Wednesday 11 September 2013

From the archives: Getting the first 5 minutes right

This is my big goal for the next few flights. I get really frustrated with myself and say all kinds of bad swear words in the first few minutes of each flight. Unfortunately the jolts and bumps of what I perceive to be turbulence still freak me out, especially at this time of year when the north winds stir up mechanical turbulence from over the city. I get so angry at myself. The plane starts bouncing a bit and I immediately start whinging “Bob I don’t like this, Bob I’m really not comfortable with this.” Bob, for his part plays the “tough love” routine. All he says is “No, its fine, you got it” and steadfastly refuses to put his hands anywhere near the controls. To be honest, this is probably what I need him to do.

Eventually I settle down and start flying the plane, by the time we’ve gotten out to the practice area I’ve forgotten that I’m meant to be panicking. So If I can do it then, why can’t I do it from the start? I mean I take off fine and I do actually fly the plane like I’m meant to, it is just that it is accompanied by a whole load more whining, complaining and swearing than it needs to be.
My goal is to “pull-myself-the-hell-together”* and get those first few minutes right. There is no reason for me to react like this. I quite simply, just need to stop.
 
*This is probably what Bob is thinking :)

2 comments:

  1. This is what I think Bob is thinking at that moment:

    "Once I get LFE past her little freak out phase she will be fine. One of these days she'll come to the realization it is totally unnecessary, but until then, I'll just sit in my calm zen state until it rubs off on her. Ommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm"

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    Replies
    1. so true and more annoyingly it appears to have worked!
      I wrote this a few months ago, I post stuff like this to remind myself how far I've come.

      Its a good job flight instructors don't get paid by the number of times they are right. I'd owe Bob a fortune.

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