Stressfull first flights

[captainwouter]

Hello everyone,

I'm currently training for an ATPL license, i just had my first 5 flights but I'm kinda nervous before a flight, that I'll do everything wrong. I have the feeling that I have to be performing well and that pressurizes me and takes some fun of the flying. How can I comfort myself and is this normal to a beginning pilot? Nothing is automatic yet so it is really tough to fly and I'm really tired after the flight, any tips?

Regards,

Wouter :)

[B2N2]

Welcome Wouter,

You have no idea how familiar that all sounds.
During my flight Training sometimes I couldn’t even sleep.
That was more then 25 years and 11,000 hrs ago.
Its perfectly normal, you’ve started a major new chapter in your life.
Flying is very stressful enterprise this early on because it’s all things you haven’t dealt with before and it’s such a cacophony of sounds.
Movement in all axis with a new component, up and down, that you’re not used to.
Loud engine, somebody trying to talk to you and you trying to make sense between whatever he told you in the classroom.
Enjoy your flight training!

[Genghis the Engineer]

Absolutely normal, just be as prepared as you can be, then ride the stress.

Your instructor is there to keep the flight safe, and to give you every opportunity to learn. Prepare well, relax, and then enjoy the lesson. Always give plenty of time for briefs and debriefs.

G

[captainwouter]

Welcome Wouter,

You have no idea how familiar that all sounds.
During my flight Training sometimes I couldn’t even sleep.
That was more then 25 years and 11,000 hrs ago.
Its perfectly normal, you’ve started a major new chapter in your life.
Flying is very stressful enterprise this early on because it’s all things you haven’t dealt with before and it’s such a cacophony of sounds.
Movement in all axis with a new component, up and down, that you’re not used to.
Loud engine, somebody trying to talk to you and you trying to make sense between whatever he told you in the classroom.
Enjoy your flight training!

Great to see I'm not the only one, if I have an early flight I can't sleep either. I feel like I'm learning, because every lesson, I make a few mistakes and then I don't make these mistakes the next flight. Which is great to see. Thanks for your words !

[captainwouter]

Absolutely normal, just be as prepared as you can be, then ride the stress.

Your instructor is there to keep the flight safe, and to give you every opportunity to learn. Prepare well, relax, and then enjoy the lesson. Always give plenty of time for briefs and debriefs.

G
Thanks for your words, he is indeed. Although I sometimes think he has high standards, which is probably a good thing!

[rarelyathome]

Thanks for your words, he is indeed. Although I sometimes think he has high standards, which is probably a good thing!

bloomin’ hope he does:)

[Jan Olieslagers]

No stress no fun. Flying with no stress at all is almost as bad as an artist entering under the spotlights and feeling no "trac" at all. Can never make a good performance.