Aprehensive about getting back in the saddle

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hyphen81

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Mar 28, 2014
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hyphen81
Hello all, new member, first post...so I've got that going for me, which is nice.

I started flight school about 10 years ago at the age of 20, and while on one of my first solo flights, entering the downwind leg of the traffic pattern at KMQY (Smyrna TN), I came within 15 feet (ish) of being hit by another student pilot who was turning crosswind to stay in the pattern after takeoff. I didn't realize what was happening until I saw him flying over my head. When I got back to KBNA (Nashville TN) which was my home airport, he was waiting at the ramp to apologize, which was nice. I did maybe 1 or 2 more short solo flights after that and then stopped.

I've never lost the desire to get back up there, and recently it became an option financially. So I got my 3rd class medical, selected an instructor at a calmer non-towered airport near me, and have been really excited about it (it's been a dream since I was a kid). I have my first flight scheduled for this Tuesday. However, the closer I get to the day, the more apprehensive I get about flying again, and I worry that I won't be prepared for situations that may/will come up.

I know a healthy fear/respect is a good thing, and I am not one to let fear stop me from doing the things I want to do, but I'm just wondering if anyone has had any kind of similar feelings/experiences and if you have any recommendations for overcoming it, and feeling comfortable flying? Maybe it will come with training and I'm over-thinking it?

Thanks in advance for any help re-assurance you can provide!
 
I've got around 10 hours and am flying regularly. Sometimes I still get a touch nervous before going up, especially if I look at the windsock and it's giving a nice crosswind.

But once the power is up on takeoff or I'm on approach, I'm too busy to care. You'll probably be the same way.
 
I've got about 30 hours in and while going up solo I still get apprehensive. It's like Anthony F. said though, once you get the power up that anxiety fades.

My anxiety I think comes from a fear of forgetting something, so I make sure I go over the pre-flight, start-up, & run-up checklists 2 or 3 times in a row to make sure I didn't miss anything.
 
Welcome to PoA!!

I would say there is nothing wrong with being a little apprehensive based on experience you had. Hopefully you learned from it and know to keep the head on a swivel at all times and especially when in the traffic pattern area. Listening closely to the radio is also important.

Enjoy the rest of your training and have fun!!
 
Yeah, I'm hoping it kind of fades away once I get back up there. I need to remember that's its been 10 years since I've flown, and it's not like I'll be soloing the first week or anything.

Good feedback about going through the checklist several times. That's a big part of it, just remembering how many really important things there are to think about at the same time, and what can happen if you forget even one of them.
 
I have a 110 hours and still get that feeling every now and then. That's part of it. Like when I raced motocross, I always had butterflies in my stomach and that made me respect what I was doing. When that feeling left, it was time to hang it up before I hurt myself.

Your CFI will cover everything with you. Don't worry about what you don't know yet, he will not sign you off unless he feels confident you know what's going on.

Relax and have fun!
 
Being aprehensive is normal. Go with a good CFI, practice your instrument and exterior scans..Take it slow and rebuild your fundamentals- remember See and Avoid.

I just got my ticket at a busy towered airport, and can definitely appreciate the value of ATC services! Its the quiet time that spooks me: Thinking hey..I am missing something/someone:lol::lol::lol:

Enjoy the ride!!! and Welcolme back!!!!
 
Thanks Randy! I definitely should've been more aware of what was going on. I remember hearing the tower asking if the other pilot saw me off his wing, and he acknowledged that he did, unfortunately he was looking off the wrong wing.....if I had been watching him I could've moved out of the way. I do think I'll be more wary in the future, so it was probably a good lesson to learn, especially since I didn't die..
 
Hyphen81,

I am a new guy on this site as well, just started training again March 1 after not having flown for 35 years. I was a senior in high school and was able to fly because of an FAA program offered by my high school.

Needless to say my approach to this is as though I never flew before, but once I was up in the air, the basics came back to a certain degree. I am in no rush to solo, or get that PPL in my hand right away. I think the journey is a big part, and I intend to enjoy it. I think you will also.

Good luck, and be safe.
 
