Reflying In Your Mind

[DutchessFlier]

I am posting this here, since I am an IR student, but I guess the thread can go in many places in POA. I find myself constantly replaying flights in my head after they are completed, sometimes many times over and for a few days on end. The more intense my concentration in the plane, the more vivid the replay is in my head. Mostly after my instrument lessons, but many times just after recreational flights as well. Sometimes this happens when I am driving and I lose sight my surroundings in my truck! I wonder how many of you go through the same thing, and if you do, why does flying have such an intense impact on us as compared to driving or other activities.

 

[gismo]

The more intense my concentration in the plane, the more vivid the replay is in my head. Mostly after my instrument lessons, but many times just after recreational flights as well. Sometimes this happens when I am driving and I lose sight my surroundings in my truck!

This may be why pilots are know to say that the drive home from the airport is more dangerous than the flight.

I don't recall ever getting so wrapped up in the specifics of a flight or lesson that I lost track of my surroundings but more than once I've found myself exceeding the speed limit by more than I intended, purely as a result of the euphoria produced by the flight. And once I got a ticket under those circumstances which kinda killed the mood

 

[Everskyward]

more than once I've found myself exceeding the speed limit by more than I intended, purely as a result of the euphoria produced by the flight. And once I got a ticket under those circumstances which kinda killed the mood

 

[wabower]

Flyer,

Have you ever considered the possibility that you need to get out more?

I am posting this here, since I am an IR student, but I guess the thread can go in many places in POA. I find myself constantly replaying flights in my head after they are completed, sometimes many times over and for a few days on end. The more intense my concentration in the plane, the more vivid the replay is in my head. Mostly after my instrument lessons, but many times just after recreational flights as well. Sometimes this happens when I am driving and I lose sight my surroundings in my truck! I wonder how many of you go through the same thing, and if you do, why does flying have such an intense impact on us as compared to driving or other activities.

 

[azure]

I am posting this here, since I am an IR student, but I guess the thread can go in many places in POA. I find myself constantly replaying flights in my head after they are completed, sometimes many times over and for a few days on end. The more intense my concentration in the plane, the more vivid the replay is in my head. Mostly after my instrument lessons, but many times just after recreational flights as well. Sometimes this happens when I am driving and I lose sight my surroundings in my truck! I wonder how many of you go through the same thing, and if you do, why does flying have such an intense impact on us as compared to driving or other activities.

It used to happen to me more than it does now, but it still does to a degree. I'll bet a lot of what you describe comes from the newness and excitement of flying. On recreational, VFR flights it takes a very red-letter flight to do that to me now, at 500+ hours, but after my long solo cross country I was seeing all that north woods greenery and Torch Lake and Lake Michigan in my mind's eye for days. And when I was struggling with landings as a student I would keep hangar-flying the ones I messed up over and over again. Now, after IR training flights, it happens a lot and sometimes it goes beyond that, to the point where my brain recreates and replays the actual physical sensations for a couple of hours. For instance, after a particularly stressful IFR trip a couple of weeks ago I could feel and hear the wind rushing as I went down the glideslope for several hours (remember, at towered fields I fly those clean). Sometimes that which-way-is-up disorientation from being under the hood persists for a while too (but I don't notice it until after I've landed and the plane is put away!).

Maybe I'm overtraining, in fact I'm pretty sure I am.

 

[DutchessFlier]

Flyer,

Have you ever considered the possibility that you need to get out more?

LMAO problem is that often the 'getting out more' involves more flying..Its not like I have to see a psych or anything...its not putting me over the edge (I think)

 

[DutchessFlier]

It used to happen to me more than it does now, but it still does to a degree. I'll bet a lot of what you describe comes from the newness and excitement of flying. On recreational, VFR flights it takes a very red-letter flight to do that to me now, at 500+ hours, but after my long solo cross country I was seeing all that north woods greenery and Torch Lake and Lake Michigan in my mind's eye for days. And when I was struggling with landings as a student I would keep hangar-flying the ones I messed up over and over again. Now, after IR training flights, it happens a lot and sometimes it goes beyond that, to the point where my brain recreates and replays the actual physical sensations for a couple of hours. For instance, after a particularly stressful IFR trip a couple of weeks ago I could feel and hear the wind rushing as I went down the glideslope for several hours (remember, at towered fields I fly those clean). Sometimes that which-way-is-up disorientation from being under the hood persists for a while too (but I don't notice it until after I've landed and the plane is put away!).

Maybe I'm overtraining, in fact I'm pretty sure I am.

Ahhh Liz How can we POSSIBLY be overtraining!

 

[GMascelli]

I'm only at 370 hours and I still replay flights in my head, maybe not while driving but once I am home and relax. I mostly find myself replaying my preflight planning and wx checks and comparing to what I actually experienced during the flight. It's not as bad on local flights, more of a passing thought type review but on vacation flights on those 4 day get aways....I replay it over and over. I think it's a good thing.....

 

[dmccormack]

This used to happen with sports for me (basketball, baseball, softball, bike racing, and running races). I'm not much of a second-guess type, but for some reason I would what-if myself -- even if I won.



I can't say it happens so much in flying anymore, probably because I put myself under less pressure to perform?

I do evaluate each flight and remember mostly the parts I shold have done better (there's always at least one, even on a short hop!) It's a helpful exercise as long as you don't beat yourself up over the errors, and instead catalog them as mistakes you won't make anymore.

 

[midlifeflyer]

I think that a lot of us process information after an activity, our brain is (supposed to be) engaged with something else and make major strides in learning that way. It's not only in aviation. Writers talk about overcoming a block by doing something that supposedly takes their mind off the problem.

Driving for many of us is pretty much automatic, so it's not a big surprise that the mind might work on other things. Not necessarily smart or safe, but understandable.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

This may be why pilots are know to say that the drive home from the airport is more dangerous than the flight.

I don't recall ever getting so wrapped up in the specifics of a flight or lesson that I lost track of my surroundings but more than once I've found myself exceeding the speed limit by more than I intended, purely as a result of the euphoria produced by the flight. And once I got a ticket under those circumstances which kinda killed the mood

Interesting - I'm the opposite. I feel so calm and happy after a flight that I never drive safer. I'm not in a hurry, and I'm completely chilled out.

 

[SkyHog]

I have noticed that after a flight, I notice airplanes in the sky much more easily, as if I am looking out for traffic while driving home.

Its strange how many more planes I see that way than I do before I've flown.

 

[Geico266]

LMAO problem is that often the 'getting out more' involves more flying..Its not like I have to see a psych or anything...its not putting me over the edge (I think)

Do you like your mother?


Seriously, I wonder why you get so worked up about it. Having "cheated death one more time", I'm like others in that I feel better and crave the next time I go flying. It is relaxing and a very positive thing for me.

 

[EdFred]

If you feel like you keep cheating death, maybe you shouldn't be at the controls.

 

[Geico266]

If you feel like you keep cheating death, maybe you shouldn't be at the controls.

Have you been watching my flying!