The mental component of flying

[tangopapa]

I'm new here but have been lurking for a couple weeks. I am about 11 hours into flight lessons and am close to soloing but my last lesson was full of mental lapses. My instructor even said he would have soloed me were it not for my lack of mental preparation. Here are a few things I did:

-Misplaced the key, just moments after both of us entered the aircraft. After a minute of searching my pockets, and awkwardly reaching over my CFI to check if I left it on the clipboard, in the storage compartment, I finally looked and saw the key... in the ignition.

-I did not turn the beacon light on. My instructor noticed it right after I had done run up, before we took off.

-On my third time around the pattern, I was trimming for landing and instead of trimming up I trimmed down. I felt the pressure and trimmed some more in the wrong direction. I was really having to pull on the yoke to get my flare correct. After we landed, my CFI pointed out what I had done wrong.

-On my fourth time around the pattern, someone else was in front of us on final. I decided to swing out my turn from base further to give him some room, but when I turned to final I was wide right of the runway. I verbalized to my CFI that I could go around or try and recover the approach. I went ahead and fixed the approach but it required some maneuvering to get lined up. After we landed, he said I recovered well, but the more conservative thing to do would have been to go around. This wasn't so much a mental lapse as it was a judgment call. I probably would not have done it at this point in my training if he weren't in the right seat.

-I forgot to turn carb heat off after our final landing.

This was not a terrible lesson, all things considered. If anything, it was a lesson in self-certification, and when not to fly. It was an early morning lesson, and I am a night owl. I'm starting to realize my best lessons have been in the mid-afternoon, when I really am feeling awake.

Anyone else want to commiserate with me? Any 'oh %$#' moments or brain farts you're willing to share? Have any of you had mental setbacks prior to your solo?

 

[Ryan7943]

Can't tell you how many times I've strapped in, belted up, and closed the door only to realize the key is buried deep in my pocket. It will get better though! Forgetting the beacon and carb heat just comes down to using the checklist. Eventually you will develop a flow and all those little items will become second nature.

 

[Corpsmaide]

Absolutely!!! One lesson I'll be grinning ear to ear at the conclusion. The next I would feel like I'd never get consistent. My worst flight pre solo was my first cross country to a towered. Felt overwhelmed enroute looking at the sectional and airport guide. Then once we arrived....right traffic pattern, which I never done before. Landings were bad. CFI had to take controls. She noticed I was "off". She stated "what's up with you today". On our first takeoff, turning crosswind she kept saying you're going to kill us. I checked airspeed and noticed it was dropping...wasn't using rudder. I was used to left traffic and the better visibility of the runway. I learned a lot that day.

 

[tangopapa]

Can't tell you how many times I've strapped in, belted up, and closed the door only to realize the key is buried deep in my pocket. It will get better though! Forgetting the beacon and carb heat just comes down to using the checklist. Eventually you will develop a flow and all those little items will become second nature.

Yeah, I've done the keys in the pocket a few times too. That's annoying.

 

[Alexb2000]

Some of that stuff just happens as part of human nature and will never go away. Knowing that, I like to use techniques that minimize those problems.

Develop a flow: I work from left to right, top to bottom like reading. Go across the panel quickly verbalizing everything is correct for that phase of flight. Easy to do quickly.

Create good habits: Entering downwind, GUMPS check, Turning final, GUMPS check. Do the same thing every time and it will save you when you are under pressure.

Use acronyms for checklist items: Surely you've heard of GUMPS I mentioned above, develop your own and use them always (habits again). You should have one for the emergency critical action items on your aircraft.

Developing these techniques and use them as you progress. In instrument flying it matters even more.

 

[AuntPeggy]

I'm new here but have been lurking for a couple weeks. I am about 11 hours into flight lessons and am close to soloing but my last lesson was full of mental lapses. My instructor even said he would have soloed me were it not for my lack of mental preparation. Here are a few things I did:

-Misplaced the key, just moments after both of us entered the aircraft. After a minute of searching my pockets, and awkwardly reaching over my CFI to check if I left it on the clipboard, in the storage compartment, I finally looked and saw the key... in the ignition.

-I did not turn the beacon light on. My instructor noticed it right after I had done run up, before we took off.