Owad1971 said:
! Its the quiet time that spooks me: Thinking hey..I am missing something/someone:lol::lol::lol:
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hahaha I know what you mean. On my last flight in IMC I hadnt heard a peep on the radio for like 10 minutes. I had to call up center to do a radio check to make sure all was good. And it was..had me nervous for a minute!
 
The upshot is that is probably the closest you will ever come to a plane again.
That is damn close and I would guess 99% of people never come that close to another plane in the air. So statistically (My made up statistics), you have already had the closest call you will have.

But yeah, there will be some things that make you reevaluate flying at times. I am still new (160 ish hours) and I can think of 2 times where I landed and asked if I really needed to be doing this.

Then a beautiful day shows up and I start my takeoff roll and know right away the answer is a very simple: Eff yes I do!
 
I had an engine failure in a helicopter, a Hughes 300C, with only 20 hours on type as a student. We auto rotated into a horse paddock. I was glad my instructor was there. I kind of gave up flying heli's after that, although I really want to get back into it (it's so much fun).

But generally - the slight apprehension that you feel in your stomach when you're driving to the airport to go fly when you're just staring out will go away with time. After about 100hrs in any aircraft, it will be gone. Promise. Just power through it.
 
Truth is that you have to have a respect for the dangers of flying and attempt to mitigate your exposure to those risks. That being said, your one close call over 10 years ago is just that. It was something that happened and can happen again so if that makes you overly anxious then only you can decide if you can get over that.
 
Welcome to POA!

I trained for my Private at an uncontrolled airport outside of Charlotte, NC. I was nervous about towered airports, and avoided them as much as possible.

Now I fly out of a Class D airport, and after a close call at a non-towered airport, I am more nervous there!

I think the trick is to never sit there fat, dumb and happy, and ignore your scan, while on the other hand don't worry too much that everyone is out there waiting to collide with you. It's a balance, and I still have trouble shaking the other hand sometimes.
 
Thanks everyone for your helpful comments! I just wanted to follow up with you guys after my first flight tonight.

The weather was great, a slight wind from the south, and clear skies. We took up this 70's era 172, which was a little rough looking, which worried me, but the CFI said they do 100 hour inspections, so I left it at that. I flew an older 172 in school before, but I just didn't remember it being quite this beat up looking. Anyway, I chalked it up to my own paranoia, and continued on. The pre-flight checked out and she flew fine, so that's good.

I was pretty nervous for the first 20+ minutes.. I think it was mainly because I didn't communicate my expectations prior to the flight. I was expecting him to do the takeoff and that I'd take over for a while to practice turns and holding various headings and altitudes, and that he'd pick back up and land it. As it turned out I was PIC for the entire flight until basically the flare on landing. I think had I communicated better it probably would've been less nerve racking for me. Regardless, he said I did pretty good at the various maneuvers he asked me to do. I asked him how much of the landing was him and he said about 50%, so I'm pretty happy with the results after over 11 years out of the cockpit.

By the end of the flight, I was feeling more comfortable. Im going to do one more session and then probably make the decision on whether to continue or not. I was just more nervous up there then I expected to be, so it made me want to consider the decision a bit more.
 
stratobee said:
But generally - the slight apprehension that you feel in your stomach when you're driving to the airport to go fly when you're just staring out will go away with time. After about 100hrs in any aircraft, it will be gone. Promise. Just power through it.
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This has been my experience as well.

To the OP, I wonder if you might benefit from some back-seat flying. See if your instructor has any advanced students that you could tag along with. I did this during my pre-solo and it helped immensely.
 
tehmightypirate said:
This has been my experience as well.

To the OP, I wonder if you might benefit from some back-seat flying. See if your instructor has any advanced students that you could tag along with. I did this during my pre-solo and it helped immensely.
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That's a good idea...i hadn't considered that as an option. It might be good to be able to sit back and observe a bit. I'll ask about it, thanks for the idea!
 
FYI, you weren't PIC as a student with an instructor aboard.

Sounds like your instructor was pushing you. That's good unless it's excessive, but it would have been best to discuss that during the preflight briefing.
 
I got back after 41 years. Your feelings are 100% normal. I had many moments of "I can't do this" or "I'm not up to it", especially after days when my flying skills weren't perfect.

