Learning to Fly: easier or harder than you expected!

[Whirlybird]

Had a conversation in the hairdresser yesterday on learning to fly. Two or three people said they were sure they couldn't possibly do it; it must be really difficult. I told them it was down to practice, like most things, and wasn't that different from learning to drive a car, but in three dimensions (OK, so I'm a good liar. :D )

Now it's interesting, because it never even occurred to me that learning to fly would be difficult. I just assumed it would take training and practice, but would be no big deal. But in fact, I did find it difficult, extremely difficult, probably one of the hardest things I've ever done.

What did the rest of you find? Was it what you expected?

(Yes, Whirly's still working, and still bored - the only time she starts new threads!)

[AerBabe]

Interesting question Whirly! I don't think I really had many expectations. I didn't talk to many pilots before I started learning, so I assumed that it was within my grasp. I thought it would be a challenge, but that I could get the hang of the basics with no problems... which I did. Having met many pilots now and talked to them about their learning experience, I realise that I thought it would be a lot harder than I actually found it. I still think it is! I'm often told by my instructor I'm capable of doing something, even when I think I'm not... and he's always right :) Strangely enough that's not true of my first solo - I knew I was ready for that, and could handle it.

Of course, now I've got my PPL in my hot sticky hands I'm realising things really aren't all that simple, and it's going to take a lot of time, effort, and money, to reach the standard that I would like to. However, I don't forsee too many difficulties with any of it, apart from finding the cash, and hopefully I won't be unpleasantly surpised :)

[englishal]

No real feelings before. It was just something I wanted to do.

However, once in training, I realised a few things...Basic flying was fairly easy, keeping straight and level, navigation, turns etc....However, landing, for me was a bitch, until one day, after about 22 hrs I just clicked then it became second nature. I used to worry about a cross wind as a student (where I learned, every afternoon was a 10+ kt crosswind), but once the landing thing clicked, its almost like becoming part of the plane, you don't even think about it, you just do it.....

So, its both easier and harder than I expected !

Cheers
EA:)

[Lowtimer]

The bit I've found hardest is that flying kinda requires the opposite of concentration - you continuously have to keep your mental processes going across a very broad range of issues - lookout, handling, instrument scan, situational awareness, navigation, communication, field selection, state of passenger, whatever bit of mental arithmentic you are trying at the time, etc. Any one of these is enough to keep you mildly engaged on a long journey, any three is enough to feel like it could be a full time occupation, and juggling all at once uses a lot of mental bandwidth. And if any one of these goes pear shaped (which they do), you can't simply devote your full capacity to it, you have to sort it while carrying on with all the others.

This is of course something we learn, by attaining one set of skills, practicing them, and then overlaying the next set. But the cumulative effect is quite significant. I imagine that's why after a 90 minute solo sortie I'm usually noticeably tired, and currently regard about 2.5 hours at a time as my limit, or about 3.5 hours over a day if there's a break in the middle.

[sennadog]

Learning to fly was not that difficult for me in order to pass my PPL but I'm now realising that in order for me to get to a standard that I want to attain is going to be difficult and expensive.

[Evo7]

Not really harder than I expected, but a lot more work. Hell of a lot more frustrating too - supposed to be flying right now, but +SHRA SCT012TCU has cancelled that. Again. Bl**dy middle of summer and the weather has cancelled four out of the last five lessons :mad: :mad: :( :( :(

[eveepee]

Definitely harder. Learning to fly was something I have always wanted to do but could never afford it before. Now, 30 years later, I can afford it but find that age is against me - lifes a bitch isn't it! When I was younger I found most things relatively easy to learn. Now I find learning to fly quite a challenge and I'm really only at the beginning. There seems so much to do and so little time to do it in! But it won't beat me:D

[paulo]

Harder, massively.

Seems easy now, but oh-oh never had my brain quite so overloaded.

[Julian]

Pretty easy on the whole, only things that gave me grief were Met on the exams and PFLs on the test.

Nav, crosswinds, steep turns, unusual attitudes, etc are all no problem. Since gone on and done the IR which makes this whole flying lark a damn sight even easier!!

