Went to the club meeting last night and got in my second solo flight. My hand were shaking so bad you'd have thought I was on my first date with a girl and trying to put my arm around her How long does it usually take for the nervousness goes away?

NEVER!!! hahaha......Just kidding ......but I still get nervous on a maiden flight but it get's a lot easier thats for sure

John

About as long as it takes you to decide you don't care if your trash your trainer because you've already got your eye on a sweet second plane anyhow! Seriously, I found a lot fo the tension was for me relieved when I started flying on days when there were few others around. On a crowded Sunday I felt like I was flying for others and was worried about every move. On days when I was virtually alone on the field (and some days I was completely alone) I was flying for me.

It also helps if you adopt the attitude that it's only a matter of time before you DO crash (badly -- rough landings don't count) and take joy in knowing your trainer has miraculously survived another day.

I also helps where your beautiful new bird gets a little messy.

abufletcher,

Well said.... I wanted to give the older guys score cards when I started flying... you feel like they judge everything that you do sitting behind you...lol

John

my 40-90 size planes = No Shakes

Having a dead-stick with my giant SU-31 while inverted in a dive and then making the field by the tipsy-est of my toes for a perfect (lucky) landing. = Couldn't even hold on to the controller after it had stopped moving.

I guess the only time the shakes stop is when we stop pushing our limits..

The more you fly the less you will shake. I noticed that on my second-fifth solo flight i would move side to side or my knees would shake. But once you start flying more often it does stop.

Mark

I have gotten better over the last year or so, but boy did they come back last weekend. I took my first kit (a Someting Extra) out for its maiden flight. Since it was my first kit, it took me forever to build and cover. It was a hot and windy day, but the wind was right down the runway. If I hadn't been using a neck strap, I think the transmitter could have slipped out of my hands as sweaty as they were. All went well though and I needed only 2 clicks up on the elevator to get the trims set. The plane flew beautifully and my hands stopped sweating.

The shakes never stop.
We put on a Fly In for the local libraries and when I took off with my 1/3 scale cap, I noticed I was nervious, but really didn't think much of it. I just noticed that the wind was blowing real hard. One of our members came over and said, "Gosh, how can you fly so smooth shaking like that" I took a quick look down and my hands were shaking so bad that they were a blur. It took me three approaches to land!

I fly my Magic at almost any altitude/ weather condition etc (except for tail touching) so I'm pretty confident with that plane. Just about when I'm feeling "cool", something happens and I *just* pull it out of an inevitable rekitting. That's when the shaking comes back.

Don't worry, it'll get better.

Actually the shakes stop about a week after the crash[>:]

EVERY time I fly a new plane I get the "shakes"!
When I don't get just a little nervous at the feild on the first flight of the day I will find another hobby!

If you get the shakes, practice more on the flight sim....if you don't have one.....definitely worth the investment. The reason you are nervous is because you have not developed confidence with your flying. I don't know if you have a Stick car...but its like learning to drive stick. At first you are nervous as hell, thinking about every move you make. Over time, it becomes second nature. You just switch grears with out thinking about it....it become automatic reaction. For example at first I had the worst time adapting to the airplane coming at me and having the plane turn because its everything is backwards. Well if you are not doing things automatically you have to think about which way you have to actually turn...that made me nervouse. Over time...(couple month of flying) it became automatic. When the plane is coming at me, I don't even think about it. I turn the plane in the direction i want it to turn. So over time, things will become automatic for you as well and then you will feel more comfortable and less shakey. The key is to get out there and FLY!!! If you crash, well....we all need to learn and that's part of learning.

Just go out have fun, and practice...it will become less stressfull and more and more fun over time. Its aGREAT feeling when you become on auto pilot and just enjoy flying with out getting nervious.

But with anything...as you learn more tricks you will be doing the more nervous at first and less when you get better.

Qwazzy.

Yes, there are two types of people, those who have crashed and those who will.

The truth is, crashes make you more nervious about the hobby. The make you resentful to wards it. I don't like the idea that people say you have to accept crashing. Its like accept the fact you will fail. Going into this hobby, last thing you want to do is fail. If you are carfull and smart, there is not reason why you should have a bad crash. Sometime a harder landing..but no hard crashes. Once you get into the tricks, the risks are much higher for crashing...but that just statistics. Practicing the tricks on the SIM will lower your probability of crashing.

Anyway the point is, yes there is a big possibility of crashing. If your controler fails, your engine fails etc. But as long as you are in control, you can prevent crashing. Just like driving car, there is a chance you may crash. But will all get in and drive with out thinking about it.

I personally have not crashed yet, and don't intend to. I practice my tricks with very high altitude. But who know, one dumb move and its back to the drawing board.

You shouldn't think of it like that. When everyone stops to watch you fly, it's because they have taken an interest in your progress...not because they are judging you. Or it just might be that they are waiting to see one go in. Since newbies are more likely to do it, they pay attention.

As for the shakes...I think as time goes and the more familiar you are with a plane helps. Although I think the shakes will come and go...just waiting for that charge of adrenaline, to bring em back . [X(]

Jim

I didn't mean for it to sound bad.... Heck I am one of them older guys now

John

Actually there are THREE types of people.

Those who've crashed,

Those who will crash

And those are are crashing at this very moment.

I am sure glad I'm not in that third group!

Jim

Me too...and it didn't sound bad I thought it was very funny in fact. I think we can all relate.

Jim

How long is a piece of string? Individuals vary. Some never escape the jitters whilst others leave them behind in a relatively short time. How long is related to exposure which for most brings with it the eventual competence and confidence that puts the nerves behind you. A generalisation and about as accurate as all generalisations are, unless you fly several times a week, it take most about 12 months to pass beyond this phase.

Well, this is the forth kit I've built, and the first one that has survived more than one take off . I noticed that I'm not nervous about taking off, but seem to get worse as I start thinking about the landing. As we all know, take offs are the easy part, it's the "controlled" landing that's the hard part I know last night I was nervous because of all the other club members watching, so I hope flying alone a few more times will get my confidence up. Since I'm almost finished with my 4*40, I really have something to keep me going with the Eagle 2 trainer. This last flight I did a simple loop. I know to everyone that's been flying that a simple manouver, but it really gave me a thrill I think the next time I go up I'm going to just work on take off's and landings until I get more confident with my landings. Thanks for everyone encouragement and comments.

May I suggest having an instructor or more experienced pilot "spot" for you for the first little while...sometimes just having a friendly voice in your ear reminding you to watch out for the powerline(pick your local hazard!) helps a lot! I've been getting the shakes for 4 years now...not as much now, but I still get 'em on a maiden flight and still get an experienced pilot to stand beside me when I go up for the first time with a new plane.

I still get nervous too. But I've only been flying for a year. I think after the "newness" of a plane wears off it really helps. Regardless of what some people say every one crashes at some point. Nobody wants to wipe out a plane before they have had a chance to enjoy it.

Once that nice new planes gets a war wound or two your neverousness gets less. Its like getting that first couple of scratched on a new car. You baby that new car to death for the first 6 months or so. Then you relax and realize its just a car.

The shakes don't stop, they just settle down. As soon as you satrt on aerobatics, guess what THEY'RE BACK. I flew this morning in my dads .46 traner and was still shaking, mind you i was having some serios fun, I chased a Super Stunt .40 while doing an inverted circuit did some low slow rolls( one got a bit hairy) The more you test yourself the sooner the shakes will go away, well thats what i found, the more I flew upside down and did stuff I normally don't do the less shaky i got.

Fly-guy