-On my third time around the pattern, I was trimming for landing and instead of trimming up I trimmed down. I felt the pressure and trimmed some more in the wrong direction. I was really having to pull on the yoke to get my flare correct. After we landed, my CFI pointed out what I had done wrong.

-On my fourth time around the pattern, someone else was in front of us on final. I decided to swing out my turn from base further to give him some room, but when I turned to final I was wide right of the runway. I verbalized to my CFI that I could go around or try and recover the approach. I went ahead and fixed the approach but it required some maneuvering to get lined up. After we landed, he said I recovered well, but the more conservative thing to do would have been to go around. This wasn't so much a mental lapse as it was a judgment call. I probably would not have done it at this point in my training if he weren't in the right seat.

-I forgot to turn carb heat off after our final landing.

This was not a terrible lesson, all things considered. If anything, it was a lesson in self-certification, and when not to fly. It was an early morning lesson, and I am a night owl. I'm starting to realize my best lessons have been in the mid-afternoon, when I really am feeling awake.

Anyone else want to commiserate with me? Any 'oh %$#' moments or brain farts you're willing to share? Have any of you had mental setbacks prior to your solo?

Good days, bad days. As you get more experience, you'll figure out why you have good days and bad days. Or not.

Find ways to weight things in favor of a good day. Get a good night's sleep. Don't get dehydrated. Don't be hungry/low blood sugar. Don't be getting sick. Don't be hurried. Where is that dratted IMSAFE checklist?

 

[tangopapa]

Absolutely!!! One lesson I'll be grinning ear to ear at the conclusion. The next I would feel like I'd never get consistent. My worst flight pre solo was my first cross country to a towered. Felt overwhelmed enroute looking at the sectional and airport guide. Then once we arrived....right traffic pattern, which I never done before. Landings were bad. CFI had to take controls. She noticed I was "off". She stated "what's up with you today". On our first takeoff, turning crosswind she kept saying you're going to kill us. I checked airspeed and noticed it was dropping...wasn't using rudder. I was used to left traffic and the better visibility of the runway. I learned a lot that day.

Oh man. I'm sure I'll have one of those moments at some point in my training. License to learn, right?

I heard "What's up with you today?" from my CFI about 3 weeks ago. It was another early morning flight... maybe I should quit being stubborn about it and start booking more afternoon lessons.

 

[dwalt]

-Misplaced the key, just moments after both of us entered the aircraft. After a minute of searching my pockets, and awkwardly reaching over my CFI to check if I left it on the clipboard, in the storage compartment, I finally looked and saw the key... in the ignition.

For some inexplicable reason, every time I fly, I get myself all strapped in, go through the checklist, get to "mags: start", and find that the key is in the backseat in the aircraft booklet that they keeps the timesheets, etc.

-I did not turn the beacon light on. My instructor noticed it right after I had done run up, before we took off.

This should be on your checklist prior to engine start...but now you know and won't forget .

-On my third time around the pattern, I was trimming for landing and instead of trimming up I trimmed down. I felt the pressure and trimmed some more in the wrong direction. I was really having to pull on the yoke to get my flare correct. After we landed, my CFI pointed out what I had done wrong.

As you build more time, the control pressures required at different stages of flight will become more apparent, and you'll notice right away if your trim is off.

-On my fourth time around the pattern, someone else was in front of us on final. I decided to swing out my turn from base further to give him some room, but when I turned to final I was wide right of the runway. I verbalized to my CFI that I could go around or try and recover the approach. I went ahead and fixed the approach but it required some maneuvering to get lined up. After we landed, he said I recovered well, but the more conservative thing to do would have been to go around. This wasn't so much a mental lapse as it was a judgment call. I probably would not have done it at this point in my training if he weren't in the right seat.

Hey, you made a decision and made it on the ground safely. I think we can all say that we've pushed our limits a bit on one thing or another when there's a CFI sitting next to us...it seems like you would've made the right decision on your own, and that's what counts (I think).

-I forgot to turn carb heat off after our final landing.

I did that once or twice early on in my training too. The more you fly, the workflows will become second nature...so much so that you'll look at the carb heat when you're parked and say "hey, when did I turn that off!?"

