Tips for settling nerves..

[Scoobster]

This "feeling" has been bugging me for some time and I have tried several things to stop this.

I learned at a good school, with good instructors and passed my PPL.. although a new PPL, throughout my training I have felt a sense of nervousness/confidence issues when flying..

I have flown to different airfields with a buddy and also as a passenger (due to a complex aircraft type) to places further afield.

I did some variation training on a different aircraft over 2 days in the UK and the chap/instructor who has never flown with me before made a comment said that I have far better ability than my confidence. And that I am a very competent, above average, skilled PPL compared to others he has flown with.

I obviously do not know any different because I have nothing to assess against...

I cannot even explain the feeling.. it feels as though there is no time to think, react especially in the circuit in a heavier aircraft.

Is this normal??

I will go up alone again next week to do the exercises and for a Nav alone... and I am sure I will be fine but the nerves will still be there.. its just a sensory feeling that I cannot explain properly.

I have a great passion for flying and need to nip this in the bud.

[AdamFrisch]

It goes away as you fly more. Promise. Used to be the same. But challenge yourself and fly to places you haven't been before etc. Build confidence, expand your skills.

Today I experience the same thing to a lesser degree as a new IFR pilot. Doing approaches to minimums or encountering icing can be nerve wracking, but as I build up my skill and experience in this area, I can feel the nervousness diminish.

[KandiFloss]

Scoobster - try not to worry! I've had my licence for 8 years now, and I still feel anxious from time to time, especially when it comes to new challenges, such as visiting new airfields, and after recently converting on to a new aircraft type. I would say that i'm a reasonable pilot, people who have flown with me and who are more experienced than me say that i'm a good pilot (which is nice to hear!) but at the back of my head I still doubt myself some of the time. I know that flying frequently helped me become more confident, but then it's tricky, as aviation is expensive! I'm in a tricky situation at the moment, as i'm trying to put money into a monthly flying fund, and also save up for my CPL!

[skyhighfallguy]

are you feeling a lack of confidence, or do you miss having someone else with you that you really like.

being alone in the cockpit is ok. but sharing it with someone who is your friend can be more fun

[150 Driver]

Nerves before you fly are, I believe, pretty normal amongst many pilots. After all, we're defying gravity and there are a thousand ways your plane can kill you!

Best way of dealing with it is to follow your normal routine as drummed in by Instructor and subsequent experience, do your checks as you should, then go fly. 100 feet in the air and the bytes of brain used for worrying are busy doing something else.

[thing]

It will pass with time. I used to get nervous sitting in a glider waiting for a launch when I first started flying. Once everything is happening you haven't got time to be nervous. I now call my feelings before a flight 'heightened awareness.' What used to be nerves is now a quite pleasant sense of being on the ball. Which is unusual for me...:)

[GBEBZ]

You are not alone, there are MANY threads on PPRUNE and the other forum about this - the key, as repeated by many, and proven by many a persons experience, is CURRENCY!

Don't leave it 4 weeks between each flight and expect to not be nervous.

It was always my dream to fly light I drive, to just get in and turn the key (edit: after all the planning etc) and not worry or be nervous... it took currency to give me that assurance.

Every now and then I still take a deep breath before applying power on take off, or cutting power for a descent..

I'm not alone here, nor are you. Just don't become a statistic, many new PPLs give up (for this reason, and others) and never renew after 2 years...

[flybymike]

I don't know whether this will depress you or reassure you, but after 32 years flying I'm still nervous on every flight.

And yet I couldn't do without it and will never give up until I have to.

But then I tell myself that logically, flying is a fundamentally scary business and nerves are therefore hardly surprising.

To my mind the uber cool Sky Gods are either bull****ting or have some intrinsic personality defect, which would make me even more apprehensive about flying with them rather than just on my own or with a non pilot.

On the other hand, as has been remarked, repeated exposure definitely lessens the fear, and to be fair, I suppose that instructors, or professional pilots flying on a daily basis etc, may eventually become immune to a degree.

But then on the other hand again, perhaps a few nerves are a good thing....

[9 lives]

There are two possible conditions for most pilots, one they recognize, the other they may not. You'll recognize being nervous - that's good. You'll probably not recognize being complacent - that's bad. There's really not too much in between. So, appreciate that you're still nervous, 'cause it mean's you're not complacent, and that's a good thing!

