First flight in a tiny aircraft: scary and fun

First solo: scary and fun

First solo away from airport: scary and fun

First solo away landing: scary and fun

Everything else: fun

Everything new is scary, just don't forget to keep enjoying, even if the workload seems too high at moments.

And I also had my fair amount of squeezing the yoke. It's a measure of stress levels :) being relaxed not only helps you enjoy it more, it also makes you learn faster.

But it all really comes down to: practice practice practice

Hi Amber,

Don't put too much pressure on yourself! I went to Florida to get my PPL back in 2006. I remember being taken to the flying school for my first flight and thinking, 'I am not enjoying this at all', and the idea of going solo was scary! I was a bit surprised about my thoughts, as when i'd flown previously I felt quite confident and didn't have those worries. I started off flying the C-152 but I didn't like that a/c, I thought that it was too twitchy and I just couldn't get my landings right. I was getting upset with myself as I still hadn't gone solo by 16 hours. I was almost about to give up and go home and buy myself a horse! I told my instructor (1/7 that I had ... not great :mad: ) that I wanted to try flying a cadet (smaller Warrior) and within 4 hours i'd gone solo! I found that a/c a more stable a/c to fly and I felt more confident flying it. I said that i'd never fly a C-152 again ... I hated them! However, now I choose to fly the C-152, and am happy to do so.

With regards to feeling anxious, believe me, I know how you feel. My flying has been sporadic, due to various reasons, including having a baby and studying for my ATPLs. I've just had almost a 2 year break from flying, and i've recently got back into it. I have around 125 hours total time, and I still feel anxious at times. I flew solo for the first time in almost 2 years recently, and yes I was anxious!

I think that it can be hard to talk to people about your flying concerns. Try to get to know the people at your club and find out who the helpful and genuine people are (I'm sure that being a young female, people will bend over backwards to help/talk to you!). If people are genuine then they will support you. I appreciate talking to people who are open to their thoughts and even mistakes, as even though some people will never do this I think that doing this helps eveyone learn. There are people who won't admit to feeling anxious/concerned ... maybe they simply don't have worries, or maybe it's all about bravado and they just won't admit to feeling anxious, as they think that people will think less of them.

Good luck, and PM me if you want a chat :)

Amber1,

I came across this a while ago that made very interesting reading.

http://www.hampshireplans.co.uk/AOPA/article.pdf

Hope all is going well.

Quote "Scared to bank over 10 degrees"

I'm still struggling with this.............my hand wants to do it but my brain won't let it!

When I do steep turns my mind wants to bank to 90 degrees... It's the training that prevents the hands from doing it :)

Have you ever driven a motorcycle?

Everybody is scared to a greater or lesser degree at different times, but if you're bitten by the bug you keep getting pulled back to it and there's not much you can do about it.

The more you do it the less scared you will become generally, but if you keep going there will still be times when you're utterly terrified and vow to give it up, though you never do.

Welcome to the club. By the way, did anyone tell you it will bankrupt you too? And put a huge strain on your relationships? It's a great hobby.

Be worried when you're not apprehensive......

I often leave a lesson vowing to pack it in and spend my hard earned money on
something else when I haven't been able to relax but then two days later I'm all for continuing!!!!

Odd!

It certainly is a bug!

I haven't been on here much for a while, but seeing Amber's thread I thought I'd just post this link How to Learn to Fly? | Leia Airborne.

I find it helpful to give her PDF version to new student pilots.

Amber, if you wanna do it you can, unless you persuade yourself otherwise. We all were beginners once.

Enjoy!

MB

PS. you might like to talk to these people too British Women Pilots' Association

Hi Amber,

How are you getting along?

K77.

All,


Just wanted to say thanks for the positive messages that were sent to Amber, as I had a similar question/fear myself after my first lesson. It's heartening to know that people feel/felt the same as me!


Tom

Not been on here for a while so thanks for all the newer positive messages.

Hi K77
I'm getting on fairly well cheers. Still rather scared at certain points, mainly when I'm taking off and landing. I'm even taking a friend up on my lesson tomorrow -poor girl!

I went to Bournemouth airshow today and watching the aerobatics gave me a renewed push as I just love it!

Is it only me that struggles on the supposedly simple technique of trimming? No matter what, when I'm up there I always seem to trim the wrong way and my brain just won't compute it naturally so I'm always slow at trying to figure my trim up/down situ. I feel daft as surely meant to get this at the start but not going in for me.

A

Trim is either good, or less good, and as the pilot, it's really yours to decide. If you are in stable flight, and there is a control force you'd like to trim out, move the trim, until the force is trimmed out. It's only wrong, if you cannot maintain control of the aircraft.

A small factor in trimming historically was that some military types could build up immense control forces in a dive, and trimming yourself out was the only way - hence the vital need for elevator trim. GA aircraft have suitably light control forces by regulation. Just use the trim to neutralize the control forces to your liking. If you don't get it perfect the first time, you'll be just like the rest of us!

Fear not the aircraft - certified aircraft are all built to very similar standards, and they are benign. Conditions could be cause for fear (I'm certainly fearful of some conditions - so I don't fly in them). As you learn, you will be amazed at what the plane is actually capable of - look forward to learning new aspects of what the 152, or the Piper can do!

Re trimming in a Cessna

Hold the wheel in your left hand and ask yourself do I have to push or pull to maintain the pitch attitude. If you have to push on the control wheel then push on the top of the trim wheel. By that I mean the little knobs on the trim wheel are going into the into the instrument panel. If you have to pull on the control wheel, then pull on the trim wheel, that is the little knobs on wheel turns are coming out of the instrument panel.

Your problem is not that unusual. I find the best way to fix it is to devote a part of a lesson to just getting the sense of the trim wheel sorted. The best way to do that is, in straight and level flight have the instructor move the trim wheel so the aircraft is out of trim with you not looking. Then practice re-trimming to a stick neutral trim (ie you do not have to push or pull on the control wheel to maintain your attitude)

10 or so tries and you will have it sorted.

Looking straight down (sideways) from a turning aircraft I find scary. A sense of vertigo, I think. This does not occur with forward view or lateral views in level flight.

Don't think about trimming, just do it. Hold your attitude and move the trimmer. You have a 50/50 chance of getting the direction right. If the load increases, move it the opposite way. But if the load decreases you won the 50/50 bet. Now move the trimmer until the load is zero. Job done. The secret? Nail the attitude by looking outside, never inside.

PM

A very important point. Pitch is controlled by the elevator and is set by observing the position of the natural horizon out the windshield. You should not be flying the aircraft with the trim wheel.

Well managed fear is an important part of safe flying, and respect among your peers. In my opinion, fearless pilots should also be planeless It is an awareness of fear, and managing those circumstances well which is your best long term accident prevention strategy.

One fearless pilot who comes to my mind, has done a lot of stupid things, been violated countless times, bent a few aircraft, and caused a few of his friends to take a few steps back. I hope to never be like him.

I'm happiest with a pilot who has that twinge of fear from time to time, it'll keep them thinking about what they are doing!

I too struggled with the trim wheel in a 152 and regularly trimmed the wrong way. My instructor sat me in a PA28 where the trim wheel is in a different position between the seats. We didn't fly it but something clicked and I was able to go back to the Cessna and got the direction right from then on. Not quite sure why it worked but it did. Worth a try!

CISTRS,
I am suffering from the same problem and im struggling to overcome it.