Back to flying after long hiatus

J

JMarttn

Filing Flight Plan
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Jun 3, 2012
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Jeff
Hi everyone,

I am new to the forum. This is my first post here.

I recently returned to flying after 9 years or so. I have a Private Pilot lic. w/ Instrument rating. I recently did a flight review and did very well on it. The instructor didn't have to intervene at any point during the flight. My problem is now with self-confidence. Because I haven't flown in so long that I am nervous as hell about going up alone again. Like I said, my review was good, I passed and did everything with hardly any assistance.

I thought about going out and just staying in the pattern a few times, doing pattern work. Then time after that, go flying to a nearby airport, doing pattern work there. Then picking a field 50 miles away and doing a cross country that way. Slowly branching out to a field far far away.

I realize this is just a self confidence issue most likely, and maybe I should just get over it and go...I'm just curious what others have done, and maybe whether I should spend more time with an instructor...as a confidence builder?
 
Welcome to POA.

I just returned to flying after 9 months off and finishing my first flight review. Not quite the same duration by far, but the issues are the same. I did 3 hours of dual with my instructor even though I got signed off after half of that. I used the time to get comfortable with all phases of flight as well as work on some basic skills which I thought had dulled.

Going to try and solo this weekend again and land at a nearby (<50 miles) airport that I've visited before and come back. I just fly for myself so I don't see any reason in rushing. That includes getting more instruction time whenever I feel like. I'm thinking of booking some more later to work more on emergency approaches and procedures. I won't be any less of a pilot for it.
 
There's nothing wrong with riding with an instructor, or a sympathic fellow pilot, a few more times just to get firmly back in the saddle.
 
Did the same thing a few years back. Flew with a CFI for a while, then grabbed a copy of the Private Pilot PTS and made sure I could do everything in it, solo... it was all there in my head, just a little practice to "find" it all again.
 
Welcome back. I'm scheduled for my first occasion to log PIC tomorrow in over 18months (w/CFI, of course).
 
Thanks for the input everyone. I think it would be a good idea to get a CFI to go along with me a few more times. It would certainly get me back in the groove, and this was my gut feeling too. I just needed to hear it from someone else to reinforce my general feelings about it.
 
Jeff-

That uncertainty is there to keep you alive. I bet you are fine, but if you feel like you need some more dual time, that's great, too, because we can all use some time with a good instructor.

But isn't it great to be back in the air?
 
Jeff,
Welcome to PoA!

As others have said, just because you're legal to fly without a CFI or another pilot, doesn't mean you must fly without the! Take a CFI with you on a nice cross-country and stretch your wings a bit. Ask them to not intervene unless they need to for safety, but to give you coaching. It'll improve your confidence and your technique!
 
Welcome to the board, and welcome back to flying!
Don't worry about your worrying... I had the same feeling after about 4 years on the ground; felt pretty confident during the review, but I was actually scared behind the controls for the first time ever when I made that solo takeoff afterwards. But it wore off after the first landing.
 
I might be a contender for some sort of record as I stopped flying for 34 years! Got my PPL in 1976 and let myself get talked out of finishing my CPL, etc. Started again in 2010.

For me, it is about making up for lost time by intensive practice and study. Being active on this board helps, too. I stopped with 75 hours and have about 350 now, mostly practice.

It is all about practice. Practice with a CFI to start with then continue on your own. If some aspect of flying makes you nervous, practice more.
 
Yep, there is nothing wrong with taking a CFI or safety pilot with you flying. I am sure he'll just sit there with his arms folded, but it can't hurt, and will help your confidence as you build time.
 
I hear Spike likes having Greg in the back seat for his re-currency flights. ;) (ducking...)
 
Jeff,

Where are you located? Maybe a fellow POA member can acompany you on a few flights for a $100 cheeseburger and give you some piece of mind having someone there. Or meet other pilots in your area make friends and fly with others. Or look up your local EAA chapter and join and meet more flying peeps... Or a club...

Marc
 
I fly out of Smyrna, TN. (KMQY) I appreciate the great input from everyone. I wish this was around during my flight lessons back in the day!

I did work line service part time and one of the things I miss was being able to share flight time with a couple of friends I worked with. The $100 hamburger - flying one leg of the trip, and riding along on the other, just observing and watching the view.
 
Going with an instructor is fine, as long as the instructor is willing to say "Enough -- go fly by yourself" and you are willing to listen.
 
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