[Aussie Andy]

Topquestion, whcih I'd have to answer this in two parts:

a) harder than I expected, if you'd asked me sometime shortly after my first circuit lesson! It can seem overwhelming at that stage!

b) easier than I expected overall... of course everyone hits flatspots, e.g. cct or xwind etc. for some people, nav or exams for others, but with with hindsight I'd say that anyone could learn to fly - the same as anyone could learn to drive - its just a question of motiviation, which is the key to all learning.

[eveepee]

Aussie Andy

Oh, just what I wanted to read!:)
I'm at point (a) - having done circuits for the last 4 lessons and yes I do find it overwhelming especially when it all goes wrong on final approach.:( Your point (b) gives me the courage and motivation to carry on...I'm hoping this will be my only flatspot! I am trying to learn each new skill without looking too far ahead (except in the cockpit!), as I find this is the best way for me to cope.

[Whirlybird]

Aussie Andy,

Interesting reply, because it reminded me that one's memory can sometimes be selective. I now tell everyone that the CPL ground exams weren't really that bad, and that anyone could do them. I believe it to be true. But a friend recently reminded me that I phoned her after two weeks of a four week course at Bristol Ground School, and I said it was horrendous, the hardest thing I'd ever done, and I was sure I was going to fail anyway. :eek: And it's true; I remember the conversation. And although I was probably partly letting off steam, I believed it too.

Hmmm...makes me wonder if any of us should believe anything that's written in this thread. :confused:

[Tinstaafl]

I think that for most of us, the current level of study & application seems to be quite difficult, if not impossible - at least in parts.

Meanwhile the previous level/qualification seems quite easy & we wonder why we ever found it hard.

I found my Restricted PPL (as it was then) not to be too difficult apart from landing.

My Unrestricted PPL (ie the navigation phase) to be bloody difficult in the air but the exams OK. Stuffed up the flight test because I couldn't map read down to fine detail to find the grass airstrip that was all but below me. :rolleyes: Redid the Nav section OK the following week. Funnily enough I don't remember the retest.

CSU/retractable was busy! I did it in a C210 so circuit workload felt like my first circuit lesson.

Night VFR I found OK.

CPL a challenge for the flying & nav., exams no problem having studied like a demon during the full time course.
Failed the CPL on my PFL (doh!!) but passed the retest on that section OK (with a real gear motor failure on the way over to meet the examiner). CPL is what gave me nav. skills I should have consciously had at PPL level.

IR very, very difficult. Failed the test first time. Passed second time around but only just I think.

Instructor: Easy. Especially the learning theory since I had just spent 3 years as a student psychiatric nurse. Hardest part was standing up the front giving the lectures. It was this that finally put my luck-of-the-draw success with PFLs to rest.

First IR renewal: Hard. And the second, & the third. Not using the rating much so a large loss of skill by the time the renewal was due.

Upgrade to Grade 2 & then Grade 1 instructor: No great diffuculty. Ditto to Multi-engine approval although each test was a mental trial...

Later instructor & IR renewals became easier & easier and became just another relatively ho-hum flight.

First CP & CFI approvals: OK but I was a bit nervous

Later ones generally just a rubber stamp exercise. Knew what was required etc

Oz ATPL exams: half I found easy, the other half not with a couple of retries needed for one of the exams.

US ATP: Generally easy inspite of a stupid brain fade on my part that meant I had to redo that part of the checkflight. Redid it (without the brain fade) & no worries!

UK ATPL: Some exams needed a fair bit of study, others were no brainers. Flight tests for it & the IR easy.

I must add that I nearly always got flight test nerves before & during each of my flight tests which was always the biggest hurdle.

So, is flying hard? Yes! And no! Depends on what bit, and for whom.

But no matter how hard, application, practice & time/money will enable just about everyone to succeed eventually.

Finding a school & instructors who can match your learning ability with the introduction of an appropriate workload and in a way that suits how you learn is important.

[Penguina]

Much easier at first than expected, then the confidence came down with a crash (several times an hour) when first started trying to get to grips with the flare! Now I realise that, while hard work, the basics of flying themselves are not too difficult, but that doing it really accurately and deftly, or when things go wrong, is a different matter.

