Demolishing those demons.

I banished a lot of demons back to whence they came today. I’m really beginning to understand the psychological benefits of solo flying.

Your first solo flight is a big deal, it is the first time you sit in that plane, knowing that you control everything, every decision, every input. It’s a reward, for surviving the first phase of training. Surviving all those gut wrenching manoeuvres you did out at the practice area. Surviving hour after hour after hour of tarmac bashing in the circuit. For putting up with practice emergency after emergency. For every evil trick scenario your instructor ever pulled on you.

It is an amazing feeling that you simply cannot describe to someone who doesn’t fly and it represents an important milestone, your first log book line as Pilot In Command.

After that though you may think that there isn’t much to gain form further solo flights. As a student you are limited as to what you can do when you are up there on your own. I can’t waive wake turbulence separation. I can’t accept a left downwind for 08, I can’t do spirals or spins*. There's no one up there with you to offer advice or tips. At first appearances it might seem that the learning options are limited.

This couldn’t be further from the truth, the benefits from solo flying aren’t physical, they are psychological. Every solo flight I do, I banish another of my inner demons. At first it was the uncertainty of if I could actually fly solo. Banished with a solitary circuit. Then the anxiety of what happens if I screw up my landings, vanquished with two bounce and goes where I totally bailed out of the landings, thus making the right choice.

And today, today I conquered many many demons.

I was on 08, I didn’t beach the plane on my preflight checks and I didn’t wipe out any Porters either. Despite being sandwiched between two of them.

ATC got me to do some funky stuff and it didn’t freak me out too much. I coped. Didn’t even swear that much either.

I had to request a stop and go because ATC couldn’t clear me for a touch and go. Then they couldn’t offer that. I knew I’d have to land, taxi round and then takeoff. This didn’t bother me.

I had the presence of mind and the time to look at my watch and realise that someone else had the plane in 5 minutes time, so I was going to have to cut it down to two circuits from the planned three.

I screwed up on my taxi in. I leaned out the mixture too much. The engine coughed to a stop. After a moment of blind panic, I set the mixture to ICO, set the throttle 1/16^th of an inch and fired her up. “Emergency” over!

All of the above just reinforcing that I do have decision making abilities, that I can manage. Something Bob has been saying all along. Maybe now I’ll believe him.



*Not that I have any real desire to!