Yesterday's lesson--sweating

[spiderweb]

Everything was fine except the last approach where things came undone very quickly. It was a PP VOR approach, and I just got nervous. I got turned on the FAC after the FAF. I had the timer set for the approach, so I made the mistake of not using it for the turn! Idiot! I rolled out 20 degrees off course. I got nervous from that, so I just said to myself, "why not follow the needle and not worry about the heading?" Might have worked if I was basically aligned, but I was not. I'm managing to keep the needle within three dots (barely) which is suck-job bad for me when I notice that I'm 50 feet below the current MDA. I say "correcting," and CFII notes that I've been here for about one minute. Only now, one minute from the FAF do I realize that I haven't done the prelanding checklist! Why? We have SOPs! Well, the SOP is to do the prelanding checklist when aligned on the FAC after passing the IAF, but since I was turned inside the IAF, and since I was so overloaded, I hadn't yet done it! So, now I rushed through that, started my descent, wavered around the FAC two or three dots and levelled off at my MDA. I still drifted down below that MDA by about 20 feet, though. Definitely busted that approach.

Meanwhile, after a few months of nice landings, my two landings today were not so hot.

The post-flight and walk back to Signature was pretty quiet. My CFII was very nice because he knew I was kicking myself. We briefed very carefully and came up with these points:

1) Think ahead. If I knew I would be turned on the FAC late (as I did indeed know) I should have done the prelanding checklist earlier, to get that out of the way.

2) Always use the timer for turns under PP. There will be plenty of time to reset the timer for the approach later. (We also agreed that I knew this rule very well, and that I had only broken it today because of nerves or whatever.)

3) Once on the FAC and before the FAF, really keep an eye on that TC, compass, and needle. Check the VSI to make sure the descent rate is even.

I know what I have to do, but I still feel down. Nerves are my enemy. Blah. I don't know what else to do!

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

'nerves are my enemy'
I did much the same on my ride - the night before, I didn't think I had any business flying on guages based on my performance. (and after, I kinda felt like I had slipped one past them) I bet during the exam you will do much better. I did, and find I can do much better in actual imc too.

I just kept telling myself over and over what to do, what is expected, what are the procedures at each phase of the flight. Walk through each part of the approaches in your mind. I resorted to drawing a map of the area, and writing on that, when and where I am talking, flipping switches, altitude, every little thing that comprises the approach. (I think I did it for three representative approaches). I also started modifying my checklist with a pen to include or highlight the things I kept forgetting.

 

[bbchien]

It's in your head, Ben. Use the force....do things the SAME way every time.

 

[markb5900]

Ben,
You will be fine. As others have stated I think I did some of the worst flying of my life on my last lesson before my checkride.
Just do what you are taught and don't let the plane get ahead of you, I am sure you will pass "with flying colors" on the checkride.

Mark B.

 

[Richard]

'nerves are my enemy'
I did much the same on my ride - the night before, I didn't think I had any business flying on guages based on my performance. (and after, I kinda felt like I had slipped one past them) I bet during the exam you will do much better. I did, and find I can do much better in actual imc too.

Dave, what a great way to say it. I felt the exact same way. I even told the DE he was being too soft. He said I earned it.

 

[spiderweb]

Thanks for the post!

'nerves are my enemy'
I did much the same on my ride - the night before, I didn't think I had any business flying on guages based on my performance. (and after, I kinda felt like I had slipped one past them) I bet during the exam you will do much better. I did, and find I can do much better in actual imc too.

I just kept telling myself over and over what to do, what is expected, what are the procedures at each phase of the flight. Walk through each part of the approaches in your mind. I resorted to drawing a map of the area, and writing on that, when and where I am talking, flipping switches, altitude, every little thing that comprises the approach. (I think I did it for three representative approaches). I also started modifying my checklist with a pen to include or highlight the things I kept forgetting.

 

[spiderweb]

I spoke with my CFII again. We have three lessons next week, and four the following (before the ride). He has every confidence that I'll do fine, as long as I keep my wits about me.

