Turbulence Anxiety

[Doug]

Hey all..

New pilot with about 15 hours, excellent instructor...141 school and top
quality aircraft....I have complete faith in my instruction and aircraft
and a sincere lifeong desire to learn to fly.

However....Turbulence locks me up!

I can 'play' pilot on MS Sim 2004 in any weather, condition or emergency
and meet the requirements for all the things I have learned so far, but the
moment I'm in the air and start feeling the bumps everything gets thrown
off and in my mind I "get behind" and feel like im playing catch-up with
simple manuvers thus making it a frighting experience. Instructor says
besides the death grip on the wheel I do fine but in the melon things are
chaotic. Put me in 'clear air' and I do well and am in full command of all
my responsibilities and enjoy the time in the sky.

My Instructor continues to find ways to help me and I want to punch myself
in the face for being such a punk but I wanted to ask if anyone had any
tips on how they may have gotten over the anxiety?

[Stephen N Mills]

The mental image suggested to me, which works very well: Picture the
bumps and jolts as you would if you were riding a surfboard. You are
surfing the air. (I suppose a skateboard image would work as well!!)

- Steve



On Thu, 10 Jun 2004 05:09:14 GMT, Doug > wrote:

>Hey all..
>
>New pilot with about 15 hours, excellent instructor...141 school and top
>quality aircraft....I have complete faith in my instruction and aircraft
>and a sincere lifeong desire to learn to fly.
>
>However....Turbulence locks me up!
>
>I can 'play' pilot on MS Sim 2004 in any weather, condition or emergency
>and meet the requirements for all the things I have learned so far, but the
>moment I'm in the air and start feeling the bumps everything gets thrown
>off and in my mind I "get behind" and feel like im playing catch-up with
>simple manuvers thus making it a frighting experience. Instructor says
>besides the death grip on the wheel I do fine but in the melon things are
>chaotic. Put me in 'clear air' and I do well and am in full command of all
>my responsibilities and enjoy the time in the sky.
>
>My Instructor continues to find ways to help me and I want to punch myself
>in the face for being such a punk but I wanted to ask if anyone had any
>tips on how they may have gotten over the anxiety?

[OtisWinslow]

It's just something you're going to have to build up a tolerance to. I've
been flying almost 30 yrs and don't like turbulence. I fly to relax and
have fun and that's hard when you're getting beat up.


"Doug" > wrote in message
...
> Hey all..
>
> New pilot with about 15 hours, excellent instructor...141 school and top
> quality aircraft....I have complete faith in my instruction and aircraft
> and a sincere lifeong desire to learn to fly.
>
> However....Turbulence locks me up!
>
> I can 'play' pilot on MS Sim 2004 in any weather, condition or emergency
> and meet the requirements for all the things I have learned so far, but
the
> moment I'm in the air and start feeling the bumps everything gets thrown
> off and in my mind I "get behind" and feel like im playing catch-up with
> simple manuvers thus making it a frighting experience. Instructor says
> besides the death grip on the wheel I do fine but in the melon things are
> chaotic. Put me in 'clear air' and I do well and am in full command of
all
> my responsibilities and enjoy the time in the sky.
>
> My Instructor continues to find ways to help me and I want to punch myself
> in the face for being such a punk but I wanted to ask if anyone had any
> tips on how they may have gotten over the anxiety?

[Toks Desalu]

Well,
I am not the expert on dealing with turbulence. The best thing I can tell
you is that you will have to learn to get used to it because it will not go
away. As a low time private pilot, I can't even recall the last time I have
flown in a smooth air. Probably, some time way back in flight training
during the winter time. To make the matter worse, I moved from flatland to
land of hills and trees. Now, I have to deal with mechanical turbulences
frequently. I don't blame you about being anxiety. You are only 15 hours
into flying. That is considered a rookie to turbulence in my experience. I
am sure that the more you fly, the more you get used to it. Eventually, you
will become like everybody else, riding through bumps like it is the second
nature.Anxiety will eventually disappear or reduce to minimum.

Toks Desalu
PP-ASEL
Dyin' to soar!

[Eric Ross]

Doug wrote:

> Hey all..
>
> New pilot with about 15 hours, excellent instructor...141 school and top
> quality aircraft....I have complete faith in my instruction and aircraft
> and a sincere lifeong desire to learn to fly.
>
> However....Turbulence locks me up!
>
> I can 'play' pilot on MS Sim 2004 in any weather, condition or emergency
> and meet the requirements for all the things I have learned so far, but the
> moment I'm in the air and start feeling the bumps everything gets thrown
> off and in my mind I "get behind" and feel like im playing catch-up with
> simple manuvers thus making it a frighting experience. Instructor says
> besides the death grip on the wheel I do fine but in the melon things are
> chaotic. Put me in 'clear air' and I do well and am in full command of all
> my responsibilities and enjoy the time in the sky.
>
> My Instructor continues to find ways to help me and I want to punch myself
> in the face for being such a punk but I wanted to ask if anyone had any
> tips on how they may have gotten over the anxiety?