Now, I'm more passionate than ever.

Realize this: Flying can be dangerous compared to many other activities, such as driving. But it can also be very safe. Make safety your passion. Scour the web for safety training...especially "The Finer Points" by Jason Miller and Rob Machado's work.

My Advice: Just do it. Push through the fear and humiliations that go with learning. Get to the other side. I had no idea about the joy that awaited me on the other side and I suspect you'll find the same!
 
VWGhiaBob said:
Realize this: Flying can be dangerous compared to many other activities, such as driving. But it can also be very safe. Make safety your passion. Scour the web for safety training...especially "The Finer Points" by Jason Miller and Rob Machado's work.

My Advice: Just do it. Push through the fear and humiliations that go with learning. Get to the other side. I had no idea about the joy that awaited me on the other side and I suspect you'll find the same!
Click to expand...

:yeahthat:
 
@makg1 - my bad on the incorrect use of terminology, thanks for the heads up :).

It didn't feel like excessive pushing, but it definitely bumped up against my limits for the first 20 minutes or so.

I think I'm about 90% sure I'm going to push through the nerves and go for it. Even after the first 20 minutes of flying I started to settle in, so after I get some time under my belt, it should be all good.


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@VWGhiaBob - wow, I think you just sealed the deal for me:). I thought I must not be cut out for this, because during those first 20 minutes I wanted nothing more than to be on the ground (and was pretty sure at any moment I might end up on the ground without any warning). At one point I was dumbfounded by the fact that I had ever flown solo...it's extremely comforting to know that I'm not alone in those initial feelings, and that I can push through them.

I'm all in, so y'all can expect a lot of dumb questions from me! :)


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Hey Jon, I think a lot of us feel the way VWGhiaBob does, promise. We wouldn't be here if not. I'm new here too but I'll share my thoughts.

Hopefully you have an instructor you can talk to; one with whom you can share your concern. Ask to go slowly or just take a joy ride, no maneuvers. If he/she refuses, seek another instructor that will listen to you. I'll bet there are pilots here that can point you to someone else if that issue comes up.

As for butterflies pre-flight, after my PPL was finished I bought a C-150 with a partner and started flying the heck out of it. Every time I would near the airport I'd start feeling nervous. Reflecting on it, it was because it was all new to me!

I'm on my second plane now and about 1100 hours and it doesn't happen anymore. The nervousness is replaced with anticipation for what I'm about to do. Do boat or RV owners feel this way? Mountain climbers and motorcycle riders maybe?

What I learned was that I was responsible for safety. That helped make the anxiousness fade. There's a lot to learn and I'll spend the rest of my aviating days learning something new each time I fly and many times in between.

Good luck, hope it works out for you.
 
Jon, I got my PPL in 1962 and stopped flying in 1965 to go racing (money) I just started up again and it is just like riding a bike as far as the flying goes. I have to get up to speed with ATC and that is going well. I am going to do my BFR next week and then my CFI says she will cut me loose. A little apprehension is good, it keeps you on your toes. Enjoy it and have fun with it.
 
For what's its worth I recently started working toward my flight review after 10 years of not flying. Over the last two weeks I now have 3 hours of flight time and I still get nervous flying and telling myself can I really do this again. I also realize over time my confidence will come back and I just power through the nerves and uncertainty.

Best of luck.
 
Just to jump in here as well, I got a commercial license in 1973, then had to stop to focus on a career with a more stable financial future in order to raise a family. Decided to "get current" again after 39 years away from flying. Armed with a new medical, lots of studying and then 9 hours of dual I finally flew solo again last week. The first 4 hours of dual were overwhelming as I felt I was behind the airplane and unable to keep up with tower communications. Things started to get better and then the fun returned with some decent landings and a short cross country with the CFI. Now I'm looking forward to getting really back in the swing of things!
 
Thank you to everyone who has chimed in on this thread, it's made me much more comfortable with things, and I'm actually looking forward to completing my PPL! I know there will still be a lot of moments of feeling overwhelmed, but I'm ready to push through and make it happen. It's been really good to hear others have had similar thoughts, and to know I'm not the only one.


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