Impending first solo - NOW DONE MY FIRST SOLO 20/10/2012 !!!
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Six months ago I could barely step on a commercial plane without having a panic attack
I've had to have therapy ( largely unsuccessful ) in order to fly without being medicated
I've had to have therapy ( largely unsuccessful ) in order to fly without being medicated
You have stated that the therapy you have had to deal with panic attacks was unsuccessful?
My ex wife suffered with them badly till she got rid of me
Only joking I dragged her around every therapist available. She found the only thing that worked was Cognitive behavioral therapy CBT??
Have you tried that?
Pace
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I've never actualy taken any medication for anxiety on an everday basis. SO don't worry about undisclosed stuff on my medical. i'm not that silly!
I'm a nervous flyer , valium was suggested. I took them once. It just gave me a headache.
I used to self medicate with alcohol on the plane , didn't help either.
The therapy got me to a stage where I could manage the panic attacks. They only happen in turbulence on large planes . Don't ask me why but the smaller the plane the happier I was!
The underlying issue is a control thing , not a flear of flying. But I'm still damn pleased with myself
I'm a nervous flyer , valium was suggested. I took them once. It just gave me a headache.
I used to self medicate with alcohol on the plane , didn't help either.
The therapy got me to a stage where I could manage the panic attacks. They only happen in turbulence on large planes . Don't ask me why but the smaller the plane the happier I was!
The underlying issue is a control thing , not a flear of flying. But I'm still damn pleased with myself
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I used to self medicate with alcohol on the plane , didn't help either.
The therapy got me to a stage where I could manage the panic attacks. They only happen in turbulence on large planes . Don't ask me why but the smaller the plane the happier I was!
The therapy got me to a stage where I could manage the panic attacks. They only happen in turbulence on large planes . Don't ask me why but the smaller the plane the happier I was!
Being a bit more serious I had a friend who bought a Stampe in GLA and when it came to flying to its base down south he had a cold, I went up with his wife, also a PPL, to bring it back - take off and landing on the BA flight she sat gripping my hand so tightly that it took an hour to get the feeling back - the flight back down she was fine, so it seems not that uncommon to be dodgy in big aircraft but ok in light ones.
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Six months ago I could barely step on a commercial plane without having a panic attack
I've had to have therapy ( largely unsuccessful ) in order to fly without being medicated
What might not be a huge deal to you is absolutely life changing to me
To go from what I was to being able to fly the damn plane ON MY OWN is massive to me !
I've had to have therapy ( largely unsuccessful ) in order to fly without being medicated
What might not be a huge deal to you is absolutely life changing to me
To go from what I was to being able to fly the damn plane ON MY OWN is massive to me !
And for all of us here, being able to fly a plane on your own is *always* life changing, you'll always be thinking of your next flight, looking forward to be back in the air......
Originally Posted by Steve6443
And for all of us here, being able to fly a plane on your own is *always* life changing, you'll always be thinking of your next flight, looking forward to be back in the air......
My wife always says I am always in a better mood after I fly, and when I endure long periods of not flying I get grumpy.
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At our fly in recently I flew a fireman who was terrified of the prospect of flying on holiday, never flown before. A bit white knuckled at takeoff but otherwise he held it together & enjoyed it.
Whether that was a clever thing for me to do is another thing.
He was 35yr old 200lbs, I'm 72yr old & 150lbs. If he had panicked we may have been in deep ****.
Whether that was a clever thing for me to do is another thing.
He was 35yr old 200lbs, I'm 72yr old & 150lbs. If he had panicked we may have been in deep ****.
Last edited by Crash one; 1st Oct 2012 at 22:58.
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They only happen in turbulence on large planes
Get into the frame of mind that you will enjoy the turbulence.
Slap your side and state loudly to yourself "Ride em cowboy" ! turbulence of the kind you are likely to encounter will not harm you or the aircraft so accept it as a condition you relish, something which can be fun! rather than " Oh my god it bounced!!! the wings will fall off I am going to die"!