Anyone else want to commiserate with me? Any 'oh %$#' moments or brain farts you're willing to share? Have any of you had mental setbacks prior to your solo?

I think we've all done little things here or there. Things like forgetting to turn on/off the carb heat or fuel pump (depending on the plane) are pretty common "uh-oh's".

 

[Corpsmaide]

License to learn indeed!!

 

[Jeanie]

It happens. Ups and downs are normal in training, heck in life... You identified a biggy when you realized that fatigue may have contributed to your fuzziness. So in future be honest with yourself, as in when you will solo and then when you will be carrying passengers and if you are feeling hurried or fatigued just step back and assess your choices. Fatigue is dangerous ... And the end of a long XC, for example is therefore a critical phase of flight.
Your brain farts weren't terrible. Keep learning you're doing fine.

 

[tangopapa]

Good days, bad days. As you get more experience, you'll figure out why you have good days and bad days. Or not.

Find ways to weight things in favor of a good day. Get a good night's sleep. Don't get dehydrated. Don't be hungry/low blood sugar. Don't be getting sick. Don't be hurried. Where is that dratted IMSAFE checklist?

This is part of the problem. Not only am I a "night person" and this was a morning flight, but I also have been sick the last couple weeks, and am just getting over a nasty cold and sinus infection. You're absolutely right. These things have an effect, and cumulatively can be dangerous. I'm in no rush to solo (it's not a race, or so I've been told), but I was disappointed I wasn't "on" that day. I didn't meet my personal standards, and it bummed me out.

 

[Z06_Mir]

You have 11 hours. I think that explains more of it than anything else. 11 hours isn't enough to develop muscle memories and flows naturally. It's not enough to figure out if you've made a small blunder (carb heat, beacon light) and frankly it's probably not enough to understand the decision making process completely. I did a lot of go-arounds when I was a new student that my CFI would say upon turning crosswind "You know, we didn't have to go-around, you could have saved it but I will never second guess YOUR decision and it was safe." -- it's all a learning process. You're still drinking from a fire hose. Yes, you likely could get the airplane around the pattern 3 times very well, but that doesn't mean that today or tomorrow or the next day will be the solo days. Sometimes CFIs just don't have a good feeling or the conditions aren't right for a solo. You're not doing anything that we all haven't done a couple of times.

I had my (non-primary) CFI tell me that if there is anything you're thinking about in the airplane that's not flying the airplane or related to flying the airplane then it wasn't a good idea to be flying. I've stuck with that since then. If you have a big project at work, an exam at school or troubles at home and you're THINKING about them rather than using the airplane to THINK about flying you should stay home.

 

[tangopapa]

It happens. Ups and downs are normal in training, heck in life... You identified a biggy when you realized that fatigue may have contributed to your fuzziness. So in future be honest with yourself, as in when you will solo and then when you will be carrying passengers and if you are feeling hurried or fatigued just step back and assess your choices. Fatigue is dangerous ... And the end of a long XC, for example is therefore a critical phase of flight.
Your brain farts weren't terrible. Keep learning you're doing fine.

Thanks. Yeah, I would definitely have scratched the flight had I planned on soloing that day. My CFI could recognize I wasn't "all there" as well.

I still love every minute of it. Even if I'm frustrated with myself, I still love the learning opportunity.

 

[tangopapa]

You have 11 hours. I think that explains more of it than anything else. 11 hours isn't enough to develop muscle memories and flows naturally. It's not enough to figure out if you've made a small blunder (carb heat, beacon light) and frankly it's probably not enough to understand the decision making process completely. I did a lot of go-arounds when I was a new student that my CFI would say upon turning crosswind "You know, we didn't have to go-around, you could have saved it but I will never second guess YOUR decision and it was safe." -- it's all a learning process. You're still drinking from a fire hose. Yes, you likely could get the airplane around the pattern 3 times very well, but that doesn't mean that today or tomorrow or the next day will be the solo days. Sometimes CFIs just don't have a good feeling or the conditions aren't right for a solo. You're not doing anything that we all haven't done a couple of times.

I had my (non-primary) CFI tell me that if there is anything you're thinking about in the airplane that's not flying the airplane or related to flying the airplane then it wasn't a good idea to be flying. I've stuck with that since then. If you have a big project at work, an exam at school or troubles at home and you're THINKING about them rather than using the airplane to THINK about flying you should stay home.

