My last few lessons had me wondering if I were going backwards. No, not in the plane; the winds weren’t that strong, but in my comfort level. I had anticipated being more comfortable up there in the sky, but I’m still tensing my legs for the hour (sometimes two) long lessons! I still am not completely relaxed. So I’ve asked many pilots I know, “when do you relax up there and start to feel more at ease?” And the answers are always different. Some pilots leave their nerves behind after a couple of hours, some take much longer. And I have been told that it is actually a good thing to have a certain amount of: well, whatever it is in the back of your mind that keeps your wits about you and your mind in high-gear.
Then, my instructor, Kirk, told me I’m almost ready to solo!!! Well now, if I wasn’t experiencing the maximum amount of anxiety before that, I most certainly am now! In hindsight that is where the nerves are coming from; knowing that my solo is just around the corner. But I have to trust that Kirk knows what he’s doing, and won’t turn me loose on my own until I’m completely ready. If only I could go and do 25 touch-and-goes right now!
I still find the lessons to be so much fun. My last lessons have been learning how to recover from unusual attitudes (you know, when you drop your pen on the cockpit floor, dig around to get it, and then look up to find your airplane is diving toward the ground with severe right bank!) My pens will all have ropes, and be around my neck. But it’s fun, and every lesson brings something new. Some excellent information about stalls, spins and unusual attitude training can be found at http://www.stallspin.com/resources/Resources.htm. Spins are an aggravated stall wherein the airplane follows a downward corkscrew path. As the airplane rotates around the vertical axis, the rising wing is less stalled than the descending wing creating a rolling, yawing, and pitching motion. Here is an intentional spin in a Cessna 152 (with full power entry for some excitement): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knct2ChNT5k
Something Kirk has been stressing to me during each lesson is the importance of A.L.A.R.M.S. That is, what to do in an emergency, such as the loss of an engine. And in a single engine airplane, that’s not a good situation to be in, obviously. (Airspeed, Landing site, Attempt Restart, Mixture, Seat belts, switches). I know this back to front if you ask me now, but try and remember that when you are in the pattern and your instructor pulls your power completely off, and you have to go through the ALARMS procedure while trying to glide the plane to the ground with no power. It’s quite an interesting experience the first time that happens. And very necessary training.
So I’m getting through the lesson plans and still enjoying flying immensely. I am told I will soon solo, and then we move into the cross country training. Ahhhh, a fresh bout of “new”! But my blog on my first solo experience is coming soon. Stay posted.
Click on pen to 
“Come to the edge” he said…. She said: “I am afraid”….
“Come to the edge” … she came, he pushed her and she flew!
Like the eagle I’m sure your solo will be wonderful!
Rachel, as someone who still can remember that day some ??? well let’s just say a long time ago it is a day that will stay with you the rest of your life. Enjoy it because like so many thing in life it will only happen once.
Soaring high, splitting the air, gliding, harnessing the wind beneath your wings….Wooow…… Amazing Rachel, fly far, . Your Summer