From Zero to Forty Five - my PPL Diary
Spicy Meatball
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Kookabat - excellent news my friend, brilliant achievement. Hope you enjoy your new found privilege !
I will be happy when I get off the ground! (which should be tomorrow)
I will be happy when I get off the ground! (which should be tomorrow)
Spicy Meatball
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Hey Mag
Well, low stratus cloud, drizzle and generally a terrible day for flying. Feels like I am in another "non flying patch" as I just cant seem to get the weather. Booked in as usual for next Wednesday, and have my fingers crossed. Done so much flight planning it's unbelievable, but it's all good practice, and is starting to become firm in my mind now.
Thanks guys, and once again, sorry for the lack of diary - I finish uni in about 3 weeks so I will have a bit more time just before I start work to try and get some flying in (if the pennies let me!)
Maz
Well, low stratus cloud, drizzle and generally a terrible day for flying. Feels like I am in another "non flying patch" as I just cant seem to get the weather. Booked in as usual for next Wednesday, and have my fingers crossed. Done so much flight planning it's unbelievable, but it's all good practice, and is starting to become firm in my mind now.
Thanks guys, and once again, sorry for the lack of diary - I finish uni in about 3 weeks so I will have a bit more time just before I start work to try and get some flying in (if the pennies let me!)
Maz
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Hi Maz, sorry to hear that your flying is being postponed - more time for you to concentrate on those exams
I had a really strange experience today. Waited several hours to get up in the circuit. Then my instructor said he'd ride one circuit with me - simply so he could check out the vis for a trial lesson he was about to do. Then he left me to it - said do about 45 minutes on my own - glides and any other circuit variations I wanted to practice.
So, off I went, quite happy that the vis was ok for circuits, though it was quite hazey.
Once circuit, fine. Second resulted in a go around - I was becoming tense. Third - I was even more tense and decided to land. Quite simply, while I was flying I had the horrible feeling that I was going to make a mistake - lose control of the situation/aircraft. The worse that feeling got, the more risk I thought there was of actually making a mistake - and so it went on. I was glad to land and taxi back to the apron.
This is the worst crisis of confidence I've had whilst flying solo and I couldn't really account for it. There was nothing I couldn't handle. The circuit was not particularly busy - just one in front of me.
So, has anyone else experienced this? Should I insist on more time with my instructor next lesson, or should I keep plugging away at the solo work? Maybe it was just a bad day.
The CFI suggested a touch of 'spacial disorientation' but I wouldn't want a repeat performance.
HH
I had a really strange experience today. Waited several hours to get up in the circuit. Then my instructor said he'd ride one circuit with me - simply so he could check out the vis for a trial lesson he was about to do. Then he left me to it - said do about 45 minutes on my own - glides and any other circuit variations I wanted to practice.
So, off I went, quite happy that the vis was ok for circuits, though it was quite hazey.
Once circuit, fine. Second resulted in a go around - I was becoming tense. Third - I was even more tense and decided to land. Quite simply, while I was flying I had the horrible feeling that I was going to make a mistake - lose control of the situation/aircraft. The worse that feeling got, the more risk I thought there was of actually making a mistake - and so it went on. I was glad to land and taxi back to the apron.
This is the worst crisis of confidence I've had whilst flying solo and I couldn't really account for it. There was nothing I couldn't handle. The circuit was not particularly busy - just one in front of me.
So, has anyone else experienced this? Should I insist on more time with my instructor next lesson, or should I keep plugging away at the solo work? Maybe it was just a bad day.
The CFI suggested a touch of 'spacial disorientation' but I wouldn't want a repeat performance.
HH
Join Date: Nov 2004
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HH,
A wise instructor told me once that "any pilot that has never felt scared should not be flying"
Flying, at speed, way above the ground is the teritory of birds not men, it is so far beyond the natural enviroment of man that a normally functioning human brain is bound to feel some kind of fear. If you have never felt fear (to some extent) whilst flying you probably have a brain disorder!
It is the fear of concequences that makes us do checklists, it is fear that makes us keep a close eye on the ASI on short final, it is fear that reminds us to apply carb heat regularly.
Once these behaviors are entrenched and are automatic responses, the fear that we feel disapears but if you forget, for example, to keep a close watch on the ASI on final you can bet your life that it will be fear that reminds you to look!
In short fear is what keeps us safe.
Sounds to me like your instructor thinks you fly just fine,
You seem to have good airmanship in spades, IE going around when you felt things wern't right instead of trying to land from a less than ideal approach, and landing and taxiing back when you felt that you were unhappy to go on. These are the actions of a safe pilot, not one who is going to "lose control of the situation/aircraft"
I think its a case of "back on the horse" for you, with your instructor for a couple of circuits but then back on your own.
Next time will be a breeze, honest.
A wise instructor told me once that "any pilot that has never felt scared should not be flying"
Flying, at speed, way above the ground is the teritory of birds not men, it is so far beyond the natural enviroment of man that a normally functioning human brain is bound to feel some kind of fear. If you have never felt fear (to some extent) whilst flying you probably have a brain disorder!
