Is there a light somewhere???

[lprellwitz]

In need of some perspective here... had a rough instrument training day today.

Grant and I have been working on the instrument rating for about the same amount of time, though my work schedule hasn't allowed me to fly as consistently as he has; for the last couple of months, the job has left me feeling like a demented hamster spinning on her little wheel, right down to the water bottle and lettuce (salad) in her cage;er, I mean office....... too fried to fly after 12-13 hours of that every day.

So, August rolls around, and I'm finally both in town and free for a couple of weekends to train - yay! I pack my available time with lessons, wanting to get the rust off and pick up where I left off -hadn't flown with my instructor in about 2 months. Flew friday, saturday and today. Friday and Saturday go fairly well; not perfect, but pretty solid; some things to work on that I know are historical weak spots for me, fair enough.

I go out today, and nothing's working well - needles don't hold, the concept of a descent angle seems completely foreign, and the 182 that I love to fly suddenly seems like too much airplane. Have a break and talk with my instructor, and we're thinking that I should divide my training between instrument work in the 172, and add a bit of 182 time here and there for currency.


I plan to take the instrument checkride in a 172, so that makes some sense, but it still feels like this huge setback. I'm happy that Grant's ready for his checkride, but I'm frustrated at my apparent regression here. Still need to do the 250 (had to cancel the earlier try due to icing potential - gives you a sense of how long ago that was), but I have the XC PIC time, written was done long ago, to the point of polishing up maneuvers now - can someone tell me why this instrument training suddenly seems so hard to someone who's flown up around mountains, landed on beaches and done low passes to buzz sheep off the runway????!?!!? Aaaarrrrgggghhh!!!!


Thanks, Leslie

 

[markb5900]

I would fly the plane you plan on taking the checkride in and totally IGNORE someone elses progress or lack of progress.
We all learn at different rates and the way information is presented to us can make a big difference in how we learn it.
Once you get the rating and don't fly instruments for a time, you will see how your skills have gone down hill, as a student they are going to go down even faster.
DON"T worry about it and fly as much as you can!

Mark B.

 

[Steve]

It''s easy to be hard on yourself when you have high expectations. You start over-correcting trying to keep everything centered and that only makes things worse. Practice and patience are the cure.

It's a lot like the phrase "use the force, luke" where you get to the point where you anticipate and make minute adjustments to stay on top of the variations rather than observing a deviation, arresting further divergence, and then correcting back to desired conditions, which involve three separate actions for each variable you scan the instruments for, very time consuming and can easily get you behind the plane.

Now if only I could fly like I talk...

 

[Everskyward]

can someone tell me why this instrument training suddenly seems so hard to someone who's flown up around mountains, landed on beaches and done low passes to buzz sheep off the runway????!?!!? Aaaarrrrgggghhh!!!!

Hey, don't be so hard on yourself! Everyone has good days and bad days.

These things that you mention are all done visually and really don't have much in common with flying instruments. Just because you are current and proficient at one kind of flying doesn't mean that it carries over to something else. I have been humbled many times by thinking that ought to be true.

I also agree with Mark that you shouldn't try to compare yourself to a spouse, SO, friend or whomever. I know from personal experience that this is hard to do, especially if you tend to be even a little bit competitive.

 

[bbchien]

Nevermind Grant. When your plate is overflowing, everything is too much. Learning plateaus are normal.

You WILL get there Bruce

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

but I have the XC PIC time, written was done long ago, to the point of polishing up maneuvers now - can someone tell me why this instrument training suddenly seems so hard to someone who's flown up around mountains, landed on beaches and done low passes to buzz sheep off the runway????!?!!? Aaaarrrrgggghhh!!!!


Thanks, Leslie

IFR flying PIC is just a whole nuther ballgame ...all those numbers whizzing around all the time. It's not more difficult, just different, and I'd say more constant work for the PIC overall.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

In need of some perspective here... had a rough instrument training day today.

Congrats, Leslie - You've just proven that you are in fact a human being. Instrument flying is tough stuff.

though my work schedule hasn't allowed me to fly as consistently as he has;

And that makes a huge difference.

I had to take some semi-lengthy breaks too. I'd gotten pretty darn close to a checkride before the first one, and I basically had to start over.