I agree with the previous responses. I started out with air sickness
which would be triggered with any turbulance. So, I started out with
that fear. Then I had the feeling of being behind the aircraft. I was
trying to keep it straight and level at all times rather than "ride the
waves" which of course ended up with the tight grip and worse control.
Once I got to about 25 hours I noticed that my perception had changed.
I was walking across the parking lot and some wind picked up some leaves
and my mind created an image of the air. It was as if I could literally
see the air. This continued to develop and turbulance became easy to
visualize as waves in the water. Sure, you went up and down, left and
right, but as long as the average was in the right direction you were
fine. As practice I will exaggerate the looseness on the grip and try
not to do any aileron control. Of course, at some point you are rolled
15 degrees and you don't roll back, so you give the yoke a slight twist
to bring you back. At this point turbulance is no longer an issue
except for comfort, landings, teeth and airframe structural integrity.
Today, I have about 90 hours and I realy don't notice mild turbulance
anymore as a flying issue. I do notice it as a possible warning of
heavier turbulance nearby and look for the telltale signs.

Eric Ross
PP-SEL

[Jack]

Doug wrote:

> Hey all..
>
> New pilot with about 15 hours, excellent instructor...141 school and top
> quality aircraft....I have complete faith in my instruction and aircraft
> and a sincere lifeong desire to learn to fly.
>
> However....Turbulence locks me up!

The airplane will not break.

Take an Aerobatics course and get used to 'g' loads and unusual attitudes.



Jack

[HECTOP]

"Doug" > wrote:
> However....Turbulence locks me up!

I started my training in winter and it all went fine till I went to Arizona
in April and got my first taste of thermal turbulence. That almost
completely ruined my training, it probably added another 20 hours to my
training costs since all I could keep my mind on was that little airplane
falling apart from the turbulence. But then it wore off, and now flying even
through some serious shaking is like wrestling with an old buddy, more like
a fun challenge. I say you'll get used to it too, it's just human nature to
get defensive when the body position in space is upset, and the only way to
overcome it is with training and time.

Good luck

HECTOP
PP-ASEL-IA
http://www.maxho.com
maxho_at_maxho.com

[Stefan]

Doug wrote:

> However....Turbulence locks me up!

Besides just getting used to it, as others have suggested, you could
also go for a glider rating. This would teach you that termals are a
pilot's friend rather than an annoyance. Be careful, though, as once
you've experienced the silent way of flying powered by the sun, chances
are that you will never fly an aircraft with an engine again.

Stefan

[Cecil Chapman]

Just one word:

Exposure. That will do the trick.

Don't know if it will help, but my non-pilot wife, says that what helps her
is to think of the turbulence like the bumps in a road when she drives the
car (i.e., the bumps in the car don't scare her,,, nor should the bumps in
the air, she reasons).

--
--
=-----
Good Flights!

Cecil
PP-ASEL
Student-IASEL

Check out my personal flying adventures from my first flight to the
checkride AND the continuing adventures beyond!
Complete with pictures and text at: www.bayareapilot.com

"I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things."
- Antoine de Saint-Exupery -

"We who fly, do so for the love of flying. We are alive in the air with
this miracle that lies in our hands and beneath our feet"
- Cecil Day Lewis -

[calafradulistic]

go under the "hood" - after that nothing seems too rough! :-)


"Doug" > wrote in message
...
> Hey all..
>
> New pilot with about 15 hours, excellent instructor...141 school and top
> quality aircraft....I have complete faith in my instruction and aircraft
> and a sincere lifeong desire to learn to fly.
>
> However....Turbulence locks me up!
>
> I can 'play' pilot on MS Sim 2004 in any weather, condition or emergency
> and meet the requirements for all the things I have learned so far, but
the
> moment I'm in the air and start feeling the bumps everything gets thrown
> off and in my mind I "get behind" and feel like im playing catch-up with
> simple manuvers thus making it a frighting experience. Instructor says
> besides the death grip on the wheel I do fine but in the melon things are
> chaotic. Put me in 'clear air' and I do well and am in full command of
all
> my responsibilities and enjoy the time in the sky.
>
> My Instructor continues to find ways to help me and I want to punch myself
> in the face for being such a punk but I wanted to ask if anyone had any
> tips on how they may have gotten over the anxiety?

