First flight today - thoughts, nervousness, etc

CC268

CC268

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CC268
Hey guys,

I had my first flight today - it was awesome. I was a bit nervous sitting in the 172 initially - I thought to myself "wow there sure isn't much to this thing/hope the motor doesn't fail on take off/etc". I was surprised how my nervousness actually stopped (for the most part) once we started taxiing and flying.

I guess in the back of my mind I am always thinking about bad situations like losing your engine, bad turbulence, etc - but I don't want those things to stop me from flying. Did you guys think about these things too when you first started flying?

I actually read an older thread on here about general aviation safety - it wasn't very encouraging haha - there was quite a few people on here who weren't afraid to voice the fact that GA is risky, dangerous, etc.

Anyways...I try not to dwell on the fact that flying is risky - I grew up racing motocross and that was risky as well and I had my fair share of injuries, but I tried not to let that get in the way.

Anyways, it was a blast, hopefully my thread doesn't come off as being negative, just thought I would share some of these thoughts.

I fly again on Wednesday after work - looking forward to it.

Edit: Oh one additional thing - maybe I can get some thoughts/opinions on this. My instructor has 1200 hours - basically all in Cirrus, 172s, Archers, etc...no tail wheel time (not that it is a concern of mine). Is there a way to gauge how "safe/qualified" your instructor is?
 
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That's why we train for engine failures. They will happen and we have procedures put in place. It's important to give a good, thorough before takeoff briefing. Good luck on the rest of your training!
 
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Congratulations!

None of us can say that flying is without risk. That said, the thing that I love about aviation is that a lot of the risk is within your control. If you have adequate fuel in the plane, if you choose to fly in weather/conditions that exceed your capabilities, if you perform a rigorous preflight and you practice emergency situations you have gone a long way to controlling your own fate.

Continue to have a healthy respect for safety and you'll do just fine.
 
Meh, don't worry about it, you're far more likely to be killed in your car or from a poor diet.

All jokes aside, glad you had a good experience, and frankly the more you get to know about about flying, the safer you'll find it.


Blue skies
 
One thing I have been thankful for in flying is that once the airplane is moving, you are generally too busy to think or worry about anything other than flying (or taxiing).
 
Flying has its risks, like everything. You train and practice so you can mitigate those risks. Much of the training involves making decisions before you fly, the "GO/NO-GO" decision, that allows you to nip excess risk in the bud. You'll learn how to judge the weather, winds, fuel consumption, and your own abilities and decide if everything is within limits.

As far as determining the "quality" of your CFI: talk to him, interview him. You are the employer. Think seriously about your personal strengths and weaknesses in how you learn. What is your learning style? Then discuss with the CFI about his teaching style and see how well they match.
 
...My instructor has 1200 hours - basically all in Cirrus, 172s, Archers, etc...no tail wheel time (not that it is a concern of mine). Is there a way to gauge how "safe/qualified" your instructor is?
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That's about 900 more than mine had at the time. Only way to "gauge" how safe/qualified your instructor is, is to talk to their previous students or if you don't have that luxury, just fly and talk with him/her. Besides, its YOUR definition of "safe and qualified" that you need, not someone else's.

Learn your emergency procedures so you can do them in your sleep and recite them at the drop of a hat. Knowing what to do in a bad situation is more than half the battle of getting out of it.

Have fun and ask questions a LOT of questions.
 
Matthew said:
As far as determining the "quality" of your CFI: talk to him, interview him. You are the employer. Think seriously about your personal strengths and weaknesses in how you learn. What is your learning style? Then discuss with the CFI about his teaching style and see how well they match.
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:yeahthat: Especially how well learning and teaching styles match up.

And if it ever starts to go wrong, do not be afraid to switch instructors. Since this is your money and time, it pays off to switch to a better instructor for you if the current isn't working out.

One tip on instructors, bonus points for them if they work off of a written syllabus and use that to keep track of your progress. Major point deductions for those who don't. Without the instructor charting your progress, it's difficult for both of you to keep up with what is done, what's been done to the PTS, and what needs improvement.

Recording of your progress also helps you in your preparation for the next lesson. And to make sure you're moving along in a steady fashion with minimal backtracking.
 
congrats! my cfi had 600 hours and I was his first student.
 
