5 months on the sidelines, about to get medical. Nerves return

[Andy_P]

Its been around 5 months since I hit the kangaroo on the motorcycle. I plan to get my medical clearance next week, fingers crossed. I was not far of my GFPT checkflight (aussie test that means you can fly with out nav, restricted to 10nm of home airstrip). Have plenty of solo hours under the belt now I am nervous as hell thinking all my training has gone to waste.

At the same time, I am so excited about flying again.

So much excitement, so much fear. The excitement is certainly beating the fear at the moment! I am going to head down to the aero club on the weekend and sit in some of the aircraft to familiarise myself.

[londonblue]

Interesting.

I have just booked a plane and an instructor (and examiner) to get my SEP rating sorted out. I haven't flown for over 2 years, and am a tad nervous, and excited, too.

[localflighteast]

Awesome that you are getting back up there again , :ok:
there is no such thing as "wasted training" . every moment you are in the air , is a piece of experience to be drawn on.

you never know when it'll come in handy. Just remember the spinny bit tends to go at the front and you'll be fine !!!

[Capt Kremmen]

Andy,

I bet Skippy wasn't doing any Waltzin'.

[chrisbl]

Don't worry we all get nervous. I have been ill and not flown for 6 weeks. I am close to getting back to flying again and wondering how it will go.


Having said that I still have done 30 hours in the last 90 just nothing in the last 42.

[TCU]

More often than not, on my drive to the airfield my mind stacks up all the pros and cons and normally concludes I should just have a cup of tea rather than start up the plane.

Then, as I ease back the stick and watch the ground fall away, I remember exactly why I love to fly.

[mary meagher]

Andy P, do you have a photograph of the Kangaroo on the motorcycle? Did you get his number? I bet he wasn't insured.....

[tecman]

Mary, I resisted - but when it was finally said, you gave me a good laugh.

Welcome back Andy. Fly more, worry less. Good luck.

[Andy_P]

Andy P, do you have a photograph of the Kangaroo on the motorcycle? Did you get his number? I bet he wasn't insured.....

Actually I did get a photo of skippy. Unfortunatly it was fatal for him. I wont post the guesome photo of the poor lad here though.

[Andy_P]

Well today I hit the skies again. Turns out it was 7 months to the day since I last flew.

The idea today was just to get the feel for it again, and I did better than expected. Had the instructor next to me the whole time and not once did he have to take over. Landing was not the best, Gusting 20knots with a slight crosswind but it was a good test and I managed to get the plane back on the ground.


I cant stop smiling. Things are going well. After 2 knee operations (I really need a third though) and hitting that kangaroo I am getting along well. I also managed to ride 8km's on the pushbike yesterday with only minimal pain. Hopefully I can get back to my old regime of running 10k's every second day, I have put on about 20kg since I broke my leg initially and I am pretty keen to get it back off!

[Rocket2]

Welcome back to the wonderful world of aviation Andy :ok:

[9 lives]

Flying is a good choice Andy, no Kangaroos up there!

[thing]

Landing was not the best, Gusting 20knots with a slight crosswind but it was a good test and I managed to get the plane back on the ground.

Crikey give yourself a break Andy, gusting 20 with a slight xwind and a seven month lay off you did damn well.

Welcome back to the sky mate.

[Andy_P]

Got my medical clearance on Sat, did circuits with the instructor today. He was happy to send me solo again today but I declined. Kicking myself now, I would have been fine. Was gusting again, but nothing to bad.

[glendalegoon]

1. There are Kangaroos in the sky, they have the name QANTAS on the side, so watch out, you have been warned.

2. Don't rush anything. Why? When I instructed, I knew that the windy gusty days were not the best for teaching anything except flying in windy/gusty conditions. Try flying at first light for the least wind/turb, not always the best, but a good chance.