When I realized my complacency was growing, I challenged myself by earning my helicopter license, that humbled me for a while. After that, I bought a taildragger flying boat - it'll keep a pilot nervous on several fronts!

Don't worry about feeling nervous, just go flying anyway!

[mary meagher]

My Dad used to say he was a member of the Timid Skipper's Union.

And had butterflies every time, but as soon as he left the dock he was OK.
Sailed his boat to Bermuda and back...

[A320baby]

Don't worry, Don't Panic, It will go away for sure. Anyway some nerves +fear is not always a bad thing.

Try not to confuse this feeling with adrenalin.

[Pace]

You don't say whether those nerves are before the flight or during the flight?
I used to race cars many moons ago and before the lights changed sitting in the grid the nerves were high! As soon as the lights changed the nerves went!

Nerves in flight ? Use positive thought as its negative thoughts which cause anxiety and these will usually be worse when you have time to think rather than when you are busy flying an approach or departure with no room in your mind to think ))

But as others have said a certain level of nerves are normal and will make you perform better! But if they are continuous and to the point that you don't enjoy your flying then you need to learn how to control those nerves and not let them control you ))

Pace

[Mimpe]

Scoobster I had it first 200 hours.The things that alleviated it were

1. confidence regarding emergency procedures and aviation law
2. Currency
3. Preparation = careful and meticulous preflight prep and planning
4. flying with experienced senior pilots

best wishes

[Scoobster]

Thank You for the responses.

My nerves I guess have been centred more around "fear" that you are in something that can kill if you make a mistake... for example, the other day because I am so used to flying a Cessna and was in a PA28.. I cut the mixture (thinking it was Carb heat - as it would be located next to throttle in the Cessna - and without my "brain" processing that this was the Mixture control!).

Fortunately a split second later, I realised that this was not the case and set back to Rich! The engine windmilled and kicked back into life.

A mistake I think if i wasn't nervous I should NOT be making...

Am I a total maniac? No.. but I certainly learned from it.

What I have learned though from speaking with Instructors is to trust my ability and this will also settle with going up alone and doing nav, exercises, diversions and practice practice practice.

Hoping to go to Cambridge next week... or maybe Biggin Hill :)

Scoobster

[KandiFloss]

Scoobster - well at least you quickly spotted your mistake and quickly dealt with it, so you should at least be proud of yourself for that :-) . We ALL make mistakes!


I have heard about similar situations though, like pilots thinking that they were retracting flaps, when they actually retracted the undercarriage on the ground ... ooops. I am hoping to do my CPL this summer, and definitely hoping not to make that mistake!


I know what you mean though about making silly mistakes because you are nervous. Recently on my first flight in a new a/c type, I read back the wrong runway on the first couple of circuits. I was flying circuits for the correct runway, but I read back the wrong runway, I put this down to being anxious about flying the new aircraft. A few more flights later and i've done a few local trips in it, and would now be happier to take the a/c further afield. But I still feel happiest in a little 152!

[skyhighfallguy]

not sure what year model cherokee you were flying, but the ones I flew , the mixture control was painted RED and it is red for a reason!

[Mimpe]

Scoobster - in relation to rushing to use controls - I have developed the habit of asking myself twice what i am doing before an action.

If you reach for flaps or mixture or prop revs, i just say to myself I am doing.. such and such" and look again. cutting the mixture on climb out would be a conversation stopper !

This technique isn't so necessary when your are really familiar with the controls and have many hours on type, but is again necessary in an emergency situation. M/E training is a very good example - you may not have a co pilot, so when you attend to an engine failure in a twin you have to challenge yourself that you are performing an action correctly before performing it.

Another point is familiarity - when you are low hours on type, it pays to do your routine enroute checks by saying them out aloud and touching the dial or the instrument as it re-inforces the location , and it comes in handy in an emergency.

[Helicopterdriverguy]

not sure what year model cherokee you were flying, but the ones I flew , the mixture control was painted RED and it is red for a reason!
Remember Skyhigh, that some older Cherokee's with the vernier controls don't have a red control. Just whatever knob could be found to replace it with, after Years of use ;).