When does learning to fly become fun
 

Haiving just had my second lesson I found the whole experience a bit overwhelming and a lot more difficult than I had expected.
Very nice female instructor from the pilot centre Denham who was very patient but I walked away feeling dispondent and wondering whether I would be better off spending the money changing my Caterham or motorbike. Is this a fairly common reaction which disappears after a few lessons? I have another 3 lessons booked after which I will decide whether to pay for the NPPL course. regards Chas

Personally I have loved the learning experience from the moment I stepped foot in the club. Yes it's been challenging and overwhelming at times but non the less fun.

Give it a few more lessons yet though, would be a huge shame to throw away such a great opportunity so early.

Rich

It is said that flying is many hours of bordom, interspersed with moments of terror. After 33 years and 6000 hours, I can confirm that is correct. Added to which, the moments of terror often occur when you would least expect them, which is additionally frustrating when you're experienced enought to know better!

I can say though that the relationship between moments of terror, and hours of bordom seem to be decreasing. Not because those things are not still happening, but because you're more used to them, anticipate them sooner (most of the time), and have a plan to deal with them.

Still, the three things which keep me most on guard are flying into deteriorating weather, doing maintenance test flights, and landing taildraggers in crosswinds.

Give flying a chance. The places you will see, and the people you will meet are amazing. The moments of terror will definately be worth it in the long term!

Having wanted to learn to fly from 10 years old but then having to wait 30 years to actually do it, I had a job keeping the lid on my enthusiasm especially as I couldn't do more than a lesson a week. I filled the intervening years with building models (static and flying), planespotting, the odd trial flight and every PC flight sim that there was.

What made you want to learn to fly? If you've always wanted to do it then just wait for a few more lessons and see how you feel.

when your instructor gets out...

Couldn't agree more :ok:

When you stop banging circuits and FLY somewhere :)

When you buy your own aircraft (or share in one).

I don't recall what the exact stats are, but a very significant % of PPLs jack it in post-PPL; mainly due to the general poor cost/benefit ratio of club flying ( and I don't blame them to be honest).

There are not many occasions on which a 125- hour pilot can authoritatively disagree with a 6000-hour one, but here, I can confidently say, RUBBISH!! (There, I've said it.:eek:) I've never been bored, and I've never been terrified, though in time, I'm very sure there'll be oppurtunities for these sensations to pop up! :)

Take the time, ChasG, to become comfortable in a very new, noisy, bumpy and possibly smelly environment, with a steep learning curve. It will happen and it's very well worth it!

It happens before then! The first couple of lessons were bemusing and you do wonder how you will ever get to grips with everything as so much happens at once.

The first time my instructor told me to do the take off was buttock clenching as I had no warning. Once airborne the satisfaction was huge. Likewise the first time I did a landing. Going solo was nerve racking, though the most anxious time was when I knew it was coming. Once up there all the worries seem to disappear. Then there was departing the circuit, the solo nav ex ...

The nervous anticipation was always replaced after the event by a huge sense of elation and satisfaction with what I had achieved.

Flying an aircraft is so different from anything else you will have done before that you will certainly feel overwhelmed, but this will pass and it does come together, believe me. There is a lot to learn which is why you have minimum hours to obtain your licence. Please don't give up, give yourself a chance. I would say at least 8 to 10 hours to allow things to really fall into place, perhaps less if you are a quick learner (I wasn't!). You won't regret the cost or the time spent.

Learning to fly is IMHO a game for people who like a challenge and the older one is the truer it is. I found I veered from really enjoying it to hating it and back several times, and progress was a series of lurches, some forwards and some backwards, but since I did get solo etc. overall more forward than backwards. It just didn't feel like it at times.

Suggest you discuss how you felt with the "very nice female instructor" as if she's also a good instructor she should be able to help. I only know what it was like for me learning to fly, a good empathetic instructor should know the range of experiences.

Possibly she has shown you enough that you can see there is a lot to learn, and you don't mention what you found difficult, so no-one can comment on if it's something most people find difficult.

