Overthinking Whilst Flying

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TheBoatDude

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TheBoatDude
Hi folks-

So, I’m a student pilot with 70 hrs, just passed the written and am lining up for the check ride.

One of the things I battle with is that...and this sounds odd...but I’m thinking too much while flying. I mean, yes, this is not like sailing where you can zone out, but I seem to be over analyzing everything lest I’m doing it wrong. Case in point: crosswind landings. I read and watch videos and practice and try to figure out what to do, with limited success. Then my CFI tells me “don’t worry so much and just give the plane what it needs to keep you on centerline and glide slope.” And just like that, it makes sense, and I do reasonably OK. Another: I think I’m trashing my landings and he thinks they’re fine (needing polish, but fine).

I know this is a complex thing we’re doing and we need to stay on top of the situation, but I get the feeling that all of you are flying around experiencing golden retriever-like joy while just doing it right, and I’m like an accountant at tax time. Not unsafe, or necessarily wrong; just making it more like a job and not relaxing and doing what needs to be done.

Thoughts? Do any of you experience this?
 
TheBoatDude said:
...I get the feeling that all of you are flying around experiencing golden retriever-like joy while just doing it right, and I’m like an accountant at tax time...
Click to expand...

What a wonderful phrase!

Best I can say is try to relax and not overthink it. Flying can be a lot like sailing, at least with the simple slow planes I like to fly, but it takes time to get the feel of it.
 
Think of it as cross between riding a bicycle and engineering. There are parts that require following pretty specific directions and others that require feel. Both get better with repetition, but the feel ones don't fully yield to thinking. Could you ride a bicycle by just reading a book?

If your instructor thinks you're doing OK, you probably are.
 
If the conditions IMG_0003.png or the terrain are challenging IMG_1022.jpg, the level of mental exertion goes up for me. But over cornfields on a sunny day in Ohio? I might be listening to some tunes in between traffic calls on nearby CTAFs. wherethestorms.jpg

I suppose if I flew a jet in the flight levels I might be truly relaxed, but in a SE piston at 3500' MSL, not so much. For me that's part of the attraction: you're typically thinking about things that are not remotely related to the job or money or whatever your stressor de jour is.

Your CFI's assessment sounds spot on to me.
 
“don’t worry so much and just give the plane what it needs to keep you on centerline and glide slope.”

I think this will come in time. I recall saying to myself during training "but I have my xwind correction set". it doesn't work like that in aviation, it's a dynamic environment, always gotta adjust. give it more time.
 
I remember flying just after I got my sport ticket. Picked up a pilot buddy north of Charlotte, and we flew under the Bravo shelf headed south. Bumpy air, busy radio, and cell towers I have to maneuver around. I've got a death grip on the stick, and he says "Having fun yet?" He was having a blast, and I was way too nervous and focused to have fun. It gets better over time fore sure!
 
I didn’t use to overthink, but then I started flying airplanes with multi-cylinder engine monitors and now I’m constantly overthinking.

There are advantages of single probe CHT/EGT gauges....
 
After 700+ hours of PIC, I find plenty to "overthink", but not what you're thinking...I'd say try changing what you're thinking. I'm always thinking, "What if the engine quits, where would I land?" or "If I smelled smoke, what would I do?" or "If I suddenly see an aircraft coming towards me, which way would I go to avoid it?" Sounds fatalistic, but it gives me comfort to "be prepared"...and it may keep your mind off things you don't necessarily need to think about.
 
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Try to relax,get your thoughts in order and set your priorities. It should get easier as you go.
 
What you seek comes with experience. Something that’s not uncommon is the pendulum swings to far and one day when you are just chilling enjoying the view you get surprised by something and you start thinking a little bit more. There is a balance that only comes with time in the seat. Honestly the fact you are asking the question tells me you are doing just fine. People that don’t ask make me worry they are unaware of things they should be monitoring.
 
You'll get it, you'll eventually figure out what's worth a lot of attention, and what really isn't. . .cliche is aviate, navigate, communicate. What's gonna kill you, in each phase? Probably not airspeed in cruise, probably not a radio failure on final, probably not DG precision on takeoff. You'll sort it out . . .
 