If its dying your worried about dispel that notion! Think no more bills, nagging partners, no more worries etc! Talk yourself out of it!
Really you have done incredibly well lets look forward to the post FIRST SOLO COMPLETE.
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I call it my flying habit because it costs as much as drugs and the high is the same. My wife always says I am always in a better mood after I fly, and when I endure long periods of not flying I get grumpy.
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the stupid thing is , I love boats and I love rough water but I've never been able to apply the "boat on the waves" analogy to flying through turbulence,
My biggest problem is that I'm actually scared of having a panic attack , which in turn leads me to panic.
Again its a control thing. If I was in the cockpit flying or at least watching what was going on I'd be fine but being stuck at the back end of the tin can makes me nervous.
When I was first learning, initially any rough air freaked me out, primarily because I thought I was doing something wrong to make the plane shake like that. Now I understand what's going on and can even anticipate it in some cases I'm good.
My biggest problem is that I'm actually scared of having a panic attack , which in turn leads me to panic.
Again its a control thing. If I was in the cockpit flying or at least watching what was going on I'd be fine but being stuck at the back end of the tin can makes me nervous.
When I was first learning, initially any rough air freaked me out, primarily because I thought I was doing something wrong to make the plane shake like that. Now I understand what's going on and can even anticipate it in some cases I'm good.
Last edited by localflighteast; 2nd Oct 2012 at 11:54.
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turbulance and panic...
well, if turbulence and panic attacks are your problem...
1. be sure to tightent your seat belt extra tight. if not and you hit turbulence your rear end, butt, whatever you guys call it, will lift off the seat sending a message to your brain...NO GRAVITY< PANIC AND GET SICK RIGHT NOW!
so, keep your butt in the seat and you will not receive this brain/butt signal and you won't get sick or panic
and if you have a panic attack, place your hand on your stomach and breathe in and out saying, :"I'm....Calm" in and out.
1. be sure to tightent your seat belt extra tight. if not and you hit turbulence your rear end, butt, whatever you guys call it, will lift off the seat sending a message to your brain...NO GRAVITY< PANIC AND GET SICK RIGHT NOW!
so, keep your butt in the seat and you will not receive this brain/butt signal and you won't get sick or panic
and if you have a panic attack, place your hand on your stomach and breathe in and out saying, :"I'm....Calm" in and out.
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PS
you can make turbulence worse if you are not tightly in your seat. when you get the NO GRAVITY signal from your butt, the first thing you will want to do is restore gravity, by pulling on the controls.
which can be just the wrong thing to do.
so, keep the seatbelt tight.
you can make turbulence worse if you are not tightly in your seat. when you get the NO GRAVITY signal from your butt, the first thing you will want to do is restore gravity, by pulling on the controls.
which can be just the wrong thing to do.
so, keep the seatbelt tight.
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Thanks for the tips sevenstrokeroll. I always keep my seatblet tightly done up when I'm a passenger. I've got the bruises to prove it 
Unfortuntely there doesn't need to be actuall bad turbulence to set me off , the second the wings start shaking slightly it sets me off in anticipation
Not really an issue when I'm flying, I make lots of noises like " woah, what the
was that?" but don't physically compensate if you know what I mean, strange eh?
Unfortuntely there doesn't need to be actuall bad turbulence to set me off , the second the wings start shaking slightly it sets me off in anticipation
Not really an issue when I'm flying, I make lots of noises like " woah, what the
was that?" but don't physically compensate if you know what I mean, strange eh?
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Cirrus , thanks for sharing that. It made me feel both exhilarated and sick to my stomach at the same time !
Sweet landing !
Great video quality as well , what set up is that?
Sweet landing !
Great video quality as well , what set up is that?
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LocalFlightEast
Please do tell us how you are getting on? This is an expensive hobby and should be something which is pleasurable for you.
Somewhere you have to change your mind set and start to enjoy it rather than seeing it as an ordeal to get through?