It's in your head, Ben. Use the force....do things the SAME way every time.

 

[spiderweb]

"Just do what you were taught" is what my CFII constantly intones. He's absolutely right. He keeps reminding me that I need to fight the way I trained.

Ben,
You will be fine. As others have stated I think I did some of the worst flying of my life on my last lesson before my checkride.
Just do what you are taught and don't let the plane get ahead of you, I am sure you will pass "with flying colors" on the checkride.

Mark B.

 

[sere]

Hang in there and you will do just fine. You know the answer to your problem and have received lots of good feedback here already.

 

[grattonja]

In one of the two lessons before my test, I went missed on a full panel GPS approach, because I was so nervous. You make that mistake once and don't make it again, believe me. You will do fine on your test. You are the most prepared person that I have ever seen, for the IR.

Jim G

 

[spiderweb]

Thanks, guys! I guess I just need to do my best, and that's all I can do!

 

[gismo]

Thanks, guys! I guess I just need to do my best, and that's all I can do!

I suspect that you'll find that your "best" will be overkill. Go ahead and strive for it, but don't start thinking about slitting wrists when you make an occasional mistake. If that one bad approach happended on your checkride, you'd probably have been OK if you just went missed and regrouped (well, except for the MDA bust).

 

[spiderweb]

We'll see how it goes tomorrow!

 

[jdwatson]

Ben,
Been there, done that. I have trouble doing the same thing everytime. My CFI says, I tend to make every approach/maneuver different. I had to ask myself why ? After pondering for a while I figured it out. I over-think stuff. I see myself in you. So much thinking, not enough "rote". It's difficult for me to, as the good doctor said, do things the SAME way every time. Because to me each approach just seems different. The SOP thing is what saves us. We've made it habit, now the difficult part is that we have to learn to trust that habit and free our minds for the unexpected.

To quote Friedrich Nietzsche, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

P.S.
I cancelled a checkride because of a bad flight, only to go back out a couple days later and fly like I knew I could. Fear not.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

How many checkrides does it take before the nerves go away?
What is it like for people like Greg B etc who have to sim rides etc every 6? months?
Ive done a half dozen and they all still feel like my private ride.

 

[poadeleted3]

How many checkrides does it take before the nerves go away?
What is it like for people like Greg B etc who have to sim rides etc every 6? months?
Ive done a half dozen and they all still feel like my private ride.

Man, I hope they don't all feel like my private ride. I was so tense my legs still hurt the next day!! I kept flubbing the things I usually do really well. I had to do steep turns twice (nice DE) and I've had those nailed since the first time I did one.

 

[bbchien]

Man, I hope they don't all feel like my private ride. I was so tense my legs still hurt the next day!! I kept flubbing the things I usually do really well. I had to do steep turns twice (nice DE) and I've had those nailed since the first time I did one.

It's never easy. It's like an audition, not a concert. At an audition you simply do your best.

 

[spiderweb]

Thank you very much, and CONGRATULATIONS!

Ben,
Been there, done that. I have trouble doing the same thing everytime. My CFI says, I tend to make every approach/maneuver different. I had to ask myself why ? After pondering for a while I figured it out. I over-think stuff. I see myself in you. So much thinking, not enough "rote". It's difficult for me to, as the good doctor said, do things the SAME way every time. Because to me each approach just seems different. The SOP thing is what saves us. We've made it habit, now the difficult part is that we have to learn to trust that habit and free our minds for the unexpected.

To quote Friedrich Nietzsche, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

P.S.
I cancelled a checkride because of a bad flight, only to go back out a couple days later and fly like I knew I could. Fear not.

 

[spiderweb]

It's never easy. It's like an audition, not a concert. At an audition you simply do your best.

Thank you, Dr. Bruce, for making the exact, perfect analogy for me!

 

[jdwatson]

How many checkrides does it take before the nerves go away?
What is it like for people like Greg B etc who have to sim rides etc every 6? months?
Ive done a half dozen and they all still feel like my private ride.

I've had 3 now... pucker factor of 11 for each of them.