If you're a sailor, then no doubt you've experienced that seat-of-the-pants feeling where you just know what wind and current is doing to your boat and just when to tack to make that perfect line into the breakwater so that you can drop sail and glide effortlessly into your slip. Those crosswind landings are not too dissimilar. Some of the best crosswind landings I've made have been at near the limit, because the results of each control input are almost immediately apparent. -------- Remember, those wings are just sails turned on their sides and learn to use that sailor's feel for the wind. You'll have to think less about FLYING the airplane, and instead concentrate on all the other crap that goes into safely aviating, like looking out for those other guys that are overthinking the flying part and not looking out for you.
 
TheBoatDude said:
I mean, yes, this is not like sailing where you can zone out
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You can "zone out" sailing because you are experienced and comfortable with it.

Yes, you do have to pay more attention flying because things happen faster. It more like sailing near the docks than the open water, but in concept it's the same. It will come.
 
At least you are on the high side of the thinking curve. Beats being on the low side. Being comfortable takes time. You will get there in time but just be careful not to slide into complacency.
 
Sounds to me like you're going to be a pilot...... Many of us never accept 'good enough' for our landings. I think the 'perfect' landing is a red herring...... I never quit trying to define it though on every flight. Even though I may call out a full stop on CTAF, if I'm not happy with it, I taxi back and do it again. I like ending my flights with a minimum landing rating of a 7 out of 10... I seldom grade myself above an 8 lol....
 
TheBoatDude said:
Hi folks-

So, I’m a student pilot with 70 hrs, just passed the written and am lining up for the check ride.

One of the things I battle with is that...and this sounds odd...but I’m thinking too much while flying. I mean, yes, this is not like sailing where you can zone out, but I seem to be over analyzing everything lest I’m doing it wrong. Case in point: crosswind landings. I read and watch videos and practice and try to figure out what to do, with limited success. Then my CFI tells me “don’t worry so much and just give the plane what it needs to keep you on centerline and glide slope.” And just like that, it makes sense, and I do reasonably OK. Another: I think I’m trashing my landings and he thinks they’re fine (needing polish, but fine).

I know this is a complex thing we’re doing and we need to stay on top of the situation, but I get the feeling that all of you are flying around experiencing golden retriever-like joy while just doing it right, and I’m like an accountant at tax time. Not unsafe, or necessarily wrong; just making it more like a job and not relaxing and doing what needs to be done.

Thoughts? Do any of you experience this?
Click to expand...
You'll get there....don't worry too much about it. Regarding crossword landings..... I learned how to do them well one day while flying solo as a student pilot.... it was really kind of an epiphany for me. First off----- forget about the crab technique.... You can't land the plane in a crab, so by crabbing during the approach, you just make it harder on yourself in the flare when you need to get out of the crab and into a forward slip. Always use a "wing low, forward slip" technique. The phrase you need to remember is "Point the airplane with the rudder, control drift with the aileron." That's it. Works like a charm. Use the rudder to keep the nose pointed straight down centerline, and use the ailerons to keep the plane from drifting right or left. If the wind isn't gusty, once you get the right combination of aileron and rudder, you land the plane with those exact control inputs. Youll naturally touch down on the upwind wheel first. As the airplane slows down, bring in more aileron to keep the airplane straight on the runway since once the nosewheel touches down the rudder will need to be centered for steering.
 
Its been my experience that pilots tend to fall into one of two categories when it comes to things like landings.Either they learn to do them safely but without any kind of finesse during private training and then never seem to think about them again, or they never stop thinking about them and are never happy with them until they're able to consistently grease the wheels on with the lightest touch imaginable.

I know guys that are in the first category. They're fine pilots and their landings are... acceptable. But only about 1 in 10 are excellent, maybe 7 in 10 are clunky but ok and those last 2 in 10 are just ugly. I would never be happy with those kinds of results but they're just fine with them. Its like they learned to land pre-solo and went ok on to the next task and never again thought about trying to improve their technique.

It sounds like you're shaping up to be in the second category and that's good. People in the second category never stop trying to improve their landing technique. They see every landing as an opportunity to do better than they did the last time. Crosswinds? They embrace crosswinds. When ATC tells you winds are 120 at 18, you can take a straight in on 4 or I can vector you around for 13, you will eagerly take 4.

But its going to take time to get there. And it likely won't happen before your private checkride. Keep doing what you're doing and accept that you will get better in time. You will have those days where you suddenly turn a corner and certain aspects start to fall into place like they never did before. You will get to the point where instead of fretting over the process, you look forward to it. Just keep doing what you're doing and give it time.
 
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