I am sure you have discussed this problem with your instructor? All of us are nervous on first solo I remember on mine sitting there on the end of the runway and really having to force my self to advance the throttle! Once I had turned final it all seemed to have happened too fast and I can remember again thinking what the instructor would say if I did another? I was enjoying the feeling of being in command of the aircraft and not having him rabbiting on from the right seat
So please do keep us informed on how you get on and awaiting you coming on here to tell us the first solo complete and that you cannot wait for the next solo stint
Pace
Please do tell us how you are getting on? This is an expensive hobby and should be something which is pleasurable for you.
Somewhere you have to change your mind set and start to enjoy it rather than seeing it as an ordeal to get through?
I am sure you have discussed this problem with your instructor? All of us are nervous on first solo I remember on mine sitting there on the end of the runway and really having to force my self to advance the throttle! Once I had turned final it all seemed to have happened too fast and I can remember again thinking what the instructor would say if I did another? I was enjoying the feeling of being in command of the aircraft and not having him rabbiting on from the right seat
So please do keep us informed on how you get on and awaiting you coming on here to tell us the first solo complete and that you cannot wait for the next solo stint
Pace
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Pace , thank you for your kind inquiries J
I have another lesson tomorrow, so I will certainly let you know how that goes. I don’t think I will be soloing tomorrow just because thewinds look a little gusty with a fair amount of cross wind component. Still it’ll be a good challenge to practice mycross wind landing technique so that doesn’t worry me.
I don’t want to give anyone the wrong impression (I knowthis thread seems to consist of me mostly whinging), so let me state for therecord
I LOVE FLYING AN AEROPLANE!!!!!
This is the single most amazing thing I have everexperienced or done in my entire life. I suffer from severe withdrawal symptomsif I don’t fly! I just need a kick up the proverbial to get over this “hump”
I experienced the same thing when I had to do stalls,spirals and spins. Luckily I am blessed with an AMAZING instructor who not only gets how nervous I can be but understands when I need handholding and when I needto be told to just get on with it. In fact, quite frankly if it wasn’t for himI don’t think I would really be considering getting my PPL, the plan was justfor me to take a few lessons so that I could help out when my husband was flying( he has his PPL). The combination of his enthusiasm for flying and himtreating me like I was someone who couldactually do this persuaded me to take it as far as I could.
I won’t bore you with the details but the confidence I’vegained so far has had a huge impact on my everyday life.
I just need to get over the first solo hurdle and I’ll begood (for a while anyways , until I find the next thing to obsess over!)
I have another lesson tomorrow, so I will certainly let you know how that goes. I don’t think I will be soloing tomorrow just because thewinds look a little gusty with a fair amount of cross wind component. Still it’ll be a good challenge to practice mycross wind landing technique so that doesn’t worry me.
I don’t want to give anyone the wrong impression (I knowthis thread seems to consist of me mostly whinging), so let me state for therecord
I LOVE FLYING AN AEROPLANE!!!!!
This is the single most amazing thing I have everexperienced or done in my entire life. I suffer from severe withdrawal symptomsif I don’t fly! I just need a kick up the proverbial to get over this “hump”
I experienced the same thing when I had to do stalls,spirals and spins. Luckily I am blessed with an AMAZING instructor who not only gets how nervous I can be but understands when I need handholding and when I needto be told to just get on with it. In fact, quite frankly if it wasn’t for himI don’t think I would really be considering getting my PPL, the plan was justfor me to take a few lessons so that I could help out when my husband was flying( he has his PPL). The combination of his enthusiasm for flying and himtreating me like I was someone who couldactually do this persuaded me to take it as far as I could.
I won’t bore you with the details but the confidence I’vegained so far has had a huge impact on my everyday life.
I just need to get over the first solo hurdle and I’ll begood (for a while anyways , until I find the next thing to obsess over!)
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Do change your mindset. Turbulence or a shudder think great I love a bit of movement! Ride em cowGIRL!!! THINK how boring still air is 
You will not break the plane. It is as normal as a boat riding a few waves.