3. A friend of mine said it best, when he said, "all your fears and trepidations will leave when you start the engine.

[rantanplane]

all your fears and trepidations will leave when you start the engine

try gliding
(and all your fears will quadruple :E)

[Andy_P]

1. There are Kangaroos in the sky, they have the name QANTAS on the side, so watch out, you have been warned.

Ahh, kangaroos are a hazard for GA pilots too. Try any rural strip. I was doing touch and goes at YCAB before the accident and the roos came onto the field. Also tried to land there once before but couldn't because the roos are not scared of aircraft. They are a royal pain in the arse.



2. Don't rush anything. Why? When I instructed, I knew that the windy gusty days were not the best for teaching anything except flying in windy/gusty conditions. Try flying at first light for the least wind/turb, not always the best, but a good chance.

Windy Gusty days are the norm at my local aerodrome, so alas as a student there you just have to get used to it. My next flight is at 6am, so that should be a little more calm.

To be honest, it does not concern me to much. The other day I was just lacking confidence because its been a while. But I should know better, I trust the instructor I fly with and he would not let me go up alone if he thought I was not capable. I think just because my flare and roundout was not great and I thumped it down a few times that I got a little annoyed. I did several high level circuits, several flapless and several glide approaches plus a couple of simulated engine failures and each time I would have put the plane down with out killing myself!



3. A friend of mine said it best, when he said, "all your fears and trepidations will leave when you start the engine.

I wish I could say the same.

Anyway, I am moving my PPL course to full time after christmas. The instructor reckons I will have my RPL (licence without nav) mid Jan, then I do 3 weeks of ground school Jan 19th followed by full time PPL nav's. So fingers crossed by March I will have my full PPL.

[localflighteast]

Awesome to hear you are back in the air.:)

Don't sweat the landings. Allegedly I'm a proper pilot now and I've landed my last two flights a little harder than I'd like.


It happens!

[Andy_P]

Area solo - Check!!

Rainy and cloudy today, but cloud ceiling only at about 1600. Did a quick check flight for forced landings. Get back and did a short field landing. Back out for my very first solo flight outside of the circuit!

By the time I got back out to the training area the cloud was well about 2500, so I got some excellent opportunity to practice my forced landings. I was not real happy with the results, but I think one more trip back to the area on my own will have that sorted. It is good when you dont have the instructor next to you sometimes, because you can test things out and figure out why stuff is not working for you. It makes you think and analyse your results a little more critically. Out of all of my attempts at forced landings, I would have been able to get the aircraft on the ground no problem, but I just need to work on getting the touch down point a little more accurate.

I think now I am coming back a lot more confident than last time. The time on the sidelines has clearly been beneficial, all though I am not sure why. My instructor is really pushing me hard, and we are doing a fair bit of flying. He is making a point of staying silent and letting me make a decision without interjecting and its working out well. I ask him questions a lot, and I already know the answer but I am just looking for reassurance. He has me figured out! I am pretty happy where its going.

[localflighteast]

this is fantastic to hear, sounds like things are going really well!

Yeah beware silent instructors, they are invariably plotting something evil!

Seriously the best learning experiences I got from my flight training where when I was either solo and effed up or when my instructor stayed quiet and let me take a mistake right up to the edge.

The feeling of "EEEEK, I'm never, ever going to do that again!" is very strong

I wouldn't stress too much over pristine accuracy for your forced approach, I'm not sure what your test standards are but usually as long as you would have made the filed you designate, you'll pass the manouevre.


Safe landings

[Andy_P]

Agree re silent instructors being evil. Flying along back home then all of a sudden the pull the throttle - 'engine failure'... Got it at about 300' the other day when taking off!

Went back out to the area yesterday to practice steep turns, but there was way to much traffic and being in unrestricted airspace I decided to pull the pin a little early. Good sight seeing day, but thats not what I am out there for at the moment.

[sunday driver]

Ref I am coming back a lot more confident

Louis Bleriot before ...
http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/images/bleriot_007_500.jpg

and after ...
http://www.lexpress.fr/medias/9/chtis3-3-louis-bleriot-filer_216.jpg

SD

[Glasgow_Flyer]

Where are you doing in Andy?
Good luck with the RPL - and then your first passengers!!
I haven't been up since late Nov, but looks like there is a window down here in Vic tomorrow morning and I've been offered a RH seat for some aeros!