[Doug]

Thanks Everyone! Its unamous I need to just deal with it and get used
to it... but keep the edge and the importance of attention to procedures
and Ill be ok! (Doug quit cryin' haha)

I look forward to being a part of the community and will continue to
follow along in the NG to learn more each day.

Take care!

P.S. Vote Republican!
(sorry had to do it)



>
> "Doug" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Hey all..
>>
>> New pilot with about 15 hours, excellent instructor...141 school and
>> top quality aircraft....I have complete faith in my instruction and
>> aircraft and a sincere lifeong desire to learn to fly.
>>
>> However....Turbulence locks me up!
>>
>> I can 'play' pilot on MS Sim 2004 in any weather, condition or
>> emergency and meet the requirements for all the things I have learned
>> so far, but
> the
>> moment I'm in the air and start feeling the bumps everything gets
>> thrown off and in my mind I "get behind" and feel like im playing
>> catch-up with simple manuvers thus making it a frighting experience.
>> Instructor says besides the death grip on the wheel I do fine but in
>> the melon things are chaotic. Put me in 'clear air' and I do well
>> and am in full command of
> all
>> my responsibilities and enjoy the time in the sky.
>>
>> My Instructor continues to find ways to help me and I want to punch
>> myself in the face for being such a punk but I wanted to ask if
>> anyone had any tips on how they may have gotten over the anxiety?
>
>
>

[Jeff]

I tell my wife they are just speed bumps, she uses that and it helps her when
we are flying.

but turbulence is something that you will eventually get used to, go on a long
cross country during the afternoon when the thermals are kicking up and just
keep flying untill your comfortable.


Doug wrote:

> Hey all..
>
> New pilot with about 15 hours, excellent instructor...141 school and top
> quality aircraft....I have complete faith in my instruction and aircraft
> and a sincere lifeong desire to learn to fly.
>
> However....Turbulence locks me up!
>
> I can 'play' pilot on MS Sim 2004 in any weather, condition or emergency
> and meet the requirements for all the things I have learned so far, but the
> moment I'm in the air and start feeling the bumps everything gets thrown
> off and in my mind I "get behind" and feel like im playing catch-up with
> simple manuvers thus making it a frighting experience. Instructor says
> besides the death grip on the wheel I do fine but in the melon things are
> chaotic. Put me in 'clear air' and I do well and am in full command of all
> my responsibilities and enjoy the time in the sky.
>
> My Instructor continues to find ways to help me and I want to punch myself
> in the face for being such a punk but I wanted to ask if anyone had any
> tips on how they may have gotten over the anxiety?

[Sully]

I can tell you that when I started flying I wasn't very fond of
turbulence either. What made it even worse was the fact that I
started in a very small plane (Micro-light) in the summer in FL and we
had to really watch on climb outs especially if we had been flying for
very long or the engine temps would shoot through the roof so we were
stuck trying to cool the engine at very low altitudes so we could
climb some more to get to cooler temps. I think I added quite a few
new finger grips to the stick.

Since then I have bought my own experimental and started doing a lot
more afternoon flying if for no other reason to help me get used to
the "Speed Bumps". (Most of my flight training was done during the
winter so I had very smooth air almost all the time.) I can tell you
that it has helped a lot, I have gotten to the point that turbulence
doesn't bother me no where near as much now. I have even noticed that
rather than putting new finger grips in the stick now I have quite a
loose comfortable grip on it. I've also learned to ride it out and go
with it more rather than fight the whole time to keep the wings
perfectly level.

Hope this helps some.

Gary


On Thu, 10 Jun 2004 05:09:14 GMT, Doug > wrote:

>Hey all..
>
>New pilot with about 15 hours, excellent instructor...141 school and top
>quality aircraft....I have complete faith in my instruction and aircraft
>and a sincere lifeong desire to learn to fly.
>
>However....Turbulence locks me up!
>
>I can 'play' pilot on MS Sim 2004 in any weather, condition or emergency
>and meet the requirements for all the things I have learned so far, but the
>moment I'm in the air and start feeling the bumps everything gets thrown
>off and in my mind I "get behind" and feel like im playing catch-up with
>simple manuvers thus making it a frighting experience. Instructor says
>besides the death grip on the wheel I do fine but in the melon things are
>chaotic. Put me in 'clear air' and I do well and am in full command of all
>my responsibilities and enjoy the time in the sky.
>
>My Instructor continues to find ways to help me and I want to punch myself
>in the face for being such a punk but I wanted to ask if anyone had any
>tips on how they may have gotten over the anxiety?

[Morgans]

"Jeff" > wrote in message
...
> I tell my wife they are just speed bumps, she uses that and it helps her
when
> we are flying.

