On Friday, February 28, 2014 10:06:23 AM UTC-5, Waveguru wrote:
I often think that the roll of fear, or high levels of anxiety, are not talked about enough. It's very hard to fly when you are scared sh*tless. I think being scared is a major factor in most accidents. I think along with airspeed, and fly the airplane, we should also throw in calm down. I think many people are literally scared to death.



Boggs

I think back to the one time when I dinged an airplane. It was definitely a final glide coffin corner event exacerbated by being scared s***less and several other factors. I was just lucky. 1991 Lancaster SC regional. Only my 3rd year of competing and the first time at a completely new area. Bad weather on practice day, so unfamiliar with the overall area. Pre gps. Weather starts out good but deck moves in and day shuts down. Obvious this is the last climb, and I top out, then head off. Lots of little towns with 4 roads a water tower and railroad tracks. Prayer wheel says I'll make it at about pattern altitude. Field choices good up to a few miles out but a little spottier close in. Is this actually Lancaster? Crap - it's not. Notch the nerves up even higher. Tunnel vision. Staring at altimeter and map. Mouth is dry. Tap dancing on rudder pedals (what I do when I'm tense). Finally, see airport. I made it. Fly a tight, low pattern and opt for the taxiway (a tougher option) to save tow back from apron (obviously not thinking clearly). Mush it on semi-stalled just short of the taxiway lip and wipe out the undercarriage. Just imagine if that wasn't the airport and I had to make a difficult field landing over high trees or cross a ditch. I think the added pressure we put on ourselves that we HAVE to get back to the home field and only admitting defeat at the last second degrades our airmanship by a significant margin.

P3