good luck
 

you probably wont need it though. i will be kind of following your foot steps in nz at the end of the year and found your writing very interesting and helpfull. i hope the weather will come to the party. congradulations in advance. :ok:
helipilotnz

It should be all coming together, but...
 

Mon 3rd March

On Saturday Aerbabe gets an extremely thorough Met briefing, and i go over all 27 exercises and most of P of F. I can do all the flying exercises fine sitting in a chair, so I feel reasonably confident this morning, after a Sunday to rest a bit. Yeah, well...

Fog, so Mark gives a briefing on Limited Power, and I do one on Sloping Ground. It's not bad...am I imagining that I'm being made fun of when we go over it? I must be; I'm tired aren't I? Fog clears, Mike says he'll fly with Mark, then me. Apparently my Sloping Ground is now Sloping Ground AND Basic Autos - when did he find that out? We also have to do EOLs, and I decide maybe I should make sure I can get the throttle in the detent; this one is exceptionally stiff, and I don't think I can. I try, and I'm right - I nearly do in my wrist! :eek: I tell Mike I'll need to use the instrument R22 for my test; he makes a comment about women thinking they're the stronger sex! This is two days before my test; it's the umpteenth comment like this, and just about the last straw - I Know I'm over-reacting, but I explode, saying they need to make helicopters for people, not vice versa. Mike escapes, saying I can use the other R22. I'm fed up, annoyed, and want to go home.

In the air I give Ex 7 - Basic Autos - not too bad, though I still keep mixing up my words. Mike gets me to talk through a transition and a quickstop, and says that could happen in the test - crab, looks like you were right. Sloping Ground I can do, but I'm tired and the wind's too strong. If I hadn't done over five weeks and spent thousands of pounds, I'd go home now - I think this is a bad joke.

Still, maybe it'll be alright on the night. Either way, I feel like I need a break from anything to do with flying for a bit.

Whoever said it gets better towards the end was wrong!!!!!!!

Whirly,

I've been following your progress with interest - stick with it. I hope to be following in your footsteps in a few years' time so thanks for your honesty.

In the meantime, you are paying too much money and expending too much effort to have to put up with that kind of crap. I hope it strikes a chord with a few others reading this too. Do you ever get the impression some instructors forget who the customers are..?

Good luck,

DBChopper
:cool:

I know I ve said it elsewhere but...

GOOD LUCK and fingers crossed for the weather!

I would like to think I speak for all ppruners when I say we are thinking of you.

I spoke to Whirly last night, she's sounding much more relaxed than she did on Monday night when she did sound more than a little stressed. I gather that Wx permitting she's got her test today and that the chap doing it with her achieved a partial pass yesterday.

So, fingers crossed for her and the weather.

G

The last post on my last ever "live" thread
 

Tues 4th March
I do EOLs and emergencies with Mike. It goes very well; I really enjoy the EOLs; with a 25 kt wind it's easy. He is actually an excellent instructor; for the first time ever I'm not just told I have to develop a feel for it (how? when?) but what to do and when and why. Mark only gets a partial pass; he struggles with the theory, and will have to re-do his auto as he managed to get an overspeed - first time ever and he doesn't know how or why. This is worrying, as Mark has been doing so well. Nevertheless, I feel cautiously confident. I tell Fred I've hurt my wrist - I did, struggling with the detent - and he says if that's all that's wrong he's willing to close the throttle into the detent for me.

Wed 5th March.
I really don't want to post, but I will for the sake of completeness. I go in, check the wx. Because it's not good, but looks like it may improve later, we decide to do the briefing, then the theory, then the flying. The briefing - on Sloping Ground - is fine. Then he starts asking me questions on anything and everything in the PPL syllabus. It isn't all bad, but I don't know everything, get rattled by the exam situation, miss out a few things, make a few mistakes. After tying myself in knots with Met - in the CPL ground exams my best subject - I ask semi-jokingly if I should go home now. He tells me there are too many gaps in my knowledge, and that I've failed that section, and it's up to me if I want to carry on with the rest. I say I'm there, so I do. But I can't! My brain is grinding to a halt. I even get confused on Nav - definitely my best subject - which I hadn't even felt the need to revise, since I use basic nav all the time because I enjoy it. I get a break after about two hours, and force down a sandwich and go for a walk to try to calm down. It usually works for me - but this time it doesn't. I'm getting more and more upset, and terrified of flying. I ask for a longer break - no problem, but it doesn't help. I phone a very experienced f/w instructor friend; she says I shouldn't fly in that state, and to talk to the examiner. I do, telling him I feel like the long term stress and exhaustion of the past 5 weeks has just suddenly got me to a point where I'm not sure I can cope any more. He says it's up to me, gives me all my options, and suggests I talk to Mike. I do, and he suggests I pack it in, have a rst, and take the test again in a few weeks when I've rested, revised etc. The absolute relief I feel at not having to fly convinces me this is right. The examiner then tells me he thinks I've made the right decision; that if I fly in that state I won't do myself justice and will probably destroy my confidence. What bloody confidence??? The bit I regained yesterday wasn't even enough to cope with a minor setback. Anyway, we have a debrief, and apart from feeling that I hadn't been that bad really, all I can think is that I don't care and I want to go home and forget about flying for a bit.