I've mentored a few people and given them a chance to see what the world of a licensed PPL can be like. Hop aboard. You can't fly, but the flights can be an eye-opener and are a great motivator.

Join an experienced pilot on a trip or a club outing. Visit a fly-in. Remember what you're doing it all for, it will carry you through those those difficult moments of hard practising and studying and practising.

Have fun!

I recall that being said about being in Vietnam :)

I think the original quote goes back to Ernie Gann in his biography "Fate is The Hunter".

It goes along the lines of;

It is generally accepted that pilots are overpaid.

Their lives consist of 98% boredom and 2% sheer terror.

During the latter 2%, they earn their entire annual salary.

Overload added to comfort zones!! It is that simple.

When you start flying you are definitely overloaded in all sorts of different ways. Now us Sky Gods :} can cope with periods of overload from time to time. The problem is when you also add in being out of your comfort zone.

I had around 500 hours before I started doing some aeros and expected to be comfortable with the flying. For the first few sessions I wasnt. Looking back I was overloaded but I was also out of my comfort zone - I couldnt imagine an aircraft could do those things. On the other hand when I first started flying instruments I wondered what all the fuss was about. Yes there were times I was overloaded, but the aircraft behaved in the same way to which I was accustom and therefore I stayed in my comfort zone.

So the short answer is that hopefully you will quickly get comfortable with bumping around in a light aircraft, and once you are, even if your instructor pushes you, hopefully you will start enjoying the experience.

After that with any luck the smile will just gets bigger - until you give aeros a go that is. :}

I also recall someone saying the average life expectancy on putting foot off the skids in Nam was about 45 seconds so, sadly, I suppose you didnt have all that long in which to be bored.

Chas, two lessons is just not enough time to think that you can't do it, as you are only just getting to learn what all the knobs and switches are for. I think you will find that if you give it a couple more lessons you will lose the gloom and despondency because you will suddenly realize that you can actually fly the aeroplane a bit! . As soon as you start to get to this point you will not only feel some elation, but you will also be able to talk about it with other fliers who will love to yarn about it all. A good example of this is when Kev Music publicly, on this forum, put all his feelings into very eloquent print when he was going through his PPL with all its ups and downs. It was probably one of the most successful threads this forum has ever seen when so many other fliers joined in and supported him through to the end:D
Getting the PPL is not an easy thing to do and will always have it's frustrating times along the way. But the day when you finish it and get the bit of paper in you sweaty hand will be one of the most satisfying days in your life.
One other thing; without implying anything negative about your present flying instructor, it is a good thing to try a different instructor if you are not feeling good about progress. It's your money after all and you are buying a product, so why not have a go with one of the other instructors (maybe a different age and gender) and see how you do then.
Best of luck:ok:
BTF

thanks for all your responses. The consensus appears to be overloaded at first but getting better. I will give it more time regards Chas:ok:

My father took me to the local airport (now Manchester International) when I was young and I was hooked things that fly from that point on. I went through the model aircraft (flying type) then the Airfix stage, and then in my early 20s enjoyed several gliding holidays with friends.

Then cars, women, kids etc. took over until I was just a bit younger than you. Then it became financially possible to get my PPL. It took about 18 months of weekends before I finally had my licence. I never dreamt, all those years ago, that one day I'd be flying out of Ringway....

I've been an aviation junkie from the age of about 6, and still enjoy every flight. But now I'm retired, my flying days are numbered. Hopefully I will be able to enjoy at least another 5 years before either health or money (lack of) bring things to a stop.

If you've had a 'thing' about aircraft for years, just DO IT.

You're only here once - grasp the opportunity! :ok:

Knocking off that first solo is an unbelievable feeling, ditto first solo land-away.

Chas G

As an instructor I can confirm what you are feeling is normal. For the first few lessons there is so much new stuff coming your way that it is hard not to become overwhelmed. The good news is my experience is that around lesson 5 most students start having the "ah hah" moment and a lot of stuff suddenly starts making sense.