sp2pilot

As much as I enjoy the actual act of flying I still get major league butterflies the size of eagles on the first flight of the day. I try so hard to relax and be calm,smooth and loose. However I am so wound up that I find myself hardly breathing and my heart is beating so hard it feels like it is coming out of my chest.

I fly a 30% Aero-Works Extra with a G 62 gas engine so I have a heavy investment in my hardware but it is not really the fear of losing my plane, it is just the fear I will do something stupid in general.

I keep hoping this will pass but it seems to be just as bad now as it ever was. Outside of tranquilizers I have no idea how to control it.

I hope I am not the only person that goes through this. Usually by the 2nd or 3rd flight of the day I am fine and have returned to the enjoyment side of flying my plane. I would give anything to be that way on the first flight of the day.

hogflyer

Fly more often.

When I started flying pattern planes, I was the same way. I had to overcome the fear that it would snap and spin with no warning, and landed at 40+ mph. After I started flying 4 to 7 times a week it didn't take long for the butterflies to disappear. It more of building you self confidence than anything. Now I don’t even think about putting a plane up - I just do it.

You may want to take a smaller plane up - like a .40 - .60 size and do the first flight or two on it before you fly the Extra.

Hogflyer

bigedmustafa

My Feedback: (2)

You should be more worried if you never get butterflies when you are at the field.

Have no fear, you're in good company if you're still experiencing your stomach knotting up once in a while.

I thought I was over them while flying my sport planes, but I found myself getting butterflies when I went to take off while two of my club's better pattern pilots were watching me. My butterflies quickly went away when they commented on how nice and round my loops were and that I should consider flying sportsman pattern this season. Hearing that put a very big grin on my face. I've been wanting to learn pattern flying and I'd been practicing my loops for that very reason.

Your first flight in a while should give you butterflies. Your maiden flight with any new airplane should give you butterflies. Any time you're flying under the watchful eye of pilots whom you respect, you should get butterflies.

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

I've been flying for 10 years now and I still get butterflies at times. It's part of the hobby really. Like was said earlier, it's when you don't get them any longer is when you should worry.

Ken

LT-40

My Feedback: (2)

I often get the butterflies while I am getting ready to go to the field because I get so darn excited! I don't usually get them when I arrive though. Sort of weird I guess.

LT-40

Charlie P.

Good. It will keep you from getting complacent and overlooking something. Remember: there are old pilots, and there are bold pilots, but there are no old, bold pilots.

I still get "stage fright" when flying a plane for the first time. Sometimes the second or third times if the trim was off badly on the maiden flight.

powerlines

I stil get them when I fly someones plane and they ask me to Wring it out.. LOL I also get them when I fly CRAZY.. XFC style... I need to quit!!


LATER

tessmar

I race old cars as my "major" hobby and something Steve Earle (the man behind the Monterey Historics) said many years ago has always stuck with me..."you should be attentive and alert, but if you're scared to death you are doing something wrong and need to slow down (or in our case not go up) until you figure out what it is." I have developed a "centering" routine for racing that seems to generally work for flying (although I still at times find my knees knocking)...take a deep breath and just try to generally slow everything in my head down. The more I think the more trouble I get into. Re-centering myself by simply realizing that I can do this thing (as I have proved before, whether racing or flying) generally makes the flutterbys go as soon as I start the wheels moving. I worked as a DJ years ago and it was the same thing. I was always a bit "keyed up" as I called it until I actually opened the mike and began my show.