Burned out?

12 Answers

1. 
   

   
   

   Earl Kessler on Sep 06, 2011

   You might consider another CFI to evaluate your learning style.

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2. 
   

   
   

   Tommy D Eldridge on Sep 06, 2011

   I agree with Earl. Sounds like your CFI is not really teaching but just showing. When you LEARN you retain. I know for me when I not only was taugh how to but why it was that way thats when I really learned

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3. 
   

   
   

   Nathan Parker on Sep 06, 2011

   “When one is really good one day it sucks the next time and we work on it then it’s good again and one of the other maneuers suck”
   Not really enough information.  How often are you flying?  How many hours do you have?
    
   And what do you mean “sucks”?  I discourage students from using such ambiguous terms because they contain no information.  Are you having trouble maintaining altitude goal?  airspeed?  heading? Are you landing too long, too short, getting lost, what?
    
   I generally shoot for a week of flying almost every day prior to a checkride.  Almost anyone is capable of perfection if they’re pushed hard enough.

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4. 
   

   
   

   Kate Knoblauch on Sep 06, 2011

   I have like 150 hours in my logbook – some were fun trips that my CFI/friend and I took…I needed to go to Pittsburgh and my husband was unavailable. 🙂
   My CFI and I are out of ideas on how to nip these issues in the bud. I suggested the week long “fly until my arms” hurt. But he thought that something that intense may get me to pass but wouldn’t be safe.  I guess my question is – can someone please explain WHY we do the S Turns/Turns around a point?  I understand why we do slow flight and stalls (Passed those on my first run at the checkride)
   Thanks for the encouragement Nathan – the DPE thinks I shouldn’t be flying. (Couldn’t land on the same spot on the runway twice and lost altitude a couple times, forgot to set the DG so then I was off course a couple degrees – Well I couldn’t pass the “I’m SAFE” thing and my CFI pushed me into doing the checkride. but that’s a whole nother story. 

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5. 
   

   
   

   Nathan Parker on Sep 06, 2011

   “the DPE thinks I shouldn’t be flying.”
    
   That’s a bit of a harsh judgement.  I do think it’s true for some people, but I’d usually pinpoint attitude as the determining factor, rather than physical skills.
    
   The brutal truth of the ground reference maneuvers is that they’re something to do while you’re improving your handling of the airplane. 😉  According to the FAA, though, they’re intended to teach you to compensate for the wind and to learn to fly the airplane safely while looking intently at something on the ground.  The latter is theoretically important because people crash every year while flying at low altitudes and being distracted by something on the ground.  I’m not really convinced that practicing this makes the pilot any safer.
    
   I’m somewhat sympathetic to your CFI’s desire not to create an artificial level of proficiency to get you pass the ride, if he truly thinks that you’d be unsafe once that training wore off.  It’s just impossible for someone over the internet to second-guess that judgement.
    
   How much solo time do you have?

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6. 
   

   
   

   Kate Knoblauch on Sep 06, 2011

   I have just the 10 required and during all those time they were miserable.  Something happened on each one. Not too traumatic but still they ended up not being fun.  On my initial solo in the pattern I had a bumble bee buzzing around.  When I was doing my “mini xc” to a nearby airport one of the vacuum pumps failed.  On one of my long xc landed on a runway that was closed due to ice/snow (but it wasn’t bad anymore) and yes my CFI reviewed my plan before hand and neither one of us saw in the duats (it was on page 22 of 45 – established afterwards) on the other xc I inadvertantly clipped Class D airspace since it was so turbulant.  If that doesn’t qualify for good pilotship I don’t know what does — I aviated first and then navigated, never got around to communicating.  Just thinking about those maks me have the willies.
   I know you’re question before you ask – If I don’t like flying on my own what’s the point. The point is my husband is a pilot and won’t let me touch the controls or “help” unless a FAA person says I’m qualified to do so. 

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7. Best Answer
   
   

   
   

   Nathan Parker on Sep 06, 2011

   “I have just the 10 required”
    
   That would have been my guess, which is why I asked the question.  Here’s my pop psych analysis:  you haven’t taken responsibility for your own development of piloting skills.  Instead, you have an awful lot of flight time with someone else telling you what to do, which means that your skill comes from outside yourself rather than being internally generated.
    
   My suspicion is that the last thing you need is more training, but rather you need a good boost in confidence that you can only get in solo flight.  You already know how to do all the required maneuvers for a PPL…go out to the practice area *by yourself* and practice them until they’re perfect.   Maybe go on some more cross country flights (with proper endorsements), but do whatever it takes for you to feel like you’re the pilot in command. 
    
   I’d bet after 20 hours of this, you’ll pass a checkride with ease and be a lot prouder of your accomplishment. 

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8. 
   

