Flying as Therapy

From my own limited experience, stuff like golf and bridge come to mind as
being useful, because they require a focus of the mind... as does piloting.

Golf and bridge usually require partners that need attention.
After a really crappy day - client went sideways, employee went
sideways, somebody really screwed up - whatever -the last think I need
is partners who need attention - I want to spend some time on my own -
or with non demanding friends who don't ask anything other than
friendship - because they have also been there done that - and who needs
competition at a time like this?
So I drive out to the airport - still ****ed - arrive at my plane and
everything is immediately forgotten. All of my attention goes on
preflight - then friends wander over to say Hi, Fuellers stop by to say
Hi. The grass smells great, the sun is shining, C-GICE is tied down,
sparkling in the sunlight, (or covered in dew, waiting to launch and
shake off her wings - either will do)

I start up get my ATIS and chat with tower - I no longer remember where
I work. I launch, leave the control zone, make my calls and several
friends will immediately say Hi.
So we switch to 123.45 and chat and BS and I fly my favourite most
scenic route and the world is beautiful. And I can't even remember where
I work.
And I fly into the night, and all the world is beautiful.
And I land in moonlight and put C-GICE to bed - and my world is
beautiful.
And I go home happy - stop by Tim Hortons for a coffee and flirt with
the girls - and finally I get home, have a g&t, go to bed, and
occasionally - very occasionally- I'll wake up and think about that
asshole client/whatever - but 9 out of 10 the problem is back in
perspective - it ain't worth thinking about.

And yes - I am very aware of PDM courses - in fact I present one at our
local flying clubs - but this is not so much about PDM as it is about
why we own our own aircraft - This is VERY focused flying - and renters
cant be this spontanious - that is the gift of flight!

Tony
--

Tony Roberts
PP-ASEL
VFR OTT
Night
Cessna 172H C-GICE

In article ,
"Icebound" wrote:

"tony roberts" wrote in message
news:nospam-947282.21460511092005@shawnews...
It was the day from Hell. . . .

I do it a couple of times a week - nothing challenging - just fly the
same old route - past the waterfall, over the lakes, shoot the VOR and
then the really cool fast descent down the side of the mountain to join
downwind left.
Done it so many times I will launch stressed - because I know it
backwards and it is the best therapy I will ever find for the price



I don't mean to spoil anybody's fun, but as a new yet-to-become pilot, I am
a little amazed by the premise of this thread. (Fully disclosu Of
course, I am reading all the official propaganda religiously... I *do* have
to answer the questions correctly on the written and the oral... okay, okay,
not necessarily correctly as to real-life, but correctly with respect to the
expected answers from the official text books
:-)

But I would like to know a *real* behaviour specialist's take on what
constitutes "therapy" after stress,... which activities might be useful and
which activities should be avoided....and the real reasons for both.

From my own limited experience, stuff like golf and bridge come to mind as
being useful, because they require a focus of the mind... as does piloting.
But the difference is that a momentary lapse during a bridge game, back to
mulling the real-life issue, will not become particularly disastrous.

But can it be individual-dependant? Are some people more at risk to fly
after stress, but others are not? How can I tell which is which? How can I
tell which one am I?

Any good links out there on the subject, before I go searching myself?




--

Tony Roberts
PP-ASEL
VFR OTT
Night
Cessna 172H C-GICE