Any advice for a fresh new student pilot..?

[Gio Paolinelli]

Hi everyone and thank you for reading this post.

I want to share a bit of backstory first to lay the context and give y'all a bit more of insight.

When I met my husband, he swore he was not going to fly anywhere. He would walk, drive, hitchhike, ride a donkey, swim or take a boat to his destination. He developed a fear of flying since he was 16 and was forced to fly due to work with terrible consequences to his emotional health.

Fast forward some years and we live far from our hometowns, and I have to travel back for a couple of weeks. He agrees to come with me with the condition that he gets medication from his doctor to ease the anxiety. A pilot friend suggests to him that he tries X-plane to see if that helps. It actually did and he got so hooked on it. We make it to our flight, he does pretty well on the way there and excellent on the way back. When we get home, he confesses that before his phobia, he wanted to be a pilot but discarded the idea later. Now he was ready to go for a discovery flight.

He goes through the training with flying colors because at home he cannot stop practicing with his home-brewed simulator (we can talk about that later) and he is ready to get his solo flight. His CFI also kicked butt. But around the same time, we get bad news from the doctor: due to medical reasons he is not able to pass the medical test. He has been crushed about it but has managed to find ways to fly as much as he can with his CFI, but the possibility of him getting his license is very remote or will take a long time.

Here is where I come in the picture. I get the training and I get the license so he doesn't have to depend on hiring another pilot.

I've joined him on some of the flights (the cross-country ones that involve a lunch spot) and I enjoy the experience but I never really had the desire to learn to fly. I was terrified in my discovery flight but it was not a paralyzing fear. The CFI said he saw a lot of potential which made me feel good. I also see his passion and want to help him as much as possible to achieve his dream.

Do you have any advice for me? I feel I can overcome my fears and enjoy the experience of learning how to fly, but any encouragement from experts like you will be appreciated.

 

[RyanB]

I get the training and I get the license so he doesn't have to depend on hiring another pilot.

It sounds like you're pondering the idea of being his CFI, is that correct? This can be done, but it will take a considerable amount of time and money.

You would need to receive:
Private Pilot Certificate
Instrument Rating
Commercial Single
Then add on the CFI rating

Flying is like riding a bike or learning any other new motor skill. What seems frightening at first, becomes second nature with experience and training. Even if you never became a CFI, you could simply earn your Private Pilot Certificate and fly the hubby around as your passenger.

Best of luck to you and the hubby!

 

[Shawn]

It sounds like you're pondering the idea of being his CFI, is that correct?

No sounds like he wants her to get her PPL and be legal PIC so he can still fly is how I read it.

Absolute recipe for disaster IMO based on your description of your feelings about flying.

My CFI had a student that he was training concurrently to me. It was a wife of a hubby who had lost his medical was pressuring her to get her PPL so he could still fly and she sounded a lot like you. CFI ended up firing her as his student as it was turing out to be a dangerous situation that he did not want his cert on the line for in signing her off as she was in it for all the wrong reasons and it showed.

Was his medical DENIED or was he just advised that he would not pass? If it is the latter have him go for his Sport Pilots License. If he failed the medical he is fubared for that option.

 

[FlightofTwo]

I think you're awesome for even thinking about it.

I have had a lot of students over the years who started off with fears, but really wanted to do it anyway. One student in particular I had would shake like a leaf for the first 10 hours. I never understood why they would want to keep coming back, but not only did they keep coming back, they got their certificate, and went on to be a really good pilot.

This is a really big commitment. If you're willing to give it a shot, you could always start in as the student and not just a passenger, give it some flights and see what you think. Being a pilot is a hard thing to accomplish if a person doesn't really want it for themselves. You may take some lessons and find out that the thought of doing all the training, then a written exam, an oral exam, and a flight exam is just more than you're willing to do---or you may very well take some lessons and realize that you've got this, that you can do it, and that you really actually do enjoy it and will love doing it with your husband.

My husband and I fly together, both of us are pilots, and it's something we both enjoy doing together, very much.

Good luck!

 

[TRocket]

He would walk, drive, hitchhike, ride a donkey, swim or take a boat to his destination....

That really made me laugh. For starters, I think it is really cool what are willing to do for him. Getting your ticket is not exactly a walk in the park, being willing to do it for someone else is pretty selfless in my opinion. No one on here can tell you to go through with this or not to, and if they do, they are an arrogant fool. There are a lot of pilots out there that are more than capable, but do to the medical rules are DQ'd. If you feel it is worth the time, effort and money (all of which will be required), I say go for it. It's a good life accomplishment, you can help him with his dreams, and to be honest, if you get the ticket, and he really is up to par just has issues passing the medical, you can technically be the PIC, let him do what makes him happy, and do a big part to facilitate it. If you are willing to put in the time and effort for this, I don't see a reason not to.