I have seen turbulence you would not want to see and its only then that you realize how strong aircraft are and what they will take.
Certainly nothing your instructor will send you solo in!
I have hit the roof as I hate wearing seatbelts on numerous occasions and even had 2 inch long cuts to my head, I have had the aircraft drop like an elevator over Spain 2000 feet from my cruising level at 12000 feet
Flying at night in a wreck of a Citation from India through a Monsoonwhere it was permanent day light with the amount of flashes!!and turbulence to die for The relief at landing in Karachi again at night! But that is extreme stuff you will never experience! I had so many problems with that Citation you did not need a simulator!
So turbulence does not bother me in the slightest infact if I am honest I quite like bumps especially the unique turbulence you get at the Jetstream when I fly a jet. It is more like an urgent shudder.
So please take my word for it! As a PPL you will not experience anything extreme only idiots like me who fly in 70 80 mph winds get that and I am still here (My friends think that is questionable)
So please change your mind set and start to treat the things you fear as things you can enjoy!!!
its just a simple matter of changing how you think of them!
You will not break the plane it is not about to fall out of the sky!!
So man up whoops woman up
Take care
Pace
You will not break the plane. It is as normal as a boat riding a few waves.
I have seen turbulence you would not want to see and its only then that you realize how strong aircraft are and what they will take.
Certainly nothing your instructor will send you solo in!
I have hit the roof as I hate wearing seatbelts on numerous occasions and even had 2 inch long cuts to my head, I have had the aircraft drop like an elevator over Spain 2000 feet from my cruising level at 12000 feet
Flying at night in a wreck of a Citation from India through a Monsoon
where it was permanent day light with the amount of flashes!!and turbulence to die for The relief at landing in Karachi again at night! But that is extreme stuff you will never experience! I had so many problems with that Citation you did not need a simulator!So turbulence does not bother me in the slightest infact if I am honest I quite like bumps especially the unique turbulence you get at the Jetstream when I fly a jet. It is more like an urgent shudder.
So please take my word for it! As a PPL you will not experience anything extreme only idiots like me who fly in 70 80 mph winds get that
and I am still here (My friends think that is questionable)So please change your mind set and start to treat the things you fear as things you can enjoy!!!
its just a simple matter of changing how you think of them!
You will not break the plane it is not about to fall out of the sky!!
So man up
whoops woman up Take care
Pace
Last edited by Pace; 5th Oct 2012 at 13:20.
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An update for all of you who have been kind enough to reply
I went down to the flight school today, nervous but not overly so. Had "the chat" with my instructor about my impending solo.
Agreed that I needed to be bullied into it when the time was right
Briefed about the procedure for instructor drop off just in case. Filled out all the requisite paperwork, "just in case".
Winds were high but striaght down the runway so not impossibly so.
Went up did a few circuits, high workload due to the gusty conditions (getting worse). Despite the challenges, really good landings (still a little to the left of the centre line though)
Unfortuntely at this point the winds had gotten beyond the flight schools limits for solo students
Long story short, I'm still nervous about my first solo but I'm not stupidly scared anymore.
Had a bit of a Eureka moment on the ferry back when I realised that yes , it was a challenging flight but my instrcutors hands weer still no where near the controls !
Agreed that I needed to be bullied into it when the time was right
Briefed about the procedure for instructor drop off just in case. Filled out all the requisite paperwork, "just in case".
Winds were high but striaght down the runway so not impossibly so.
Went up did a few circuits, high workload due to the gusty conditions (getting worse). Despite the challenges, really good landings (still a little to the left of the centre line though)
Unfortuntely at this point the winds had gotten beyond the flight schools limits for solo students
Long story short, I'm still nervous about my first solo but I'm not stupidly scared anymore.
Had a bit of a Eureka moment on the ferry back when I realised that yes , it was a challenging flight but my instrcutors hands weer still no where near the controls !