New student pilot apprehensions

On Apr 25, 3:16*am, Michael wrote:
I’m a new student glider pilot. *I have a grand total of 77 minutes
flying time in six flights. *The challenge of all of this has been
immensely satisfying.

Oh, you lucky person. Think of all that fun that lies in the future.

The nose
will go a little left and right and also up and down and I have to
make small adjustments with the stick. *My instructor noticed I tend
to way over correct.

Mmmm-hmmm. Sounds normal for a beginner. My daughter,
who has flown gliders solo, is doing the same thing now she's
learning to drive my car.


The tow rope keeps me up at night. *Aerotow freaks me out. *With my
inexperience in coordinated flight, I am terrified that these
oscillations I get into will upset the tow plane (and pilot). *I feel
I’m doing this left bank, right bank, over correct, left, right, left
right….

Well, it could. But I wouldn't worry because...

I know my instructor is back there. *

.... and he is trained to spot the signs that something
is really dangerous, and to take control.

This stuff does get easier doesn’t it? *

Yes. And then you'll probably hit a patch in which you
don't make progress (or even get worse). When, not if,
that happens, mention it to other people and they'll reassure
you that it happened to them too.

I mean 14 year-olds do this…. (I’m 33.) *

Yup. And I was 50.


And speaking of the tow rope. *I need to get more confidence in it.
When that rope gets taught, I freeze up. * I am terrified of it
breaking. *

Personally, and speaking as a someone with very little aerotow
experience, I'm more concerned about the cable being too slack,
because I want the tug to be pulling me

However, I recently ran across a video (It’s on the SSA
site) of a real rope break. *

Try a few winch launches, if possible. Simulated cable
breaks are part of standard training and annual refresher
training.

It is quite fun, climbing at 35 degrees at 200ft, hearing a
bang, pushing the stick forward and going over the top at ~0G
(to minimise wing loading), diving at the ground to
regain airspeed, then deciding where to land.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqN3ixDFW8c

If you're going to give up gliding, then do so for good reasons.
The experiences you've described aren't (in themselves)
sufficiently good

Persevere, have fun, it'll get better!