 

[denverpilot]

Some fear is natural at doing something unnatural (flying).

I can't answer the relationship questions posed, but many people have a healthy fear, or at least cautiousness, when they first start flying.

Learning about how it all works is a big part of the process, besides applying it via technique and actually controlling the aircraft.

It's quite likely you'd make a fine pilot and would learn what's really going on and feel quite comfortable in that Pilot In Command seat after you get further into the process. Whether you'd enjoy it or not, is another matter.

Many people do after they fully understand the aerodynamics and what is really going on. They relax a bit and start enjoying it. Some never do, so it's hard to tell from here.

That said, to get to that point where you are qualified to be Pilot In Command with passengers aboard, requires a considerable amount of time and money, and only you can decide if that's worth it to you.

I think it's nice of you to both be looking into it and asking questions. As someone else above said, we'd be fools to state whether or not you'll ever like it.

The instructor is there both to make sure you learn all you need to know, and also for your safety while learning, so if you have the time and money resources, and feel like dedicating both, you can start working with them both on the ground and in the airplane to learn more about it and see if the apprehension subsides a bit as you learn.

One very important concept to understand early on in this scenario, because there's a dangerous problem brewing here if it's not clearly defined up front... is that if you pursue your certificate and earn it, YOU are Pilot in Command (Have you noticed I've repeated that concept three times now? That's not a mistake.)

If you're allowing your husband to manipulate the controls as a passenger, there's still a distinct line there, and he must respect that you are PIC. Whatever you say, goes, in that airplane.

He can be God's own gift to flying and you may trust him completely when allowing him to manipulate the controls, but you are 100% responsible for the successful outcome of the flight, always, if he isn't rated.

Make sure that if you're willing to "help" him that you're not relinquishing command of the aircraft. Make this very clear from Day One. If you go through with this, YOU are the pilot.

If you're not willing to be Pilot In Command, then stop and go no further. You must be willing to perform the duty of someone entrusted to take other people who are not rated to do so, aloft, and return them to earth safely. Whether that's your husband, or just the examiner on checkride day, you... and only you... are PIC if you do this and earn the certificate.

There's my thoughts.

To summarize:

I think you'll maybe enjoy it more after some more ground school and taking that mental knowledge and applying it to the physical act of flying.

I think also you need to be careful and honest about whether or not you want to be responsible for your life and your passenger's lives. You are never truly just a passenger ever again, even if your husband is manipulating the controls. You end up the final say on anything related to the flight.

Fair enough?

 

[Art VanDelay]

I recommend you buy a Cirrus.

 

[GeorgeC]

Do you have any advice for me? I feel I can overcome my fears and enjoy the experience of learning how to fly, but any encouragement from experts like you will be appreciated.

Learn about the medical and its implications before you start training.

 

[wrbix]

Work harder on his getting his Medical. Likely to be more time-efficient and less expensive in the long run.

Appreciate your commitment to your spouse, but question your commitment to avation, and it can be all-consuming.

 

[Vance Breese]

You seem articulate, intelligent and introspective.

You may find more satisfaction in the accomplishment of becoming a private pilot than you anticipate.

It is a big commitment of time and energy and most people do not successfully complete the path to private pilot.

Being pilot in command is more than just knowing how to manipulate the controls and talk on the radio.

There is risk in flying.

I hope you make the commitment to become a safe pilot.

 

[Gio Paolinelli]

No sounds like he wants her to get her PPL and be legal PIC so he can still fly is how I read it.

Absolute recipe for disaster IMO based on your description of your feelings about flying.

Was his medical DENIED or was he just advised that he would not pass? If it is the latter have him go for his Sport Pilots License. If he failed the medical he is fubared for that option.

He has been denied. He researched and got orientation from some experts and tried his best (without getting on the FFA's bad side) but still.

I really don't feel pressured. No one is really forcing me. I just never visualized it for myself until now, specially when being raised on a country that doesn't make it that easy for a civilian to learn how to fly...

 

[Gio Paolinelli]

Work harder on his getting his Medical. Likely to be more time-efficient and less expensive in the long run.

Appreciate your commitment to your spouse, but question your commitment to avation, and it can be all-consuming.

We are working on it. There is hope to re-apply in the next 3-5 years. My priority was to get to the bottom of his illness, although he says he should have waited just a couple of weeks before going to the doctor (but then he would have still have to report it to the FAA).

And I think that is an excellent point about the commitment. I am fully aware this is something you can you half-way or unwilling.

 

[Rykymus]

Friends of mine had the same situation. He got diabetes and lost his medical. She never had any interest in learning to fly, but got her PPL so that he could continue to fly. She got hooked, and even got her instrument rating. They flew their little plane together all over the US, probably for about 20 years, before they decided they wanted to sell their plane and get an RV instead.

Take a few lessons and see how you like it. I'd be surprised if you didn't get hooked yourself.