Post PPL confidence
Hi All,
Having finished my PPL earlier in the year, I have been flying as often as I can to boost my confidence and keep the skills fresh - usually sticking to familiar routes and aircraft. This weekend, I had my first big 'wobble' and crisis of confidence and I wondered whether anyone had had a similar experience at this stage in their flying, and any advice for getting over it!?
The situation wasn't ideal this weekend. I had a booking for an aircraft which I hadn't flown before (also from a club I had not flown from before as my usual one has amalgamated with its sister club). I don't know whether it was the new aircraft (with its slightly different radio set up which I had to get my head around) or the hassle of signing up at the new club and completing reams of paperwork before even getting out to the aircraft, but when I got in and started my pre-flight checks, I had a total loss of confidence and ended up abandoning the flight. I just didn't feel comfortable.
I know I made the right decision. The mantra "If in doubt, don't go" was running through my head and I am pleased with myself for making a decision based on safety, and not my desire to get up in the skies. However, I cannot help but worry that this knock to my confidence shouldn't have happened in the first place.
Incidentally, this was also going to be my first land away since qualifying and I think I was probably nervous about that too. It was a familiar airfield and one that I have visited before (albeit not solo) but I still found myself nervous. I cannot help but worry that if I get nervous about going somewhere I am familiar with, how on earth am I going to build to visiting somewhere new and perhaps further afield?!