It is the fear of concequences that makes us do checklists, it is fear that makes us keep a close eye on the ASI on short final, it is fear that reminds us to apply carb heat regularly.
Once these behaviors are entrenched and are automatic responses, the fear that we feel disapears but if you forget, for example, to keep a close watch on the ASI on final you can bet your life that it will be fear that reminds you to look!
In short fear is what keeps us safe.
Sounds to me like your instructor thinks you fly just fine,
You seem to have good airmanship in spades, IE going around when you felt things wern't right instead of trying to land from a less than ideal approach, and landing and taxiing back when you felt that you were unhappy to go on. These are the actions of a safe pilot, not one who is going to "lose control of the situation/aircraft"
I think its a case of "back on the horse" for you, with your instructor for a couple of circuits but then back on your own.
Next time will be a breeze, honest.
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HH,
It's quite normal to have "down" periods, which can lead to a loss of confidence. Lets be clear, this can be a dangerous hobby we're pursuing, and unlike in a car or a boat, you cannot simply pull over, or heave to in order to get yourself "back together"
One thing is for sure, you did exactly the right thing in landing - to continue in a personally worsening situation could have ended in a serious mistake. I had a crisis in confidence a few weeks ago, when I found myself really struggling with landing (I'm still not so hot now!!), but I got to the point of considering chucking the whole thing in, as something a 62 year old should not be attempting to learn. I found myself being relieved if the weather kept me on the ground - rediculous really, but I guess I felt I was never going to be good enough.
One thing I find, is that I am much more in tune with the situation when flying solo - I'm not sure my instructor likes me telling him that, or whether he believes me even!! Take yesterday for example - I am in the period of solo consolidation, with 1hr 25 minutes under my belt prior to yesterday. The plan was for the "boss" to accompany me for 2/3 circuits to "check me out", and in particular because we were using 09 at EMA inatead of the more normal 27. Pre start etc went OK, and I got ATC clearance to taxi to the holding point, BUT I completely forgot to enter the QFE and stayed on QNH. This was pointed out and corrected, but I then proceeded to go straight to pre take off checks, missing out power checks etc completely!! WHY?? Is it some psychological thing that causes me to be lax, knowing he'll pick up any mistakes/omissions??
Anyway the circuits were OK, and I dropped him off, and spent the next 1hr 10 minutes in the circuits, solo. I did not make any such errors - I was much more alert, and did 8, very busy circuits, orbiting, ATC changing routing, extended downinds, slotting in between commercial traffic etc. I was not at all nervous, but in those circumstances I was 110% concentrating. I had to transmit a couple of "say agains", and frankly did not understand an instruction to "land after" (I've not come across that before) though it caused no problems. My landings were generally OK, though I still did a couple of rather flat "3 pointers" - must hold it back EVERY time!! I was really tired and very thirsty when I'd finished (must remember to take a bottle of water next time)
So, HH, to answer your question as best as I can, for sure we all I'm sure suffer crises of confidence, and you showed good airmanship by calling it a day under the circumstances. However, I'm sure next time you will be fine, and you'll wonder what the fuss was all about. Remember, the school would not let you fly solo if they had any doubts about your ability to do so.
Best of luck - by the way, I'm not looking forward to the first time I get lost on a solo navigation exercise.....
Fly safely,
Mike n
It's quite normal to have "down" periods, which can lead to a loss of confidence. Lets be clear, this can be a dangerous hobby we're pursuing, and unlike in a car or a boat, you cannot simply pull over, or heave to in order to get yourself "back together"
One thing is for sure, you did exactly the right thing in landing - to continue in a personally worsening situation could have ended in a serious mistake. I had a crisis in confidence a few weeks ago, when I found myself really struggling with landing (I'm still not so hot now!!), but I got to the point of considering chucking the whole thing in, as something a 62 year old should not be attempting to learn. I found myself being relieved if the weather kept me on the ground - rediculous really, but I guess I felt I was never going to be good enough.
One thing I find, is that I am much more in tune with the situation when flying solo - I'm not sure my instructor likes me telling him that, or whether he believes me even!! Take yesterday for example - I am in the period of solo consolidation, with 1hr 25 minutes under my belt prior to yesterday. The plan was for the "boss" to accompany me for 2/3 circuits to "check me out", and in particular because we were using 09 at EMA inatead of the more normal 27. Pre start etc went OK, and I got ATC clearance to taxi to the holding point, BUT I completely forgot to enter the QFE and stayed on QNH. This was pointed out and corrected, but I then proceeded to go straight to pre take off checks, missing out power checks etc completely!! WHY?? Is it some psychological thing that causes me to be lax, knowing he'll pick up any mistakes/omissions??
Anyway the circuits were OK, and I dropped him off, and spent the next 1hr 10 minutes in the circuits, solo. I did not make any such errors - I was much more alert, and did 8, very busy circuits, orbiting, ATC changing routing, extended downinds, slotting in between commercial traffic etc. I was not at all nervous, but in those circumstances I was 110% concentrating. I had to transmit a couple of "say agains", and frankly did not understand an instruction to "land after" (I've not come across that before) though it caused no problems. My landings were generally OK, though I still did a couple of rather flat "3 pointers" - must hold it back EVERY time!! I was really tired and very thirsty when I'd finished (must remember to take a bottle of water next time)
So, HH, to answer your question as best as I can, for sure we all I'm sure suffer crises of confidence, and you showed good airmanship by calling it a day under the circumstances. However, I'm sure next time you will be fine, and you'll wonder what the fuss was all about. Remember, the school would not let you fly solo if they had any doubts about your ability to do so.
