Everyone told me "Well, y'know, the first time flying from the right seat, it'll seem really weird, but it'll get easier, and sooner or later, it'll be just as easy as anything!"
I think this should be revised to: "Well, y'know, the first time flying from the right seat, it'll be like everything you know about piloting has totally evaporated, and you're an primary student again, wondering things like 'What do those things down by my feet do again?'" Yeesh.
Didn't help that I tried it first on a mildly windy/gusty day (11G15), when my instructor had canceled but I was already at the airport and wanted to give it a shot anyway. Husband-pilot sat left seat while I staggered around the pattern feeling barely hanging on. Yes, pattern work was probably not a good way to start either.
Battled competing voices in my head: One said, "Don't worry, it's a bit gusty and it's your first time sitting over here!" while the other said "11G15 is not that windy, it's something any self-respecting pilot should be able to handle, and the reason you're s#*t at this is because you're a s@!t pilot!"
Second experience, with actual instructor. Airwork first: nice and slowly-paced, doing fine. Still battling "left hand/right hand" muscle memory problems. A particularly bad one is for stall recovery, where my muscle memory is "right hand full forward!" which of course yields a nice view of a window full of trees, and my instructor saying "uhhhhh... let me demonstrate one and then let's try it again..." Then some touch and goes, which were not quite as embarrassing as with husband-pilot, but still pretty awful. Got that sensory-overload sensation, where the instructor is monologuing a constant stream of "more left rudder, more to the left..." but all I can hear is that Peanuts adult-voice going "Mwua-wua. Mwua-wua-wua..." and thinking "Gee, look at that runway getting closer!" I remember that sensation from my early private training days, when everything Seemed Just Too Much Going On. <sigh>
Apparently, although my right (throttle) hand knows the difference between a "small nudge up or down in power" and "OMG punch it!" power, my left hand has yet to learn the difference. Muscle memory is a curious thing indeed.
Next lesson in 1.5 weeks.
I think this should be revised to: "Well, y'know, the first time flying from the right seat, it'll be like everything you know about piloting has totally evaporated, and you're an primary student again, wondering things like 'What do those things down by my feet do again?'" Yeesh.
Didn't help that I tried it first on a mildly windy/gusty day (11G15), when my instructor had canceled but I was already at the airport and wanted to give it a shot anyway. Husband-pilot sat left seat while I staggered around the pattern feeling barely hanging on. Yes, pattern work was probably not a good way to start either.
Battled competing voices in my head: One said, "Don't worry, it's a bit gusty and it's your first time sitting over here!" while the other said "11G15 is not that windy, it's something any self-respecting pilot should be able to handle, and the reason you're s#*t at this is because you're a s@!t pilot!"Second experience, with actual instructor. Airwork first: nice and slowly-paced, doing fine. Still battling "left hand/right hand" muscle memory problems. A particularly bad one is for stall recovery, where my muscle memory is "right hand full forward!" which of course yields a nice view of a window full of trees, and my instructor saying "uhhhhh... let me demonstrate one and then let's try it again..." Then some touch and goes, which were not quite as embarrassing as with husband-pilot, but still pretty awful. Got that sensory-overload sensation, where the instructor is monologuing a constant stream of "more left rudder, more to the left..." but all I can hear is that Peanuts adult-voice going "Mwua-wua. Mwua-wua-wua..." and thinking "Gee, look at that runway getting closer!" I remember that sensation from my early private training days, when everything Seemed Just Too Much Going On. <sigh>
Apparently, although my right (throttle) hand knows the difference between a "small nudge up or down in power" and "OMG punch it!" power, my left hand has yet to learn the difference. Muscle memory is a curious thing indeed.
Next lesson in 1.5 weeks.
