Developed this irrational fear, please help....

[G_STRING]

Hope somebody can supply some words of wisdom.

Went flying few weeks back in quite a strong, occasionally gusty wind.

Found myself being 'thrown around' everywhere, and felt quite unable to control aircraft, (or so it seemed).

The wind seemed to get under one wing, lifting it, and giving the sensation of 'toppling over'. What was going through my mind was the possibility of entering a spin, due to the wind causing wing drop.

In theory, I know that to spin, you must first stall the aircraft, and this is usually done by either intentional, or inadvertent airspeed loss, and severe angle of attack BUT.... still can't get the feeling out of my head that on this particular day, I was going to enter a spin.

I've also now developed a fear of banking the aircraft in windy conditions.

Any advice on how to get over this, (left me feeling more than apprehensive of going flying on a less than calm day again), or explanations / words of wisdom much appreciated.

[Aerobatic Flyer]

Best thing might be a couple of aerobatic lessons. You'll cover steep turns, recovery from unusual attitudes, and one or two basic aerobatic manouvers.

It does wonders for your confidence.

:)

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

AF is not wrong, but you don't say how much experience you have; I'd guess not much?

As you fly more, you'll become more at home in the air in all its moods. But if you've a fair bit of experience, aeros training will teach you where the aeroplane's limits really are (probably much, much further away than you think). That will give you confidence in your handling, and allow you to relax and enjoy your flying even in rough conditions.

SSD

[stiknruda]

AF and SSD have told you all you need to know!

All I can add as a sop is that when I learned to fly and was told to go off and practice steep turns and stalls, I'd hide behind a big cloud and do gentle turns until my time was up as I was so scared! Steep turns and stalls were safe as long as SHE was there, for she was a sky-goddess!

My first aero's session, after I had 300hrs convinced me that I couldn't really fly - I could merely operate an aeroplane using a prescriptive series of numbers!

I now compete in aerobatics and feel the need to counter the initial 300 hrs with aero's - I have 200 on Pitts' and guess that less than half is aerobatting so need to spend more time/money at it!

relax, relax - then learn to enjoy a bit of bank/ a bit of G.


Stik:ok:

[G_STRING]

Thanks for replies.

I've been flying for a couple of years, and have, in the past, been taken spinning. Didn't have a problem with this at the time.

In fact have always enjoyed flying up until recently, after experiencing a few 'near misses', bad judgement, and the recent encounter with the wind.

For the future, I would like to get some instruction on aeros, but need to get over this particular problem.

Has anybody else developed this sort of a loss of confidence along with irrational fear?

Thanks

[tacpot]

Yes, I have developed such irrational fears and loss of confidence, but not in relation to flying. My cure was to see the situation for what it was - an irrational fear, but this took alot of time (more than necessary I felt)

You are part way there already - you understand the problem and can describe it, and you know it is irrational.

Unfortunately with any 'dangerous sport', there is always an basis of truth in the fear you feel. Flying is not as safe as driving a car. It is easy to allow the heightened sense of risk that follows a close call to become over-exaggerated - to the point there it forms the basis of an irrational fear.

Try to hook into the good feelings that you have had from Flying in the past, and try to see the actual risk involved accurately.

[Polly Gnome]

G STRING

I sympathise with you - it is easy to develop irrational fears when flying.

You could learn how to side slip. You would learn how to control the aircraft when it is 'out of balance' and it should help when the aircraft feels as if it is 'toppling over' on a gusty day. It may also improve your use of the rudder (although you are probably very good anyway!) I am not sure if you can side slip (with flaps anyway) in all training aircraft, but your instructor would know, I should think.

You could try aerobatics, but if you are nervous, it may make you associate flying with being nervous. However, you would learn how to get into and out of a spin which may also help. You could try a lesson and see how you feel.

Best of luck

[Air Born]

Not much advice on how to overcome it, but I have a friend who did his PPL with me and about a year after had a scarey experience of sink on finals (over a housing estate) when he seemed unable to stop the aircraft sinking despite full power. I have no idea what the situation was other than his report, but he was so freaked out that he did a couple of hours with an instructor after that and then barrelled out and hasn't flown again. One lapsed (and wasted) PPL.

Don't let the same happen!!!

Find a sympathetic instructor (someone with minimal bravado!)and go up in similar conditions. Keep going - you'll get over it.

Let us know how you go!