We told the kids (when they were little) that it was "air road construction
potholes" <g>

That was something they could relate to, and never had a problem after that.
--
Jim in NC


---
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[Paul Sengupta]

"HECTOP" > wrote in message
...
> I started my training in winter and it all went fine till I went to
Arizona
> in April and got my first taste of thermal turbulence.

I learnt in Florida. Similar I guess. Fun when trying to fly accurately
under the hood, keeping an exact altitude and heading.

> now flying even
> through some serious shaking is like wrestling with an old buddy, more
like
> a fun challenge.

Mmm, I thought that until I did a formation flying course last
weekend! Turbulence takes on a whole new meaning when
you're trying to hold 10ft from another plane.

> I say you'll get used to it too, it's just human nature to
> get defensive when the body position in space is upset, and the only way
to
> overcome it is with training and time.

I need more formation training!

Paul

[I'd rather be flying]

Why is turbulence so distressful and a big deal for a lot of people. Even my
instructor has asked me on a few occasions whether I was ok or not with
turbulence. I just looked at her puzzled like she was expecting it to affect
me in some way. Is it supposed to bother me? I have never given it a second
thought, really. However, people talk about it here so much is it supposed
to be a big deal? So what's up with it?

Richard

"Morgans" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Jeff" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I tell my wife they are just speed bumps, she uses that and it helps her
> when
> > we are flying.
>
> We told the kids (when they were little) that it was "air road
construction
> potholes" <g>
>
> That was something they could relate to, and never had a problem after
that.
> --
> Jim in NC
>
>
> ---
> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.701 / Virus Database: 458 - Release Date: 6/8/2004
>
>

[Peter Duniho]

"I'd rather be flying" > wrote in message
ogers.com...
> Why is turbulence so distressful and a big deal for a lot of people. [...]
> Is it supposed to bother me? I have never given it a second
> thought, really. However, people talk about it here so much is it supposed
> to be a big deal? So what's up with it?

Turbulence doesn't bother you? Well, bully for you. Not everyone else is
comfortable bouncing around, and passengers in particular often really don't
like it. For most of my passengers, it's partly that they are simply not in
control, and partly a primitive emotional response that tells them that the
plane will fall apart soon. Of course, each individual is different.

Frankly, I pity you. Since you have no personal experience with the
discomfort that turbulence causes, you will have no empathy for your
passengers in turbulent conditions. It will be that much harder for you to
put your passengers at ease, and to remember to take steps to avoid
conditions they won't like in the first place.

Pete

[I'd rather be flying]

I do notice turbulence, but it doesn't bother me or make me ill. You got me
wrong, though.... You see, I know it bothers people a lot, I just didn't
know why. I was guessing that it is because it makes people ill or it makes
them think something will happen to the plane. As far as passengers are
concerned, I will always be aware they may not have the ease of dealing with
turbulence that I do.

Richard

"Peter Duniho" > wrote in message
...
> "I'd rather be flying" > wrote in message
> ogers.com...
> > Why is turbulence so distressful and a big deal for a lot of people.
[...]
> > Is it supposed to bother me? I have never given it a second
> > thought, really. However, people talk about it here so much is it
supposed
> > to be a big deal? So what's up with it?
>
> Turbulence doesn't bother you? Well, bully for you. Not everyone else is
> comfortable bouncing around, and passengers in particular often really
don't
> like it. For most of my passengers, it's partly that they are simply not
in
> control, and partly a primitive emotional response that tells them that
the
> plane will fall apart soon. Of course, each individual is different.
>
> Frankly, I pity you. Since you have no personal experience with the
> discomfort that turbulence causes, you will have no empathy for your
> passengers in turbulent conditions. It will be that much harder for you
to
> put your passengers at ease, and to remember to take steps to avoid
> conditions they won't like in the first place.
>
> Pete
>
>

[Ditch]

>I do notice turbulence, but it doesn't bother me or make me ill.

You should fly in the Owens Valley...I've been flipped upside down and have had
the controls ripped out of my hands. Makes for some fun days.




-John
*You are nothing until you have flown a Douglas, Lockheed, Grumman or North
American*

[Journeyman]

In article >, Doug wrote:
>
> However....Turbulence locks me up!

My Highly Significant Other is a nervous passenger, but she's a lot
more relaxed about it, after I explained that the turbulence is just
like potholes in th road. It's partly state of mind. That's why
practice helps.

> My Instructor continues to find ways to help me and I want to punch myself
> in the face for being such a punk but I wanted to ask if anyone had any
> tips on how they may have gotten over the anxiety?

Start by not beating yourelf up. It's not that uncommon.


Morris