Best of luck - by the way, I'm not looking forward to the first time I get lost on a solo navigation exercise.....
Fly safely,
Mike n
The Original Whirly
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Basically, if you don't like it, don't fly. There could have been all sorts of reasons - haze causing overload, fatigue that you weren't quite aware of, etc. But trust your intuition. I once left a fly-in early, and flew back to my home airfield as fast as possible, nervous as anything and not knowing why. Five minutes after I got back, an absolutely humongous and unforecast thunderstorm hit the area. I mentioned how I'd been feeling, and a zillions-of-hours instructor/ examiner told me to develop that kind of intuition, and always trust it when flying.
Now, if it keeps happening for no reason, that's a different matter. You can develop phobias about flying, or flying solo, at any time - I did, for no apparent reason, after a few hundred hours.
If that's the case, talk to an instructor, push yourself but not so hard you scare hourself more, but it really will have to be get-back-on-the-horse time.
But as a one-off, don't worry. I'm sure there was a reason. It's just that your conscious mind doesn't know what it is.
Now, if it keeps happening for no reason, that's a different matter. You can develop phobias about flying, or flying solo, at any time - I did, for no apparent reason, after a few hundred hours.
If that's the case, talk to an instructor, push yourself but not so hard you scare hourself more, but it really will have to be get-back-on-the-horse time.But as a one-off, don't worry. I'm sure there was a reason. It's just that your conscious mind doesn't know what it is.
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Got a partial pass on my GFT last Friday, did the nav Blackpool-Sedburgh diverted to Ulverston and then to Stalmine turned out over Morecambe bay and that was it a white out,spent 15-20 mins flying on instruments alone it was exhausting and actually made me feel a bit sick ,we loomed over the coast at Fleetwood, and i was honestly relieved when he said theres no way we can do anything else in this.Vis was terrible we just coasted and got the flapless landing which got that out of the way, hope to complete the rest on Tuesday,this flight took me to 45 hrs.
So its fingers crossed for Tuesday, three circuits, stalls,steepturns, slow flight and the emergencys and bobs your uncle fannys your aunt.
So its fingers crossed for Tuesday, three circuits, stalls,steepturns, slow flight and the emergencys and bobs your uncle fannys your aunt.
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H H
I hope you folks dont mind me poking the nose in but felt I had to add a little to the thread. Well done for making the right decision regarding landing when you felt wrong about what you where doing,with regard to having off days it's all part of the learning curve (sometimes I thought it was a circle ).
Stick at it, it is definately one hell of a good feeling to pass the GFT at the end and get that piece of paper.
Best of luck
GT
ps Just read Whirly's post and its spot on,Dont give up mate.
Stick at it, it is definately one hell of a good feeling to pass the GFT at the end and get that piece of paper.
Best of luck
GT
ps Just read Whirly's post and its spot on,Dont give up mate.
Spicy Meatball
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I hope you folks dont mind me poking the nose in
Bob, well done sir - a lot of it out the way. Best of luck and let us know how the next test goes
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Cheers Mazzy !!!!
Liked your pics from hols.
Any of you having the down side of this thing we call "fun "
It does get better, in the form of a piece of paper called a "pass" after the GFT.
You can,you will !!
I have been and have done.
Regards all
Liked your pics from hols.
Any of you having the down side of this thing we call "fun "
It does get better, in the form of a piece of paper called a "pass" after the GFT.You can,you will !!
I have been and have done.
Regards all
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Having watched many of you achieve wonderful things over the past few months, I too was allowed to do a circuit alone this afternoon.
What an experience, it was everything described, and more. The left hand seat was patted before take off and 'Local Hero' was whistled and hummed (badly) on the downwind leg.
I now am the proud owner of the obligatory, silly grin.
Details have been uploaded on to my flying blog for anyone interested.
http://happyflyboy.blog-city.com/
What an experience, it was everything described, and more. The left hand seat was patted before take off and 'Local Hero' was whistled and hummed (badly) on the downwind leg.
I now am the proud owner of the obligatory, silly grin.
Details have been uploaded on to my flying blog for anyone interested.
http://happyflyboy.blog-city.com/
Fixed+Rotary (aircraft, not washing lines)
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Well done happyeater. Two months to the day since my first solo and I'm still pinching myself ;-)
Great blog. I could feel myself there with you on the solo, the additional pressure of the traffic must have been fun!
Great blog. I could feel myself there with you on the solo, the additional pressure of the traffic must have been fun!
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Well what a feeling passed my gft today, I wont bore you with the details but it went pretty well, thanks to my instructors at Pool Aviation Blackpool Tony Holt and Chris Lindsay,and my examiner John Hunter cheers lads.