   
   

   Wes Beard on Sep 06, 2011

   Kate,
    
   I admire you for taking an interest in what your husband likes to do and it seems that you also like to fly an airplane from reading your other posts and this one.  It seems to me that your instructor may have moved you on to another lesson before a fundamental lesson was really learned.  This is called the building blocks of learning.
    
   Lessons in order of how they should go:

   Straight and Level Flight using outside references and TRIM
   Shallow to medium turns using outside references
   Climbs and Descents using outside references and TRIM
   Cimbing and Descending Turns using outside references and TRIM
   Slow Flight and Stalls using outside references
   Ground Reference Maneuvers using outside references
   Takeoffs and Landings using outside references 
   Solo Work
   Cross Country Operations
   Checkride

    
   I’m saying this because I have personal experience (meaning my own experience) of not having some fundamentals down pat and had been moved on and later needed to learn what I should have at the very beginning.  I specifically remember starting my CFI coursework flying with a really seasoned instructor and he was able to see the holes in my blocks.  We were climbing out on the first couple lessons and he covered all my instruments.  I asked why he did that and he responded because you haven’t learned to use outside references to control the airplane.  He then proceeded to teach me how to properly fly an airplane using outside references.  My flying skills increased substantially and I never worried about the PTS standards again.
    
   If you are having trouble keeping altitude (and as a result airspeed) and heading go back to lesson one and see if you can keep straight and level without looking at the instruments for a minute at a time.  If you are within PTS standards, five times in a row move on to the next building block.  
    
   Ground reference maneuvers are taught so the pilot can learn to keep a certain ground track and maintain altitude while their attention is divided among flying duties and maintaining the ground track.  If you can keep altitude using outside references, this should be much easier to perform.  The other trick to all the maneuvers is the setup.  Make sure the airplane is at the right altitude, airspeed and is TRIMMED before starting the maneuver.  Don’t let the examiner rush you!
    
   I remember a solo cross country I did once where I got lost on a route that I have flown many times before.  I almost flew directly into restricted airspace.  On that day I didn’t pass the IM SAFE checklist but decided to fly anyway.  When I finally decided that I was lost, I located the nearest airport and started circling it at 6000′ AGL.  I saw the runway numbers and circled two or three times while I pulled out the green book and found the airport diagram for the airport.  When I saw the airport name, I felt sick as it was my home airport in Class C airspace.  Good thing I was above the Class C airspace!  I almost took out my last flight plan to fly it backwards to finish the flying for the day but senses finally got the best of me and I contacted approach to land.  The point being, is that what happened in the past is the past.  I learned from my experience and it made me a better pilot.

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9. 
   

   
   

   Andy Neumann on Sep 06, 2011

   Dear Kate,
    
   There really is no fool proof way to address the problems you are having in a forum like askacfi.com but, I admire you for having the guts to admit what’s going on.  There are a lot of pilots out there who have trouble admitting mistakes and weaknesses.  They never learn from them, are doomed to repeat them, and are worse off for it.  It sounds like your level of concern is healthy.  Here are some questions that come to mind.  You don’t have to answer them on here…just think about them and be honest with yourself. 
    
   Is it possible your husband is pressuring you, or you feel pressure to please him by doing this?  If so, how can you learn effectively with that pressure? 
    
   What drawbacks do you think there are by having a friend be your CFI?  Similar to your husband, are you trying to please your friend by using him/her as your CFI? 
    
   Who wants this more?  You, your husband, or your CFI/friend? 
    
   Are you willing to put in as much effort as it takes to be a proficient and safe PILOT IN COMMAND, even after you get your license?  You are the captain of the ship.  Whatever happens, you must take responsibility for doing what it takes to stay safe and legal. 
    
   Does fear play into your flying experiences?  Are you trying to conquer fear by getting your license?  Is getting your license really going to make the fear go away? 
    
   Take notice that none of my questions concern whether you have the innate ability to be a pilot.  In my experience, I have never met someone who couldn’t learn to fly an airplane if they put their mind to it and stuck with it.  It sounds like you are starting to buy the idea of “the right stuff” and that maybe you don’t have it.  There is no right stuff–just regular people learning new habits and how to approach flying responsibly.  Are you a responsibe person who can learn?  If so, I guarantee you can be a private pilot.
    
   All of that being said, at 140 hours of dual instruction, I would have to side with Earl and say it’s definitely time to try a new CFI who has a different method of teaching. I’m sad you didn’t start looking for another CFI at 60 hours. 
    
   -Andy

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10. 
    

    
    

    Micah on Sep 08, 2011

    Kate,
    Burnout/frustration/etc is normal, but you’ve got to get through it in a manner appropriate for you. I haven’t had many female students, but women learn and process information differently than men. It’s possible that your instructor’s style is very compatible for men but even though the two of you get along, you’re learning from him more slowly. More likely, there may be a natural disconnect in learning styles. That doesn’t mean your instructor can’t take you to the end, but it may mean that you both need to re-evaluate what you’re doing.
     