This is excellent advice!

And regarding WHEN I solo, I'm in no rush. In fact, I scrapped a flight for today and instead scheduled ground instruction. We didn't get a chance to talk about my last lesson because he had to go straight to the next one, so I want to pick his brain a little bit, and get some feedback.

 

[poadeleted20]

Several of the items mentioned relate to checklist/procedural issues. Perhaos you need to work on memorizing those so you don't have to think, just rattle them off and do them. Ask your instructor to helo you write out short lists of things to do at each point from crossing the hold short taking the runway all the way around the pattern to crossing the hold short exiting the runway. Then draw a runway and pattern in chalk in the parking lot and go around and around and around running those lists at each point in the pattern until it becomes second nature. That's how generations of military flight trainees have done it, and given they go from zero to Mach 1 and carrier landings in about 200 flight hours, they must be doing something right.

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

Before and after each maneuver, glance at your abreviated checklist on your knee to confirm recent eye/hand flow routes over instruments and controls.

Continue flying lessons occasionally in less than your optimim performance windows WITH the CFI, to develope a keener sense of where your safe solo flying limits will be and why.

 

[docmirror]

Lets review:

Number of fatalities: 0
Injuries: 0
Broken aircraft: 0
Regs broken: 0

Sounds like a lesson for a student under 15 hours to me. You've had some lapses. I think you're looking forward to the solo and are getting a slight bit frantic. It happens to most pilots to some degree. I'm betting post solo, your BP will take a break and things will flow better.

Report back if you have a fatality, broke plane, etc.

 

[Marauder]

Can't tell you how many times I've strapped in, belted up, and closed the door only to realize the key is buried deep in my pocket. It will get better though! Forgetting the beacon and carb heat just comes down to using the checklist. Eventually you will develop a flow and all those little items will become second nature.

That was a problem for me as well. The fix? A lanyard with a quick release for the keys. Put them on my neck and they will be there when you need them. Before I did this? I would always buckle in with them in my pocket.

 

[douglas393]

I got a lot more hours than you, and the next time I do everything perfect during a flight will be the first time.

Nothing you did in of itself was dangerous. Could it resulted in the infamous chain of events; possibly but probably not. What it does say is you were off your game that day, and maybe in retrospect it just was not a day to fly. The FAA calls this IMSAFE. If you are not familiar with it look it up and see if maybe it would have just been a day not to fly. Otherwise, use it as a learning experience which is what being a student is about.

 

[tangopapa]

Several of the items mentioned relate to checklist/procedural issues. Perhaos you need to work on memorizing those so you don't have to think, just rattle them off and do them. Ask your instructor to helo you write out short lists of things to do at each point from crossing the hold short taking the runway all the way around the pattern to crossing the hold short exiting the runway. Then draw a runway and pattern in chalk in the parking lot and go around and around and around running those lists at each point in the pattern until it becomes second nature. That's how generations of military flight trainees have done it, and given they go from zero to Mach 1 and carrier landings in about 200 flight hours, they must be doing something right.

Good advice. Thanks. I had been working off of memory while still checking my list, but obviously my memory failed me this time. It just needs to be more deeply ingrained. I like the idea of compartmentalizing the lists down to each point.

 

[tangopapa]

Before and after each maneuver, glance at your abreviated checklist on your knee to confirm recent eye/hand flow routes over instruments and controls.

Continue flying lessons occasionally in less than your optimim performance windows WITH the CFI, to develope a keener sense of where your safe solo flying limits will be and why.

thanks, good idea.

As for the weather, we have been flying in less than optimum conditions a little over half of the time. That's the wonderful part about flying during a Wisconsin winter.

I have to say, it's been a terrific learning experience. I started to take a few lessons over the end of the summer but have really started to dig in more frequently over the last couple months. While I look forward to flying during "nicer" weather too, the experience I'm getting from some of these blustery winter days has been helpful.

 

[tangopapa]

Lets review:

Number of fatalities: 0
Injuries: 0
Broken aircraft: 0
Regs broken: 0

Sounds like a lesson for a student under 15 hours to me. You've had some lapses. I think you're looking forward to the solo and are getting a slight bit frantic. It happens to most pilots to some degree. I'm betting post solo, your BP will take a break and things will flow better.

Report back if you have a fatality, broke plane, etc.

Yeah, agreed...even though I personally am not nervous about soloing, I think I did get a little anxious knowing it was a possibility. I mean, c'mon.. who wouldn't be?? It's exciting! My CFI signed my medical that morning and said he wasn't endorsing me to solo yet, but I knew if I flew well I could have gone that day (which he acknowledged at the end of our lesson).

I hope to never make the NTSB report, at least not by my own volition. Thanks for putting things in perspective.

 

[tangopapa]

I got a lot more hours than you, and the next time I do everything perfect during a flight will be the first time.

Nothing you did in of itself was dangerous. Could it resulted in the infamous chain of events; possibly but probably not. What it does say is you were off your game that day, and maybe in retrospect it just was not a day to fly. The FAA calls this IMSAFE. If you are not familiar with it look it up and see if maybe it would have just been a day not to fly. Otherwise, use it as a learning experience which is what being a student is about.

Yessir, I'm familiar with it.
And I'm glad I went up, even though I wasn't at my best. It was a good learning experience. Now I know that post-solo if I'm feeling a little tired or just not 100% I'm going to scrap plans rather than risk anything. And again, nothing I did on its own was dangerous, but certainly I wasn't completely on top of my game, which is reason enough to stay on the ground.

 

[sferguson524]

WRT the keys, i was taught if it's not on the glareshield, in plain view, then it's in the ignition with a hot mag. This way, everyone knows the key isn't in the ignition, and isn't in a pocket. This isn't saying that there won't be a broken p-lead, but, at least you will know that you haven't accidentally turned a mag on when it comes time to move the plane.

 

[douglas393]

Yessir, I'm familiar with it.
And I'm glad I went up, even though I wasn't at my best. It was a good learning experience. Now I know that post-solo if I'm feeling a little tired or just not 100% I'm going to scrap plans rather than risk anything. And again, nothing I did on its own was dangerous, but certainly I wasn't completely on top of my game, which is reason enough to stay on the ground.

That is why we are all students. Making a mistake once is not typically a problem. Not learning from our mistakes is the problem. Learning the wrong lesson from our mistakes is the biggest problem.

 

[douglas393]

WRT the keys, i was taught if it's not on the glareshield, in plain view, then it's in the ignition with a hot mag. This way, everyone knows the key isn't in the ignition, and isn't in a pocket. This isn't saying that there won't be a broken p-lead, but, at least you will know that you haven't accidentally turned a mag on when it comes time to move the plane.

Good point. I was taught to hang my keys from the throttle. I keep them on a little spring hook, and clip them on my belt loop when not flying. The first thing I do when I open the plane is to clip them to the throttle. They do not go into the ignition until I am ready to start the engine. I like the glare shield idea as well, though I will probably end up scratching the windshield some how or losing the keys.

Another thought, when I was renting we always kept the beacon light switch on. I do that in my plane now as well. It is a great way when you leave the plane to make sure you turned off the master switches.

Doug

 

[denverpilot]

Fatigue and illness singly have been fatal before. Together they're downright insidious. You learned by going up with the instructor.

Make sure they know you were both... so they know it was more a temporary lack of ability than a "Wow, what happens to the stuff I taught them?" moment. That and that you've also learned a lesson in why not to take fatigue and illness lightly.

I'm a "keys on the glareshield" trained monkey too, by the way. And I still leave them in my pocket once in a while.

In fact...

Keys in the pocket or any other minor mistake during flight prep and pre-flight is often a warning shot across the brain that something might be wrong with the loose nut behind the yoke. Pay attention to little signs like that.

You'll get solo'd when it happens... Don't sweat it. Just fly the plane.

 

[Clark1961]

This is part of the problem. Not only am I a "night person" and this was a morning flight, but I also have been sick the last couple weeks, and am just getting over a nasty cold and sinus infection.

Remember this. Always.

Self assessment on fitness to fly is part of the "job" of flying. It's not always crystal clear that we should or shouldn't fly and there's nothing wrong with turning around (or just landing) when you realize you shouldn't be there.