So that's what I'm going to do. My break will probably include a break from PPRuNe even, because I honestly feel as though flying has made me so miserable for these past few weeks that I want nothing whatsoever to do with it. I know that won't last. But I'm not coming back to this thread, and probably not to this forum, or even to PPRuNe...for a day, a week, a month, or until I really really want to. The same goes for the test, which I can now do with either Fred or any of the panel examiners (since Fred only HAS to do first attempts)...I'll do it closer to home when I really want to. If I want to. But I know myself; eventually I will - when I recover from all this. Looking on the bright side, I've completed the course; all I have to do is get up to speed again and do the test. It feels like a major obstacle...but I suppose it isn't really.

I know I'm over-reacting, but I'm tired and not thinking clearly. And it's bad enough failing...even if this is now called a "student withdrawal" officially, I'm not good at coping with anything resembling failure. It's even worse telling the whole world. But for the sake of completeness, I felt I had to...though I was tempted to just delete this whole thread and say nothing and never come back here. Anyway, thanks to so many of you for listening and for the help and encouraging comments. But...THIS REALLY REALLY IS THE VERY LAST "LIVE" THREAD I'M EVER GOING TO POST!!!!!!!!

Bye for now,

Whirly

Hi Whirly, Despite you probably not viewing any replies for some time, I thought it apt to express a little admiration in what youve done during the last few weeks. Speaking from someone just finishing the ATPL theory and probably looking to do the same thing, its been a breath of fresh air to see someone expressing ones thoughts in a genuine and informative way. Good luck in the future!!

Hey Whirly,

Don't give up, your posts have been very revealing and you have said a lot of things most people would never dream of saying out loud but I for one will be happy to fly with you!

Keep your chin up and good luck.:D

Whirly, very few people would have been ballsy enough to do this course with 330 hours and even less would have got as far as you did. There is no shame in not passing, at least you know what is expected of you next time.
Get drunk, sober up then just go and fly by yourself on a nice day to remind you that you don't actually hate flying and that is why you took the course in the first place - to be able to pass on your love of flying.
Chin up girl.

Whirlybird,

Ditto all the above comments. I admire your honesty and decisions made. See you back on here with the pass under your belt. In the meantime, fly for fun!

DBChopper
:cool:

Whirly, I had a hard enough time doing it with 3000hrs, let alone 300:eek:

Have a good rest and have another go. And remember, :) :)

I'm back!
 

Ahhh, aren't rest, booze, and friends wonderful things? I still feel knackered, but able to get things slightly more in perspective again. I can even bear to think about flying - though not quite yet. Thanks everyone. I'll have another crack at it sometime. I might even tell you all about it...when I've passed!!!!!

Ok Whirly.....what's next..?
 

I have been patiently watching your posts and progress.........not willing to say anything, in case it would detract from your passion of pursuing your goal.

What will you do now??..........continue with booze, friends and old times.

Or get up and challenge yourself again.........???

That will test whether your a writer or an aviator!

Welcome Back!

Knew you wouldn't be able to resist pprune for long. :p

If you get back into flying as quick I ve got 5 days til I m back at work and up for a robbo fix....;)

Just take one day at a time........

Above all - Enjoy what you currently have then when your ready, have another crack at it.

Don't give up !

Happy !

Old Man Rotor

As a writer of admittedly trivial note myself, and a friend of Whirly's, I feel I should point out that it is possible to be a capable aviator and an accomplished writer at the same time. Names such as Roland Beaumont, Irv Lee, Neville Shute or John Farley spring to mind (in no particular order of regard).

For that matter, don't forget that Winston Churchill got the Nobel Prize - for literature. He was notable for skills in other areas.

G


"The difference between a scientist and a writer, is that scientist can also write a novel." (Arthur C Clarke)

Genghis the Engineer
 

Yes indeed, you will get no arguement from me.........in fact most Helicopter folk have at least one other commercial discipline in their life before aviation.

The point that I was trying to make is.......The longer one goes on in this Industry, the more chance one has of not achieving every target, ambition, hope, aspiration, whim and challenge!!..........the resolve of the individual will be measured as a result of the course of action [or inaction] after such a disappointment.

Much like the rider bucked off the horse......

OMR :

I think Whirly has the requisite resolve. I think she's proven that from the moment she took up helicopter flying !

I was going to ignore all this, but since you all insist on discussing me (sigh).... :)

I've never done well on intensive courses; I hate them. I realised fairly early on during this one that I'd do better if I took it more slowly, but it seemed difficult to get off the self-imposed treadmill, and I thought maybe it would be OK. So maybe I was right after all. My plan now is to spend a week getting organised and recovering - I really am absolutely knackered, and have a few things that need doing after putting my life on hold for nearly six weeks, to say nothing of needing to earn some money. Then I'll spend a few weeks getting up to speed on all the PPL subjects, which I'd planned to do before the course, but I got persuaded to do it earlier than I'd planned, and I thought I could revise during the course...and it proved too much. Meanwhile, I'll hopefully keep more or less current with the flying, and remind myself that it's fun. And in a few weeks, maybe around Easter - though I haven't worked out a timescale as yet - I'll get a few hours of training/ revision, and have another crack at the test. This time when I feel ready, not when instructors or friends or ppuners or anyone else assures me I am when I know damn well I'm not. OK?