My first flight was in an older Cessna 150. I was totally amazed that little thing could actually fly around in the air!
 
Glad you had a blast.

You should be able to tell within a few lessons whether your instructor is a good one and whether you two actually click. (sometimes even though the instructor is a great one, his personality might not click with the student)

Also, glad you are thinking about possible emergency scenarios. Don't let those thoughts cloud your flying or keep you from doing more important tasks. OTOH, do not dismiss them either. It is not a bad idea to have one's safety on their mind at all times.
Question "If my engine quits on takeoff, where can I land?" should NOT be answered as it happens, that's too late.
Similarly, flying along in cruise on a long boring trip, I keep track of all airports within gliding distance, even the ones behind me. I constantly look for open pastures etc.

Now go out there and fly!! :)
 
CC268 said:
...I actually read an older thread on here about general aviation safety - it wasn't very encouraging haha - there was quite a few people on here who weren't afraid to voice the fact that GA is risky, dangerous, etc....
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so is driving to the airport. be thorough, don't rush anything...to paraphrase my first flight instructor...'nothing good comes from being in a hurry'. relax and enjoy.
 
The two things I worry about are running into another airplane and catching on fire. You can deal with about anything else that happens as long as you keep your head and do what you have been trained to do.
 
I started worrying about stuff on my second flight. I stopped worrying immediately after my first simulated engine out, which was a few hours later. Sure, the risk is still there, but now I recognize how to manage it.
 
Glad to hear you started flight lessons. Take good notes, and start a journal with entries after each flight. Write down the things that you learned and the things that give you trouble. You'll be taking your check ride before you know it!
 
I'm a student pilot with just over 30 hrs. Engine failure is about the only thing I worry about and the reason I pay particular attention to airport size as viewed while flying over. If I know what a 3000' strip looks like at altitude I can more easily assess suitable off field landing sites (less than 1/3 that length is all you need).

I feel confident I could land safely should I ever have engine failure during daylight. At night all bets are off and I'm not sure how much night flying I'll do after I get my ticket.

One thing you may not know yet (I didn't when I 1st started). A Cessna 172 will glide a l o n g way from 6000' at 70 kts. That gives you plenty of time to goto the gps and find the database of nearest airports. If you fly in an area like me (central NC) you will likely be within gliding range on most journeys. The Charlotte sectional is literally littered with dozens and dozens of airports.

My cfi has had 2 off field landings. 2 lessons ago some unforecasted weather moved in. Everything was fine til the last 5 minutes. He saw some clouds he didn't like and took over. When we checked the winds just before landing it was 3mph gusting to 17. We kept a lot of altitude and came down fast and steep. We floated forever and got one good gust but he greased that sucker on one wheel. Afterwards he told me he stayed ready to go around and divert to another field if anything looked dangerous. He is almost overly cautious and that was the 2nd time I witnessed his immense skills. I trust him completely.
 
Some people naturally worry, whether a lot or a little. A little worry will serve to remind you to keep current, make good weather decisions, and otherwise serve you well over the long haul.

It's when you completely stop worrying that you may have a problem.
 
When I went for my first C172 flight, I was exited. I had wanted to fly for almost 30 years at that point. When we lined up on the runway and the instructor had me get on the controls, I was nervous and wondered if the thing I was sitting in would even lift off the ground by the end of the 6500' runway. I was very relieved that it did, but I was unable to get rid of that feeling for the rest of the flight. When we landed, he asked what I thought and I said, "that has to be the scariest thing I have ever done." Not sure why, but every once in a while that feeling comes back when I am about to take off, usually it disappears about the time I push the throttle in.
 
Thanks for all the comments, tips, etc guys!
 
Night and day LuisO. Explains it perfectly.
 
Did my first landing yesterday - wasn't too shabby - what a blast!
 
CC268 said:
Did my first landing yesterday - wasn't too shabby - what a blast!
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They'll get 'shabbier' and then 'unshabbier' as you progress. :hairraise:

Nah just enjoy the journey and don't get discouraged. Great time of the year to be flying. :wink2::D
 
Just remember. Everyone started right where you are at. I didn't find out until much later. I was my instructors first student! I think he had less than 500 hrs. Had him all the way thru ppl.
 
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