I believe that many of us develop habits which ensure that we have the best chance to be fit to fly when we have a flight coming up. Some folks set targets for sleep time before the day (or night) of a flight. Some folks control what they eat and drink the day before and day of the flight. I know that eggs over easy are off my list for breakfast! Caffeine bothers some folks.

Health issues are a whole 'nuther problem. Sinus problems are a pretty obvious no-go between the inner ear upset and the potential for severe pain. Other health items may not be so obvious. Any pain which might influence or limit arm or leg movement should be a concern. Any new medication is definitely a grounding condition. Those little warning labels aren't just to give the pharmacist something to do. Maybe you feel fine most of the time when taking the meds but a few minutes of dizziness or confusion could really ruin your day if they happened at the wrong time.

Sometimes calling off a flight is difficult. We're all tough and can handle anything. If we're lucky a few flights like the one you had teach us that we have to be a little more circumspect when deciding if we can make the flight.

 

[tangopapa]

Fatigue and illness singly have been fatal before. Together they're downright insidious. You learned by going up with the instructor.

Make sure they know you were both... so they know it was more a temporary lack of ability than a "Wow, what happens to the stuff I taught them?" moment. That and that you've also learned a lesson in why not to take fatigue and illness lightly.

I'm a "keys on the glareshield" trained monkey too, by the way. And I still leave them in my pocket once in a while.

In fact...

Keys in the pocket or any other minor mistake during flight prep and pre-flight is often a warning shot across the brain that something might be wrong with the loose nut behind the yoke. Pay attention to little signs like that.

You'll get solo'd when it happens... Don't sweat it. Just fly the plane.

Yes, I learned a very important lesson that day. My warning shot across the brain was forgetting the beacon light. I never forget that...

I am happy to report that I was able to solo today. And I just flew the plane.

 

[tangopapa]

Remember this. Always.

Self assessment on fitness to fly is part of the "job" of flying. It's not always crystal clear that we should or shouldn't fly and there's nothing wrong with turning around (or just landing) when you realize you shouldn't be there.

I believe that many of us develop habits which ensure that we have the best chance to be fit to fly when we have a flight coming up. Some folks set targets for sleep time before the day (or night) of a flight. Some folks control what they eat and drink the day before and day of the flight. I know that eggs over easy are off my list for breakfast! Caffeine bothers some folks.

Health issues are a whole 'nuther problem. Sinus problems are a pretty obvious no-go between the inner ear upset and the potential for severe pain. Other health items may not be so obvious. Any pain which might influence or limit arm or leg movement should be a concern. Any new medication is definitely a grounding condition. Those little warning labels aren't just to give the pharmacist something to do. Maybe you feel fine most of the time when taking the meds but a few minutes of dizziness or confusion could really ruin your day if they happened at the wrong time.

Sometimes calling off a flight is difficult. We're all tough and can handle anything. If we're lucky a few flights like the one you had teach us that we have to be a little more circumspect when deciding if we can make the flight.

I'm with you. I've begun to incorporate certain things before flying, including specific foods and vitamins that I know will engage my brain instead of making it "sleepy." Ultimately, it seems to me that the majority of fatal accidents are not caused by a pilot's physical skills, but rather mental lapses (and hubris, but that could be its own thread) like loss of situational awareness, flying into inadvertent IMC, or spatial disorientation...things that could have been avoided had the pilot been engaged 100%. I don't want to be one of those statistics. I learned a very valuable lesson.

And see my above post... I solo'd today!

 

[RV10flyer]

I keep the airplane keys in the little pocket inside the bigger front pocket of my jeans unless they are in the baggage door, ignition or on the glareshield. Makes it easy to retrieve them with your seatbelt on as you are announcing "clear prop."

 

[AuntPeggy]

Yes, I learned a very important lesson that day. My warning shot across the brain was forgetting the beacon light. I never forget that...

I am happy to report that I was able to solo today. And I just flew the plane.

Congratulations!

 

[tangopapa]

I keep the airplane keys in the little pocket inside the bigger front pocket of my jeans unless they are in the baggage door, ignition or on the glareshield. Makes it easy to retrieve them with your seatbelt on as you are announcing "clear prop."

That's a good idea!

 

[tangopapa]

Congratulations!

thanks, Aunt Peggy!