Whirly, it sounds to me that it's not your flying - even allowing for your PPL stuff - but your confidence. I always had the same problem. I'd start out nervous, that would make my flying worse, I'd get more & more nervous etc etc until I couldn't do a thing.

It was so bad my instructor had me fly my Restricted PPL (as it was then) with the CFI but without me knowing it was a flight test! My instructor just told me it was a requirement for a check flight with the CFI prior to a test being scheduled.

Oblivous me thought the the ground grilling & extra long flight wasjust part of a thorough 'check'.

It wasn't until we landed he told me I now had a PPL.

It took me years & years of tests & renewals before I started to overcome that handicap. The navigation part of my PPL, my CPL, my IR, a goodly number of IR renewals, my initial instructor rating, upgrades to that to get instrument & multi, my CP & CFI approvals...

Even now if it's something new I have to really fight against it during the test.


I think in your current case you have a very intensive rating course to add to the situation. An FI course is bloody difficult. Unfortunately only those who have ever done it appreciate what was required.

Those who haven't only ever see the (usually) relaxed - & deliberately cultivated - persona of his/her instructor, see him/her making a few appropriate comments about what's happening, what should be done next etc etc etc.

No one except instructors ever think about what was involved in becoming able to do those things. It is NOT easy to fly an aircraft to a consistantly high standard AND talk about what is happening/you're doing about it in a way that stays ahead of events AND offload the workload to keep one's student within his/her best learning curve AND manage events to best meet the objectives of the exercise etc etc.

It's no fun trying to demonstrate one's competance to someone who is not just a professional colleague but is in a position of authority. We all know that the testing officer usually knows the area of knowledge backwards. Bear in mind you aren't expected have that level of knowledge - until you in turn become an examiner! Until then it's 'only' :p the level for the rating sought that is required.


Good luck!


PS: And standing up in front of someone to give a brief or lecture? I *HATED* it! I've never been so nervous in my life until then.

Tinny,

Agree with all of that. Giving lectures, especially unprepared ones, is the stuff of my worst nightmares. :eek: :eek: :eek: I've improved over the years...but change of that sort is only possible up to a point. Which is why I have to know the stuff backwards, and be beyond the standard required for both the theory and flying, to take account of the fact that I won't do myself justice in the test. It was the way with my CPL - I flew extraordinarily badly compared to how I normally would, but still passed. It's been the same with everything I've ever done. But neither I nor anyone else allowed for it here. Next time I will.

I know a secret.... :ok: :ok: :ok:

G

What? WHATTTTTT??!!?!?!!!

I PASSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) :) :) :) :)

(more details when I finish celebrating)

ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC !!!! Well done Whirly !

Fancy coming over to Derby to teach me a thing or two ?

Congratulations Whirly.

Celebrating? I hardly think sitting playing with your cats, drinking coffee and saying you want to go to bed counts.

Pass the bubbly!

Well done, I guess I can tell everyone now? :ok:

Great news well done.

Who do we phone to get a lesson from you?


MJ

Congrats again!

And we weren't misbehaving when you called! ;)

Very well done Whirly. Was it with Fred Cross again? Hope the hangover doesn't hurt too much!

Thanks people. I'm hoping I might still have a job to go to, but I don't know yet. Who wants to be my first student? :eek:

crab , I decided to do the test with Mike Smith. I spent three days at Thruxton getting up to speed on the flying again, did the test yesterday, and drove home last night.

Congratulations Whirly! http://www.stopstart.freeserve.co.uk/smilie/clap.gif

http://home.hetnet.nl/~webpeople/Gif...eys/smile2.gif

Well done Whirly - gald you made it at last. I find Mike is a great confidence builder to fly with, so I think you made the right choice.

Hi Whirly - Congratulations - it brings back memories!!

Not being a fan of long threads, I have only just managed to get the enthusiasm to follow all 6 pages. This thread should be saved, preserved and published for the next generations of FIs

I remember the pain of doing my course and always having the pressure of having a finish date. I expect you are feeling relief like you've never felt before.

Wish you the very best of luck getting a job. Your first lessons will be a little nervewracking, but by the end of the first week, you'll be wondering what all the fuss was about. Enjoy the world of instructing; I thoroughly enjoyed it and I miss it now that I cant instruct anymore (geographically challenged)

Hope you manage to find the energy to start a thread about instructing.

Instructor training Eire
 

Anybody know of anywhere to do instructor training in Eire. I'm moving to Cork and am interested in doing an instructors course. Thanks

Way to go! :ok:

Congrats Whirly!! I am so glad to hear that you stuck it out and completed this challenge..we were all rooting for you..this made my day!!!!:ok:

Try a gentleman called Chris Shiel , if he cant help you he can sure point you in the right direction , he has training schools in galway and cork +353 91 792111

Excellent, well done. :ok: