What leads to these discouraging situations? How can they be avoided when possible and negotiated when they are unavoidable?
First, you must understand that succeeding in aviation, whether that means earning a private pilot certificate, finding a job in a corporate jet cockpit, or landing on a pitching aircraft carrier, is a huge accomplishment that requires discipline, deter- mination, courage, and endurance. In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that learning to fly is no less than humankind's most ancient and ambitious dream realized. Pursuing something so important and worthwhile is never easy. Any task that tests you repeatedly and often will eventually place you in situations that force you to doubt your abilities and question why you are doing it at all. This is the heart of discouragement.
If you can remember that flying and other aviation activities are major and worthwhile accomplishments, you can more easily surmount the moments when you feel that you cannot go any further. And since flying is a multifaceted, complex task, you should expect to hit learning plateaus and re- member that these are normal. With that in mind, you can prepare yourself to get through those discouraging times with a few simple ideas.
A great place to start is to focus on yourself. Stop worrying about how other people perform and concentrate only on your own performance and skills. Countless pilots have been sidetracked because they wasted energy competing, even subconsciously, with others. So what if a friend, spouse, or parent soloed with fewer hours than you? Does it really matter that someone seems to be a "natural" and you don't? No. Even during a job interview, which is an overtly competitive environment, you should resist the temptation to worry about how the other candidates are doing. By forgetting about the other guy, you relinquish a lot of pressure and free yourself to follow your own goals.
I have taught dozens of students to fly and have flown for an airline, and I can tell you that the "natural" pilot is a myth. I have never seen a natural pilot in the student ranks or the airline cockpit. It's true that some pilots take to certain tasks and concepts more readily than others, but discipline and determination, not innate ability, are the traits that make pilots succeed at their aviation goals. In every case, success is painstakingly achieved. Being concerned with a fellow pilot's skills, abilities, number of hours, and so on is a waste of time and a good way to get discouraged. Whether you solo with 11 hours or 76, you have succeeded as long as you are safe and competent and exercise good judgment. Likewise, whether you are hired by an airline after your second interview or your twentieth, you have realized your objective, no matter how much sooner or later your husband, wife, uncle, or best friend accomplished the same thing.
Once you have decided not to worry that your wife soled with 16 hours and you have logged 30 hours of dual, you should remind yourself, frequently if necessary, that you have already achieved great accomplishments and obtained many skills. Remember your first lesson? You could not start the airplane; you did not know the difference between flaps and ailerons; and you tried to steer the aircraft with your hands instead of your feet. Now you can taxi. You understand a great deal of the airport signage and symbology; you know what hold short means; and you understand scores of other things that were totally unfamiliar and difficult for you when you started. So, you've hit a block in landing. Most pilots do. Hang in there and you will get it.
Even if you are much further along and find yourself getting discouraged, this technique of reminding yourself of your accomplishments will help you to appreciate the positive credentials you have already achieved, and more importantly, it will encourage you to continue and not give in to discouragement. After all, you've made it this far.
Do not be afraid to take brief breaks from flying if you need to. Taking some time off is not quitting, as long as you continue to work toward your goal. Sometimes it's just prudent to stand back and take stock of the situation. Early in my career as a flight instructor, I had a student who had a hard time getting himself to take a solo cross-country flight. He had already soloed and was, it appeared, well on his way to earning the certificate. He showed up at the airport so I could go over his planning and the weather, sign him off, and send him on his way. Clearly, he was uneasy and hesitant. (All students are rightfully nervous on their solo cross-country flights, by the way.) His planning was great, the weather was clear for 300 miles, and I was ready to send him up. When it became evident that he was extremely nervous - his voice started cracking as he was getting his things together to walk out to the airplane - I asked him if he was going to be all right. He was so stressed that he was almost shaking. He was extremely frightened about taking such a long flight all alone. He had felt ashamed and concealed his fears until the moment of the flight. Of course, I would have been delinquent in my flight instructor responsibilities if I had signed him off at that point. He was worried about "chickening out" and worried that people would think he was taking too long to complete the solo cross-country. I told him not to worry about anything but using good judgment and doing the right thing. I cancelled the airplane and suggested we drive away from the airport so we could have a talk.
We ended up at a cafe near the airport, and after I convinced him that there was no shame in withdrawing from a flight he was not comfortable with, he started relaxing a little. The pressure of the flight had subsided. We had a nice talk, and I reassured him his cancellation was the right thing to do. I suggested we take the same flight together the next week and if all went well, he could try to take the flight alone the following day. And, I made it clear that he should only take the flight solo when he was ready.
In the end, the week off from flying and the dual flight made all the difference. Instead of a negative and terrifying experience, his first solo cross-country was delayed by only a week, and he was confidant and ready when he did it. I have since used the same technique - a dual cross-country trip followed within a few days by a solo cross-country along the same route - many times with great success.
Don't be afraid to take an opportunity to briefly step away from a lesson, a flight, or an interview if you are not well-rested, comfortable, or ready to take full advantage of all the resources that are available to pilots. Many pilots have no idea how many resources are available to help them get through the discouraging situations that get in the way of their aviation pursuits. Students and certificated pilots, and even people who have never taken a flying lesson, can join aviation organizations such as AOPA which can provide advice on training, answer technical questions, and even provide legal assistance if needed. Even if you're not a member, you can get lots of information from AOPA Online (www.aopa.org ) and the AOPA Flight Training Web site (www.aopaflighttraining.org ). And anyone can call or visit a flying club or flight school and speak with a flight instructor about learning to fly. You can even ask another instructor for advice if your own instructor is unavailable. And the FAA is also available to help with a wide range of information resources. Why not pay a visit to your local flight standards district office or check out the Web site (www.faa.gov )?
Flying is a major accomplishment that requires dedication and drive. Be prepared for brief encounters with discouragement, use your resources, stick with it, and success is the only possible outcome.