For a while, I flew like mad whenever possible, even if I didn't want to fly. Every free moment. I had some things scheduled that were going to prevent me from flying for about 6 weeks and I wanted to get the checkride done before that. Unfortunately, I didn't. However, my instructor said that he thought I'd gotten to the point where it wouldn't matter. Sure enough, weeks later my basic attitude instrument flying was pretty solid on the first flight out of the gate. It still took quite a while to get the rating after that.

Don't be in a hurry. It'll come, and frankly the more time you get with the CFII the better off you'll be anyway. Repeat after me: This isn't a race. This isn't a race. This isn't a race. Besides, you need to let Grant finish first this time anyway.

and the 182 that I love to fly suddenly seems like too much airplane. Have a break and talk with my instructor, and we're thinking that I should divide my training between instrument work in the 172, and add a bit of 182 time here and there for currency.

I love to fly my 182 also, but your CFII is absolutely right. I did most of my IR training in an Archer, and when it went down with a major engine problem I switched to the 182 rather than the other Archer. As much as I'd flown the 182 and as much as I like it, it was too much airplane too close to the ride. I actually ended up renting an Archer rather than finishing in the club 182.

 

[Diana]

In need of some perspective here... had a rough instrument training day today.

I remember having days like that in my instrument training.

I go out today, and nothing's working well -

I still have days like that with my flying. It seems to show more when it comes to the kind of flying when you have to be even more focused and precise, like instrument flying or aerobatics. I have gone up intending to do every kind of maneuver my Citabria can do, but have come back after just doing one simple roll when I felt like I wasn't putting it all together good enough for even that maneuver. When I try to analyze why I have days like that, if I can't come up with a good reason, I just chalk it up to biorhythms.

Have a break and talk with my instructor, and we're thinking that I should divide my training between instrument work in the 172, and add a bit of 182 time here and there for currency.

That sounds like a good plan. It would have been hard for me to switch back and forth at that stage too.

I plan to take the instrument checkride in a 172, so that makes some sense, but it still feels like this huge setback. I'm happy that Grant's ready for his checkride, but I'm frustrated at my apparent regression here.

Leslie, as you know, when your spouse/SO is also a pilot, it is a blessing and a wonderful thing, but also presents some other problems and issues. I won't even go into those issues, but I understand.

Still need to do the 250 (had to cancel the earlier try due to icing potential - gives you a sense of how long ago that was), but I have the XC PIC time, written was done long ago, to the point of polishing up maneuvers now - can someone tell me why this instrument training suddenly seems so hard to someone who's flown up around mountains, landed on beaches and done low passes to buzz sheep off the runway????!?!!?

Others have addressed some of the reasons why this seems harder for you right now, so I won't repeat their excellent responses. Hang in there! You will have good days and off days. Just keep at it, and it will all come together soon enough.

 

[Richard]

Say, you and Grant didn't make a side bet on who would finish first did you?

Other than what has already been said by others, I think goal oriented personalities have a problem with learning to fly in that flying, especially the IR, is not something that should be pushed. Frustration may arise from that which may affect your performance. But if you had two good flights out of three I say you are doing pretty well.

 

[lprellwitz]

Thanks to everyone for your responses - it helps to hear that my experiences are pretty normal at this stage, and that this can be achieved.

And, in response to your question, Richard: no side bets on who would finish the IR first. I got my private ticket first (now that WAS some compeition!) , and we made the decision on who'd get the IR first with a coin toss; he got that one

Leslie

 

[gismo]

Thanks to everyone for your responses - it helps to hear that my experiences are pretty normal at this stage, and that this can be achieved.

As the others have said, everybody has a relapse or two and taking a long hiatus from the training is virtually guaranteed to provoke one. Believe it or not, the same thing happens after you pass the checkride now and then. I find that the best response is to go back to the basics (attitude, and scan) and make sure you are prioritizing. When things are becoming a bit overwhelming, remind yourself that all you really have to do is keep the plane right side up. Keeping it pointed in the right direction comes next and the importance of that varies with your proximity to terrain and where you might be on an approach. Everything else including timing, talking, and planing your next move can take a back seat to the first two until you get things settled.

You can look at your backslides in training as opportunities to apply that prioritization since it's an important skill that must be learned along with the rest.