Early training stages

[cnterline]

Have about 14 hrs but too anxious ,probably gonna stop but figured Id ask if anyone else had this happen and was able too overcome it.

[AStarB3]

Anxiety is normal for anyone learning to fly. Everyone who has ever tried to fly a helicopter has been debilitatingly anxious at least once. The trick is learning to channel that anxiety into focus.

[permison]

I second what Matt said. I am sure out of the 10K members here, you will get the same comments. As you get more experience with flying you will get more comfortable.

[R22139RJ]

To help my anxiety I usually had a few beers before each flight. It really helped me out.

 

Joking aside, stick with it and you'll get over it. In the early stages of flying I asked my instructor, How awesome is flying when you're no longer terrified of flying? He replied, you'll have to find out.

[AStarB3]

The best advice I can give you would be that your instructor doesn't want to die. He is paying attention to what you are doing and will not let you die either

[Little Red 22]

I suggest trying another instructor, or as many as necessary, and see if the anxiety goes away. The "chemistry" between you and your instructor can "amplify" your anxiety feelings or reduce them. Been there, done that... you can overcome it. Learning to fly helicopters is NOT easy, and if you have any common sense at all you will recognize that they are dangerous. Also, stop holding your breath. It sets up all sorts of brain chemistry reactions that can cause anxiety responses. Relax, and get rid of the "death grip" on the controls.

[kodoz]

Is there something in particular that's getting your heart rate up? I almost threw my hands up on my first demo flight...the instructor took me into what was basically a large confined area and went thru the standard control isolation procedure. All fine until I took the cyclic...3 seconds later I was looking at the deadfall below us and some quickly approaching trees in front of us. Even 20 hrs later, that lesson would have been a cakewalk, but this was that instructor's way of doing demo flights. Not the best first experience, and later learned that there are other ways to go about teaching hovering.

 

Many maneuvers can be anxiety provoking, especially if you aren't prepared for what you're going to experience. Autos are another one that can leave a strong negative impression. How experienced is your instructor? Have you discussed what's going on with him or the chief pilot? If you can't resolve this with him, look elsewhere.

[Goldy]

Funny Chris, I was just typing in your website when I jumped over to the forum. BTW, you don't promote it enough, so here it is. Great site. http://www.cyclicandcollective.net

Edited May 27, 2010 by Goldy

[kodoz]

Funny Chris, I was just typing in your website when I jumped over to the forum. BTW, you don't promote it enough, so here it is. Great site. http://www.cyclicandcollective.net

Thanks Goldy!

[cnterline]

my instructor is fine,I tried this 20 yrs ago and had like 60 hrs about 12 solo however same type of thing happened and decided to stop,I didnt fly for a long time and went up for a ride and decided to give it another shot its not the instructor its me,I get all up tight about soloing,cross country and checkride,Its hard to explain but its like adrenalin spikes if that makes sense I have told my instructor about it and he was suprised because he said I can fly the heliicopter well alot of stress because I can fly rhe helicopter but mentally its a challenge and it doesnt help 2 guys I know were killed because of spatial disorientation forcd IMC when I was flying the first time

[r22butters]

You could try doing something dangerous to learn how to channel your emotions, like bungie jumping, or hang gliding.

 

I find going to the shooting range helps.

[Little Red 22]

Well, if as you say you're adrenal glands are activated and there seems to be no rational reason for it, then maybe you have a mild case of PTS (post traumatic stress), a chemical imbalance wherein the brain "remembers" a stressor that wasn't quite processed correctly, and stays lingering in the body for years. It's seldom discussed openly, but it happens to pilots and is fixable. It might make you feel better to know members of the US Aerobatic Team were advised to watch for symptoms of PTS after returning from England last August, having watched a beloved fellow team member, Vicki Cruse, die in a spectacular head-on dive into the ground during the World Aerobatic Contest. Combined with all the other stresses of travel, competition, and a broken team, they were asked to perform to the extreme emotionally and physically. Perhaps the fatalities you mention during your first flights were beyond reasonable processing at the time? Your adrenal glands are telling you something. Maybe some VR military pilots can help you out here.

 

 

Just remember the first rule of helo flying, "Don't ever give up!"

[Goldy]

Its so hard to say if what you are feeling is the same anxiety the rest of us felt at one time, or something more that you should be concerned about.

 

I recall my first CC solo, I was nervous about forgetting what to say on the radio, so I wrote out every single word and frequency I should be on. I was afraid of having a brain fart just as you come into Class C airspace!

 

Only you can decide. If you feel you are not in control, then you're right you should not be flying. It's not for everyone. However, also understand that most of us have felt anxiety more than a few times doing this helicopter training thing.

 

Best of luck to you, fly safe.

 

Goldy

[AStarB3]

If its solos and X-countries that make you nervous I will share a story with you that may help calm your nerves. My second solo XC was abruptly changed from fun to terrible when I busted class C airspace. I humbly called the tower realizing the error of my ways. The controller laughed and gave me a transitions clearance and sent me along my merry way. The moral of this story is that student pilots make mistakes and its not the end of the world. Just remember not to let anyone to make you go before you are ready but if you can fly and you make a small mistake its not the end of the world. Your CFI WOULD NOT sign you off if he did not have full faith in you.

[500E]

Thought stress was normal, it is the level that is the danger, if you can fly ok relax, as Goldy said he wrote all radio calls & freq out, So did I and Comms is my business, Use radio all day! but the stress was there, I put it down to the workload flying, lookout, monitor T&Ps, navigate, listening for any strange noises.

In my case so much to do such a small brain still get days when I think what am I doing up here, then I remember this is the place to be great view & mostly nice people

[ADRidge]

If PTSD-type stuff is your issue, talk about it. Get it out there. I get flashbacks and sweaty palms anytime I'm driving at night in the rain... got to watch a childhood friend drown on his own blood one night after a car wreck in those circumstances. But you just gotta realize that those kind of things tend to happen every once in a while. You do what you can to minimize the risk, but as a pilot, you learn to live with a certain amount of risk.

 

Anyway, talk it out with someone. I hate to see anyone give up on this flying thing, because it IS amazing.

 

I actually have the same type of issues backpacking on mountains. I know it sounds strange, but last time I was up on a mountain, I just froze about 300 feet from the summit. Reason why? Ten years ago, friend of the family's son fell from the same approximate area and died. It was subtle, but it was in the back of my head, and that's that.

[Goldy]

I was never real fond of heights. If I get up onto the roof of a 50 story building I like to stay a foot or two in from the edge. Never bothered me flying, but sometimes I have to step out onto a skid and hook up onto a winch line. Every time I do I remember a fireman who died locally because he wasnt secured. I pause, double check, and out the door I am!

 

Again, we take risks, we mitigate those risks with training, and over time, we get comfortable in the situation...whatever that situation is.

 

If I say anymore I will have to start paying you guys to listen.

 

Fly safe,

 

Goldy