Burnout

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WYOPILOT21

Filing Flight Plan
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WYOPILOT21
Has anyone experienced burnout during training (accelerated IFR-CFI), and how did you get through the slump? I feel like I don’t fly for fun ever anymore, it’s all flying to a syllabus. Keeping the end goal in my view but just trying to see what other pilots have experienced in their journey and if any advice.
 
Go out and do some burnouts if have something do it in. It can be lot's of fun.
 
Every career worth having involved some parts no one likes. So this is just natural and not just for pilots. Since I don’t fly for a job my point of view is from other industries, but I think it applies.

You’ll see it again later on in any career. There’s school/training part, then the first paying job which more than not is still paying your dues. It gets better later on, but you’ll never get away from it being a chore sometimes no matter where you get to I think.

As for how to get through it. Sometimes you just have to suck it up. I remember having to read the same part of my text books 3-5 times to really understand something in undergrad. And there was just no easier way in some cases.

You could be stubborn and do it because you said you’d do it. Or you keep your eyes on the goal and motivate yourself that way.

It is also important not to stress too much. Worrying, getting emotional doesn’t help.
 
I don’t think you know what burnout really means. Take a two week break from flying, unplug and relax.

Flying is the epitome of continuous learning and a career is likely to involve a lot of formal learning and evaluation in it. If that’s not your cup of tea then no harm, no foul.
 
Had a buddy who recently went to the regionals.
He progressed from PPL to CFI within about a year, then flew with students and other pilots to get his needed hours.
Then into training for the regionals.
I'd get occasional phone calls with many cuss words about how much he never wanted to see another airplane, and once he called saying he cried.
Now that it's over, he's enjoying flying much more again.
 
Skyrys62 said:
Had a buddy who recently went to the regionals.
He progressed from PPL to CFI within about a year, then flew with students and other pilots to get his needed hours.
Then into training for the regionals.
I'd get occasional phone calls with many cuss words about how much he never wanted to see another airplane, and once he called saying he cried.
Now that it's over, he's enjoying flying much more again.
Click to expand...

now that what's over?
 
I love the flying, studying, constant learning, challenging myself, and often am nervous to step up to the next level. I absolutely love flying for money. My boss hands me the keys to his jet and says go from A to B at this specified time. I get to figure out the rest and make it happen. 135 charter operation.

I can’t relate to 141 as I trained 61. I set goals for myself at each stage and busted butt to get it done. I haven’t experienced anything else like this in my life. I hope you keep going. Get motivated, set goals, learn, excel.
 
Skyrys62 said:
The nonstop push to get to the airlines.
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The push never ends:
even at the airlines you’re pushing for more hours, a bigger paycheck, a better base, more weekends off, holidays off, summer vacation, a better seat, a bigger airframe.
And come contract time you’re pushing for better work rules, a better quality of life.
The push never ends.
 
I'm sure that's true. It seems to be for a lot of jobs.
For him, he was able to finally quit his other full time job as an account manager of a transportation company, get some days off where he wasn't trying to build hours and actually enjoy life a little. He's also still sort of in the honeymoon phase at this point, so it may be temporary, but our last conversation a couple weeks ago, he said he was enjoying it.
He also has another goal he's chasing, which is to fly for UPS.
So building hours, experience, etc., is all just part of the job now. He can rush that if he chooses or not. I'm guessing he'll need some bigger iron with the majors before that happens, but I don't know.
He did say that he felt making captain should be easier than ever in this day and age.
 
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NorthEast Ohio said:
The push never ends:
even at the airlines you’re pushing for more hours, a bigger paycheck, a better base, more weekends off, holidays off, summer vacation, a better seat, a bigger airframe.
And come contract time you’re pushing for better work rules, a better quality of life.
The push never ends.
Click to expand...

I’d argue the push ends when you finish initial training at the airline you wish to retire at. Sure, you can relentlessly chase a bigger paycheck or you can move to domicile, bid reserve, and get paid for mostly sitting at home and occasionally flying.
 
WYOPILOT21 said:
Has anyone experienced burnout during training (accelerated IFR-CFI), and how did you get through the slump? I feel like I don’t fly for fun ever anymore, it’s all flying to a syllabus. Keeping the end goal in my view but just trying to see what other pilots have experienced in their journey and if any advice.
Click to expand...

In accelerated training, it's seldom "burnout" can be avoided. It is what it is - and it's what one signs up for when beginning that arc.
 
I'm a newb to POA and finally, after over 40yrs of waiting, took my first official flying lesson in a Cessna 170 seeking a 3rd Class PPL. This, after casual in-air stick time (~1000hrs) over those 40 yrs and many times that on flight sims. I hope to never feel burnout and want to be in the air as much as I can (spend).
 
BMan said:
I'm a newb to POA and finally, after over 40yrs of waiting, took my first official flying lesson in a Cessna 170 seeking a 3rd Class PPL. This, after casual in-air stick time (~1000hrs) over those 40 yrs and many times that on flight sims. I hope to never feel burnout and want to be in the air as much as I can (spend).
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A Cessna 170, really?

There's no such thing as a 3rd Class PPL. There is a third-class medical certificate that many private pilots hold.
 
Gilbert Buettner said:
A Cessna 170, really?

There's no such thing as a 3rd Class PPL. There is a third-class medical certificate that many private pilots hold.
Click to expand...
Yes, a 1948 170, std wheels, not a STOL setup, and I was in absolute heaven; like driving an old Jeep. A friend has a 170 and directed me to a flight school that focuses on stick & rudder flying. Sorry, I missed a comma in there re 3rd class (med), PPL. The point was I'm not pursuing an aviation career so did the 3rd class exam. (Yeah I was white knuckling in the choppy air).

IMG_0404.jpg
 
I am jealous. I have a tailwheel endorsement, but not a lot of time with conventional gear. (Mostly on skis, but that's cheating.) Good luck with your training. Fly every day you can!
 
BMan said:
Yes, a 1948 170, std wheels, not a STOL setup, and I was in absolute heaven; like driving an old Jeep. A friend has a 170 and directed me to a flight school that focuses on stick & rudder flying. Sorry, I missed a comma in there re 3rd class (med), PPL. The point was I'm not pursuing an aviation career so did the 3rd class exam. (Yeah I was white knuckling in the choppy air).

View attachment 119584
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Good to see you in front of a camera! Good luck on the training.

Brett is also an EAA Photographer with me at Oshkosh!
 
As others have said, if you have the time and budget, go fly VFR for fun.

I was lucky enough to be able to do a tailwheel endorsement and IFR simultaneously. In the early morning we would go fly approaches (in an Arrow), and in the afternoon take out the Citabria and do tailwheel training. I had a private instructor (a friend) and we both had flexible schedules and ready access to aircraft. I found that even though I was pushing hard on the IFR that the answer for potential burnout was... more flying! Those were some of the best years of my training.

Later I did multi-engine and aerobatics (in a BE76 and Decathalon) at the same time. That wasn't such a good idea :) Ended up postponing the aero a bit.
 
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