not be sent solo without an instructor being absolutely sure you are perfectly safe to do so.

From what you have written, it may be that you have some kind of mental problem with having sole responsibility of a mechanical vehicle. What you have got to remember is that a car or an aircraft will do exactly what you want it to do - you are in charge NOT it. As long as you realise that an aircraft turns left when you want it to, climbs and descends when you want it to, takes off and lands when you want it to, and that you have been taught thoroughly how to do this, there will not be a problem. I would advise you to attain your driving licence before you strart your ATPL course - firstly, because you will not be employed by any airline without one and, secondly, because it is a far cheaper way to discover whether you do have a problem with going solo in charge of a mechanical vehicle, saving you a lot of time and hassle.

Lastly, please do not go through your training with the attitude that you won't have to fly solo once multi-crewed. You owe it to yourself and your passengers behind you not to find yourself unable to take charge of an aircraft should the Captain have died next to you. The training system is designed to allow your instructors and yourself to assess your suitability to fly commercial operations - if, after 40 odd hours solo you are still desperately uncomfortable, you have to be honest to yourself. You may not live the dream but at least you can say you tried.

I'm sure that when the time comes, things will fall into place and you can learn to enjoy the adrenaline rush of flying. I'm not a flying instructor, and I'm sure they are are the most able persons to address your fears, so why not post this question in the Flying Instructors & Examiners Forum?

The best of luck, and get that car licence first!

VC10 Rib22
:ok:

[Doug E Style]

I don't want to add to your anxiety but if I were you I would seriously consider getting a driving licence too. Unless you live on the airport's doorstep, I think many airlines might be a bit wary of taking on someone who is dependent on public transport. Unless, of course, the girlfriend doesn't mind being your chauffeur. Good luck.

[Farrell]

First solo flight will stay with you forever! - at least, the feeling will. It's like no other.

What I remember vividly was making the decision to actually DO IT........can remember in the detail the whole taxy up to the holding point and been told to line up and wait.....still feeling safe as houses at that point.......then being given clearance and pushing the throttle forward.....still safe as house with loads of runway.......checking instruments on the roll as the power came in.......still safe as i could've aborted at this stage.......then that moment of decision, just as the airspeed indicator approached 60 kts and deciding to pull back on the yoke - it's only then as the wheels leave the deck that you become fully aware of the enormity of what you have just done.....and what you have to do in order to survive - but you do!....it's hard to explain it but when you're in the circuit, even though you tell yourself that there's a chance you could mess it up, you just don't!

You'll only ever do it once in your life so make sure you enjoy it!

[raviolis]

Soloing is the best.
Unfortunately, as everybody knows, there's plenty of fantastic FI's with great experience and teaching skills. But there's also a whole lot of hour-builders who don't give a damn about their students.
I can tell you that flying with a FI who's bored to death, sending texts and keeps looking at his watch for the end of the shift is NOT a pleasant experience ! Would much rather tell him.. lsiten I'm going for a solo, you put all the hours you want in your logbook ! :-)

*rant mode off*

regards

[scruffy1973]

i was the same....nervous of my first solo, but my first solo was perfect, however my second solo, a month later, which was about 3-4 weeks later, was awful. my third was 2-3 weeks later. this is how not to do it. once you start soloing, keep doing it and it'll get better, and your confidence will really grow. during my ppl i did almost every mistake in the book, got shouted and screamed at (in a good way i hope) by my instructor. then on the day of my long x-country here in florida the nerves kicked in. i sat there and thought that if others could do it, why cant i. the first sector was perfect, then on the second sector, the winds got up and the clouds came down and the nerves came back. 3-4 nm from punta gorda at about 1000 ft i had to swerve to avoid a really big bird. it hit my horizontal stabiliser, the front of the wing and stuck in the moving parts. it also hit my rudder. at this point i controlled the situation, entered the patternwith just throttle control after making the required radio calls (i did not consider it an emergency as i was in control) and was given the freedom of the circuit to land. i landed with minimum controls and (as i found out later) a 25 nm cross wind. i taxiied off the runway stopped and **** myself.

the moral of my little story is do the drills, the stalls, the engine failiures, dont be scared to do it again and again. on reflection, i did everything i had been taught, maybe some things i hadnt been taught, but sub-consciously i had the skills and knowledge to sort the problem. like the other guys said, you and your instructor will know when its time to solo, so enjoy it...or at least enjoy it when you land.

the worst thing about my little incident...the bloody ntsb paperwork!

it'll be fine

[Paris Dakar]

fasterlaster,

Reading 'Farrell's' post brought back to me the feelings of my first solo in an instant!

I remember the instructor telling me (just before he climbed out) 'remember Andy - you have 3 hours of gas on board, if you don't like the look of your first approach just go around until you do'. With that, he got out and walked away.

I remember how quickly the aircraft seemed to climb when I was sitting alone. If it's any help, I talked out aloud to myself during the full circuit, as if describing what I was doing to an invisble FI. As it turned out, I only did the one circuit and returned to earth safe and sound.

That was a long time ago now but I do admit that the little pang of apprehension I felt before each solo flight never really went away - it only diminished little by little with time. I'm sure that if I flew much more frequently then it might even vanish altogether!

PD