Fear

I am very comfortable in an airplane at 35,000 feet or
higher. But I can't climb a ladder above the roof line, I
can't sit or stand in the picture window of a hotel room on
the 30th floor unless I move a couch in between me and the
window. Don't ask me to ride a Ferris wheel or roller
coaster.

Motorcycles are fine as long as I'm driving.

Always fly the yoke and trim the pressure to zero. Flying
with only the trim is an emergency procedure and must be
done very carefully. You were up dual and your instructor
saw you make the mistake. Learning from your own mistakes
is effective. But you didn't "feel in control" so you were
afraid. Intellectually you knew you'd be OK because the
instructor would save himself and you were along for the
ride. But YOU also knew you needed his help. Books and
simulators are not a substitute for real airplanes and real
stalls.

Have your instructor give you unusual attitude training,
including that same 50 degree nose high trim stall. Proof
to yourself that you can recover on your own and you'll
conquer the fear.


--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

"minoad" wrote in message
oups.com...
|I originally wrote this for a psychology group, therefore I
have
| written it for that crowd. However, I may have more luck
with a
| response in this group.
|
| I noticed a strange thing today about myself. I am at
least a
| relativly intellegent and capable adult. Since a young
age I have had
| an interest in flying. I have finally gotten job that
affords me the
| income to pursue this interest. Because of this, last
week I signed up
|
| at a local flight school.
|
| In the last week I have spent in excess of 20 hours on the
simulators
| and have completed more than half of my total required
ground school.
| Because of this I have a good understanding of the theory
behind
| aeronautics along with the do's and dont's.
|
|
| The strange thing that I noticed is this. While on my
first flight
| today I expiereinced significant 'Fear' while in a climb
of almost 50
| degrees. This was my mistake as I had tried to trim
before using the
| yoke and had trimmed the wrong direction. My instructor
smiled at me
| and simply asked me to fix it.
| I knew all was well. The readings were all fine. I had
plenty of
| altitude. I also had an instructor next to me with more
than 8,000
| hours flying expierience. Based on all this I knew I was
fine.
|
|
| I am curious why I was feeling fear givin all the above
factors. Does
| this mean I am simply not cut out for flying? Is thier a
way to
| short-circut this mecanism? Will this disappear with
time? And most
| importantly, why was my brain unable to overide my fear?
I am
| concerned that this may indicate a problem with me
personally.
|
|
| My only expierience with Psychology is through the course
work that was
|
| required in school. Any ideas would truly be appreciated
and I thank
| you in advance.
|
|
| Micah A. Norman
|