[Polly Gnome]

Sorry G SPOT, I didn't read your second post properly.

I registered with PPrune especially to answer this (after being a 'lurker' in Private Flying for a long time), because I have had similar problems as a result of one or two unpleasant experiences.

I found that pushing myself in difficult conditions or aircraft (with the support of an instructor) helped. I then flew, in less difficult conditions, on my own. Choose your day though, or you will associate flying with being nervous. Flying often, with an instructor if the weather is difficult, also helps (if you have the time and money to do it). You do need an instructor who understands what you are trying to do.

You could also try flying with another PPL who can help, but be careful you do not fly with someone who is TOO confident and tries to push you.

Just stick it out, it will get better, honestly!

Sorry, G STRING - wrong name!!! :uhoh:

[down&out]

Hi G-String

I have to back up the aerobatics/ pushing yourself further suggestion. Go out with a nice instructor on a nice day and do some gentle aeros. You will find you can make the a/c do all sorts of things and you will be amazed at its capabilities.

Like sticknrudder I remember going from a relatively timid flyer (before my aeros training), to being happy to chuck the a/c around doing all sorts of things. I don’t do aeros anymore, can’t afford it. But - I remember learning the feel of pulling a loop whilst "nibbling the buffet" (ooh eer). Knowing this limit, gives you a great sense of security in more normal flight conditions. Also, if you enjoy the aeros, then go & do some solo - my 1st solo aeros flight is as memorable as my 1st 1st solo. I remember thinking "wow" I'm actually pulling up to do my own loop, by myself - what a privilege - I was grinning for days :O

Just to finish the story off, I had some friends up with me recently. I did a steep turn so they could see a land feature (from a nice safe height, before anyone asks). They went wow, that’s cool, but relatively, its now seems rather laid back.

Main thing is, as already suggested, keep going, take an instructor with to do things you have not done/ find uncomfortable with & then you’ll find you can relax much more on the day to day stuff. Have fun! ;)

EDITED TO ADD:

G_S

I've read your thread again and thought a bit more. I noted you also said a number of things have shaken you up recently. Well, I’ve certainly had a few "experiences" along the way. If its any help, I find the best thing to do is, once on the ground, reflect carefully and rationally what happened and think of a way, through preparation/ training, to minimise the opportunity for the "thing" happening again. If you can't think of a decent answer, then trying going back to an instructor and see if you can work it out together. All the best D&O.

[Solo Hire]

Speaking as someone with little experience, it's noticeable how different peoples' standards are with regard to what is "normal". Having learned in the North of Scotland, doing mountains (with mountain wave and all that), valleys (& steep turns when the weather traps you), and 45 kt winds (in the cruise) all became a normal part of flying for me.

Seeing as I actually live in the south, I find myself frequently flying when loads of other people at the club won't go up.

Guess what I'm trying to say is, stick at it, get used to it, relax and enjoy it. My personal pet hate is when the air gets really turbulent flying downwind of a mountain (as opposed to over them)... I always wonder if the wings will break off! But when this happened with the instructor, he never looked the slightest bit concerned, so I have learned to relax in similar circumstances!

Carry on enjoying!

[G_STRING]

Again, thank you all very much for taking the time to reply.

After reading, I've booked a few instructor flights, and hopefully will overcome problems

G_STRING :)

[Northern Highflyer]

G-STRING

I started a thread a few weeks ago after a flight on a hot and very very turbulent day which made me feel like I wasn't fully in control of the a/c. I received a lot of good advice off the forum and started to realise that what happened to me was quite normal.

It had knocked my confidence a little (well no a lot if I am honest) and I then booked an hour with an instructor with the brief "show me exactly what this can do". We flew slow (very slow), climbed the a/c at the stall, incipient spins, incipient stall with wing drop, crossed controls, the works. It worked for me and I soon realised just how stable the a/c is. I have since been up in worse conditions and to my genuine surprise my doubts had gone. I felt "at one" with the a/c if that makes sense and actually enjoyed riding the bumps. Now I have never enjoyed my flying so much.

The trouble with getting a PPL is that you only learn to fly it normally, with the exception of a few stalls or a spiral dive. I think it is useful to have an instructor take it to the limits so that you can see for yourself exactly what it is capable of doing.

I will also do a few aeros when I can, for the reasons stated by other posters.

Best of luck

NH :ok: