lack of confidence solo flight

I have flown for a couple of years on and off . I am to the point in my
training that I have completed several local xc solo flights. I am
getting ready to complete my solo xc"s and go for my checkride. But my
problem is that it is very hard for me to just drive out to the airport
that is only 2 mile from my office, get in my plane and go flying. It
just doen't feel right.......... I am just a little uneasy or I don't
know what, luckily I have a great instructor " First Officer Roy
Madewell" of Sacramento, CA who has all of the confidence in me and is
very patient. He has directed me to this internet group for possibly
someone with the same problem. Thanks for any input.

First of all, I think it might help you if you understand right off the bat
that the ideal attitude for any pilot is one that involves a bit of "being a
bit on edge" when preparing for a flight. This is normal. This doesn't mean
fear. It means that you should be on the front edge of an acute state of
awareness that causes you to be thinking very seriously about a forthcoming
flight and the things pertaining to that flight.
No pilot worth the name goes out to the airport to climb into an airplane
totally at ease.
Flying, no matter how much fun, is a VERY serious business. It deserves a
totally professional and serious approach to what's involved by those
engaged in its practice.
Feeling a bit "on edge" as I've said, is normal. It makes you concentrate on
the little things that can make a flight either safe or unsafe if not dealt
with correctly.
I wouldn't worry all that much about feeling a bit of apprehension as you
contemplate a flight. I would be concerned however, if this apprehension was
simply felt and not understood properly.
I suggest you talk this over seriously with your instructor, a person you
obviously respect from what you have said in your post, and nail down the
depth and extent of any apprehensions you might have concerning flying.
I think you'll find that you are quite normal. It's my guess that if you
were not normal, your instructor would have addressed this with you already.
Try understanding what I have told you and relax a bit. Realize that its
normal to be concerned about flying because its serious business. See if
this helps any.
Feel free to let me know how things are going and if I can help you in any
way.
Dudley Henriques

"captainsj" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have flown for a couple of years on and off . I am to the point in my
training that I have completed several local xc solo flights. I am
getting ready to complete my solo xc"s and go for my checkride. But my
problem is that it is very hard for me to just drive out to the airport
that is only 2 mile from my office, get in my plane and go flying. It
just doen't feel right.......... I am just a little uneasy or I don't
know what, luckily I have a great instructor " First Officer Roy
Madewell" of Sacramento, CA who has all of the confidence in me and is
very patient. He has directed me to this internet group for possibly
someone with the same problem. Thanks for any input.

The more you fly the more confidence you will get.
"Dudley Henriques" wrote in message
news
First of all, I think it might help you if you understand right off the
bat that the ideal attitude for any pilot is one that involves a bit of
"being a bit on edge" when preparing for a flight. This is normal. This
doesn't mean fear. It means that you should be on the front edge of an
acute state of awareness that causes you to be thinking very seriously
about a forthcoming flight and the things pertaining to that flight.
No pilot worth the name goes out to the airport to climb into an airplane
totally at ease.
Flying, no matter how much fun, is a VERY serious business. It deserves a
totally professional and serious approach to what's involved by those
engaged in its practice.
Feeling a bit "on edge" as I've said, is normal. It makes you concentrate
on the little things that can make a flight either safe or unsafe if not
dealt with correctly.
I wouldn't worry all that much about feeling a bit of apprehension as you
contemplate a flight. I would be concerned however, if this apprehension
was simply felt and not understood properly.
I suggest you talk this over seriously with your instructor, a person you
obviously respect from what you have said in your post, and nail down the
depth and extent of any apprehensions you might have concerning flying.
I think you'll find that you are quite normal. It's my guess that if you
were not normal, your instructor would have addressed this with you
already.
Try understanding what I have told you and relax a bit. Realize that its
normal to be concerned about flying because its serious business. See if
this helps any.
Feel free to let me know how things are going and if I can help you in any
way.
Dudley Henriques

"captainsj" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have flown for a couple of years on and off . I am to the point in my
training that I have completed several local xc solo flights. I am
getting ready to complete my solo xc"s and go for my checkride. But my
problem is that it is very hard for me to just drive out to the airport
that is only 2 mile from my office, get in my plane and go flying. It
just doen't feel right.......... I am just a little uneasy or I don't
know what, luckily I have a great instructor " First Officer Roy
Madewell" of Sacramento, CA who has all of the confidence in me and is
very patient. He has directed me to this internet group for possibly
someone with the same problem. Thanks for any input.