[a pilot]

Just wanting to fly,not knowing what to expect,not too hard.Losing the ability to learn and being a bad test taker were the main concerns.The americans adress the issue by making the written exams equal for all,the oral and practical test-depends on your examiner,if he does not like your accent,color of skin,country of origin etc.,the good news is that you can choose any examiner-but the damage is done,300$ fee more training,a gov. pink slip and a hole in your wallet and confidence.Almost anyone can fly,a bad flight instructor or examiner can try to ruin your dream,both star on ntsb reports while I fly over 1000 hours trouble free...It is only people and extra regulations that make it look hard.

[stiknruda]

I had my probs whilst learning...

...nowadays have probs with some aerobatic maneovers.

verticals and 45s no major prob. Timing the stall turn to perfection still defeats me. Exiting a spin on hdg can beat me some days too and defeats DB6, too.

Vertical rolls are a doddle unless of course you are actually expected to complete on a full rotation and not 20 degrees before or after.

My snap-rolls (flicks) can also be inaccurate, heh that was a great snap roll and 2/3rds doesn't really cut it when it was meant to be 1 1/2 EXACTLY.

I guess what I am trying to say is, however hard or easy ab-initio was we can all either stop learning new skills there and consolidate or keep aiming for higher goals/ratings or mastering more difficult flight types.

I take my hat off to those chaps who do the precision flight competitions. I have no desire to fly in crud or at night but those with IMC or Night ratings also get my vote!

I believe it was Henry Ford who said something alond the lines of

"A man can say that he can or that he can not, either way he will be right!"


Wow - deep sh!t.

Stik

[Miss Bigglesworth]

Harder.

More challenging, more satisfying, more addictive, more knocks of confidence, more boosts of confidence and a lot more ups and downs than I ever thought.

If that makes sense....

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Harder. I learned the flying basics in gliders, and my first ever flight as a trainee pilot was in a T21 in the glorious summer of 1976. I just could not underdstand why the controls didn't appear to do much!

But even a qurater century later I have my off days. Sometimes I can't even fly a simple loop without exiting way off the entry heading.

SSD

[bcfc]

Interesting thread. I'm a bit different.

I must have started with a pre-conception that it would be extremely hard because although I hit rough patches, not helped by wx and instructors bu**ering off to join the airlines, I was surprised that I never had the feeling ' Sheesh, I'll never get the hang of this" and in fact, found it all relatively straight forward.

Sure, there were lots of times I sweated and struggled (x-wind landings) but I knew that if I applied myself and concentrated, it would all come right and in general it did.

Now at 100 hrs and 40 post PPL, I think I've plateau'd and I'm struggling to improve. I go up of an evening to practice PFLs or maybe a glide landing and I'm no better, if not worse than I was a year ago. I'm desparately trying to improve the accuracy of my flying but I can't see any difference from 40 hrs ago. Its maddening.

I'm starting an IMC to see if this will be the catalyst. I hope so as its getting a bit depressing.

Right, off the couch and back to work...

[pulse1]

Well I've learnt to fly twice (three times if your count gliding) and I can say that it was harder the second time round, over twenty years later.

There are several reasons for this:

1. I was much younger
2. My first two instructors were RAF test pilots and were superb
3. I originally learned in a non-radio DH82 so, although the actual flying was harder, I did not have the added complication of having to talk to anyone.

The only things I found difficult were navigation (unstable aircraft and only a compass), and precautionary landings (hanging on the prop at 40 kts and no view ahead at all).

The second time round, the quality of instruction was not so good but the main problem was that they assumed that I could already fly the aeroplane so never taught me properly. Four years after requalifying I'm still teaching myself some aspects of handling and have found some of the threads on Pprune invaluable.

Although I had no problems with the exams I must say that the knowledge required today is far more than it was first time round, when everything I needed to know was in a little, thin green Student Pilot's Handbook.

[kabz]

Hmm, seemed to be really easy until the landing bit of it. Also, I never really grasped the PIC concept that I was really in charge (in theory) until about 30 hours... Learnt that doing gliding during a break from learning aeroplanes ...

Passing my airplane checkride was hard, but I made it through, first try ...

Actually with 18 hours post-ppl, it's got to be so much more fun. I can actually bang out a flight plane, check the notams and actually fly somewhere. I am working on trying to fly better and more consistently, and working on xc and flying into controlled fields rather than sticking to uncontrolled stuff.

Also, using flight sim to fly loads of instrumenty stuff and try and build a decent scan.