Ben,
I think there's a valid point in what you're saying. Lack of confidence
keeps people from really going out and experiencing things they've learned
about, and that needs to be overcome.

What it points to for me is that maybe there ought to be two phases to
training, more distinct than they are now. There's the flying part, (Cub,
farmstrip, stick and rudder) and there's the aviation part (radios, nav
aids, ATC, other officialdom). Many of the pilots I know are perfectly
comfortable going into Class D airspace but would by absolutely useless in
anything other than near perfect conditions and enormous runways - they can
aviate but they can't fly. I learned at Scott AFB, mixing it up with C-9s,
helos, A-10s and anything else that came in transient. Every movement was
with full ATC. I could handle all that stuff. But I didn't learn how to
really fly an airplane until I got into a Cub group and spent hours in the
pattern learning how to really handle the machine.

My point, I guess, is that radio skills and aviation confidence are
necessary, but I'd rather see someone learn how to fly the airplane properly
before being distracted with the other things too early in training. But,
that's just how I see it from the perspective of a 400 hour PPL, so that's
all the value the opinion has. I guess it's a bit like learning to drive.
Your old man probably took you to an enormous parking lot somewhere first so
you could learn how to work the pedals and turn the car without hitting
anything. Later he took you out on the streets where you had to deal with
traffic lights, signs, and other drivers.

Shawn

"Ben Hallert" wrote in message
oups.com...
Some great points Shawn, but I wonder if it's that clear cut. I now
live in Oregon where most people learn basically how you described.
Something that's becoming increasingly clear is that the pilots around
here really don't like using the radio. They get uncomfortable talking
to controllers, and talk about how they never file VFR flight plans,
use Flight Following, or any of that.

The other day, I flew to Portland. When I mentioned where I was going,
all the guys in the lounge looked both interested and nervous, and a
couple of them made comments to the effect of how they don't feel
comfortable in controlled space (presumably class D-). I've heard
another pilot refer to class C as his personal class B.

Where I learned, I didn't have a choice but to pick up the radio stuff,
and it took hardly any time. I don't think I missed out on learning
any flying basics, and the added load during training with the
instructor onboard helped me learn important cockpit resource
management. I have a feeling that people who learn in the boonies
might be at disadvantage when entering stricter airspace. Not because
they are worse pilots, but because they're having to spend brainpower
figuring out/using unfamiliar radio procedures while navigating in a
high traffic, unfamiliar environment. I had that, but I learned with
an instructor in the right seat to be my net until I had it down pat.

I mentioned that I had transitioned class bravo down in SoCal, and only
one other guy at the lounge had done that, and it was this alien,
exciting thing for them to hear about. These guys are way better
pilots then I am, but high traffic/class bcd airspace intimidates them,
and that's just not right.