"captainsj" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have flown for a couple of years on and off . I am to the point in my
training that I have completed several local xc solo flights. I am
getting ready to complete my solo xc"s and go for my checkride. But my
problem is that it is very hard for me to just drive out to the airport
that is only 2 mile from my office, get in my plane and go flying. It
just doen't feel right.......... I am just a little uneasy or I don't
know what, luckily I have a great instructor " First Officer Roy
Madewell" of Sacramento, CA who has all of the confidence in me and is
very patient. He has directed me to this internet group for possibly
someone with the same problem. Thanks for any input.


Just do it! (really)

Mike

captainsj wrote:

I have flown for a couple of years on and off . I am to the point in my
training that I have completed several local xc solo flights. I am
getting ready to complete my solo xc"s and go for my checkride. But my
problem is that it is very hard for me to just drive out to the airport
that is only 2 mile from my office, get in my plane and go flying. It
just doen't feel right.......... I am just a little uneasy or I don't
know what, luckily I have a great instructor " First Officer Roy
Madewell" of Sacramento, CA who has all of the confidence in me and is
very patient. He has directed me to this internet group for possibly
someone with the same problem. Thanks for any input.


Being nervous about flying isn't a bad thing. Those who fly get
dangerous when they get too relaxed and over-confident. That's what
hapens with 100 - 250 hour pilots.

Channel the energy from your "lack of confidence" into a focus on
procedures and technique. Good planning and carefully laid out
cross-country routes with lots of obvious reference points will help
make your flight easier. Try flying the trip in your head a few times
before you ever get in the car to go to the airport. Then when you get
in the plane, its a matter of executing your plans.

If your flight instructor says your ready for the next step, have
confidence in his judgement.

"captainsj" wrote:
But my problem is that it is very hard for me to just drive out to the
airport
that is only 2 mile from my office, get in my plane and go flying. It
just doen't feel right.......... I am just a little uneasy

It took me two years after I started flying to get over that feeling.
It will pass with experience.

--
Dan
C172RG at BFM

Very normal and typical experience you're having. I've only recently
become confident and more comfortable in my abilities. I've only got
about 130 hours, but I made a lot of effort to build my confidence by
flying lots of cross countries, taking an aerobatics course, dealing
with complex airspace, night flying, and flying in less than perfect wx
days.

Like Dudley said, I still feel an "edge" starting from when I get close
to the airport on the drive down until I start the engine. It helps me
concentrate on what needs to be done and makes me take things
seriously. But I'm also far more relaxed and at ease now than I was
even a couple of months ago.

The worst thing you can do is after your checkride is once a month
flyiing or just sticking around the local practice area. The more
experience you get, the more comfortable you will be.

BTW, you should check this link out:
http://www.rodmachado.com/Articles/Anxiety-Page.htm

I have flown for a couple of years on and off . I am to the point in my
training that I have completed several local xc solo flights. I am
getting ready to complete my solo xc"s and go for my checkride. But my
problem is that it is very hard for me to just drive out to the airport
that is only 2 mile from my office, get in my plane and go flying. It
just doen't feel right..........

I don't believe you are feeling anything abnormal or unusual. After you
solo, you realize that EVERYTHING is in your hands -- literally -- and
that's enough to give anyone with a brain pause...

When this would happen to me, I knew it was time to feel the joy of flight
again. I would "sneak" over to Lake Michigan (from East Troy, WI), just to
say I did, and just to see that awesomely beautiful sight from the air. My
spirits would soar, and suddenly every bit of anxiety was gone, as I felt
the plane become one with my thoughts.

After that, it was almost a Zen-like experience, where I could feel like
banking *that* way, or maybe pulling up into a power-off stall -- all good
practice, by the way -- until my hour was up and I had to return to the
airport.

In this state of mind, carving around the pattern like the plane was on
rails, an extension of my thoughts and motions, would usually result in a
good landing...and I would go off to work whistling all day.

Don't worry. You'll get over this!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Lessons aren't like real flying -- even when you're flying solo, you're
still flying to please/impress/not-disappoint someone else, not
yourself. I suggest that you grit your teeth and just get over the
final hump of the PPL (think of it like lying in a dentist's chair),
then plan some medium-length (~300 mile one-way) day trips to new
airports just for yourself, to see if you actually like flying for its
own sake. At first you'll still be trying to please an invisible
instructor sitting beside you, but that will fade.

When you write "my plane", do you mean the plane you've rented, or are
you already an owner?


All the best,


David