    I would take a few weeks off and try not to think about it. I’ve been amazed at how much that helps; the brain and body can process things subconsciously and sometimes much better than our conscious attempts. I agree with Wes too, don’t spend your time “trying to finish” but go back to the basics of crisp airplane control and demonstrate that you’re in command. Tell your instructor why you are performing each manuever (and if you don’t understand ask him/us for help; more on turns around a point at the bottom). When you take command of the airplane, of the mental approach, of all of your training, and when you can take command (not in some macho, masculine way) in a way that inspires the DPE’s confidence in you then you should pass, and you should know you’ve passed.
     
    You need more solo time, I think. Keep it simple at first, but get more time practicing by yourself. If you’re uncomfortable flying by yourself or if you don’t trust yourself that will be evident to the DPE and I can understand his concern; not that you won’t make a great pilot, but you need to demonstrate your trustworthiness. Also, reflect on your training time with you instructor. Is the instructor flying the airplane? I always keep my feet near the rudder and my hands on my knees (just in case) but if I’m doing anything besides talking (and that not too much) then I’m not instructing properly and the student is not able to learn.
     
    Spend time watching other pilots. I love watching pilots land with my students. I ask my students to explain what’s happening, judging whether the approach is fast/slow/low/high, etc., and I listen to them talk me through it and listen to how they process the information. Sometimes I learn a lot about what they’re thinking, other times we just watch and say “whoa, that was weird” together. This may be something you can do with your husband too; that could be a good experience. 
     
    One of the worst students I’ve had was a college student who took to flight instruction like she took to a psychology class. She showed up and expected to pass at some point. That’s not how flight training works, even if it can get you a C in Psych 101. I’m sure she’s a fine pilot now, but when we flew her mental approach made all of her flying skills worthless. Some of the best students I had were twin sisters who attended the same school. The were only wanting to solo, which is all their degrees required, and they were excellent pilots. They weren’t naturally as confident as some men are, but they understood what they were doing and one had a great eye for landing. But it took me a long time to understand how to teach them. I couldn’t just give them the same package lessons as most students.
    It may be in the end that you don’t want or don’t need your private pilot certificate. But this doesn’t seem to be the case to me. And don’t worry about how many hours it takes to complete (except for the cost) because once you have your certificate you realize that hours are hours, not plaques to hang on the wall.
     
    Enjoy your training and be safe
    —
     
    Regarding ground reference maneuvers, these are simple excercises that team basic skills. When you do a turn-around-a-point you are simulating the traffic pattern. You are watching altitude, airspeed, aircraft position/navigation, watching for other traffic, and (if necessary) communicating. It sounds like a lot (and when you mess up, it is) but it’s quite simple. If your RPMs are set properly and the airspeed is stable, if the airplane is trimmed then you should be able to fly a gentle turn without too much effort. The airplane won’t fly itself like in a steep turn, but all you’re doing is making simple adjustments to bank (changing rate of turn) with small changes to rudder all the while watching for traffic and watching the ground reference. This is what you’re doing at the airport (add in more traffic and communication) and you should be able to see why increasing the basic skills makes the landing pattern at an airport a much easier task. (Don’t feel bad about your confusion: I could never explain it this way as a private/commercial pilot but only after I had been instructor for some time.)

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11. 
    

    
    

    Eric Gideon on Oct 01, 2011

    Kate, I’m a little late to this discussion but I wanted to chime in.

    First, I think Nathan is spot on – your solo:dual ratio is remarkably low and simply getting out there on your own will do amazing things for both your confidence and your competence.

    Second, I think Andy raises an valid point about who wants this. Regardless of your answer – even if you are doing this because you like flying but primarily want to be allowed to help your husband when he is flying – I think that his limitation on allowing you to assist is actually a bigger issue.

    I don’t know anything about his experience level, but from what I have read it sounds fairly low; with 150 hours of training, you probably have about half the flight time he does, if not more. I can speak from experience – having my wife help, at a time where she was barely comfortable tuning radios and building GPS flight plans, has literally saved my life (well, our lives!). A pilot who refuses assistance is not thinking in terms of the big picture, let alone of CRM (crew/cockpit resource management). If you have soloed and attempted a checkride, passed or not, you are more than capable enough to help him out in the cockpit.

    I obviously can’t say with certainty, but had he permitted you to assist him on flights, i feel you would likely have gained much of the confidence – and exercised the knowledge from your training – that you will also gain with further solo flights.

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12. 
    

    
    

    David Eberhardt on Nov 23, 2011

    burnout?
    I enjoyed the story about the bee buzzing around the cockpit while you were solo … I hate that when it happens in a car; can’t imagine how that must be terrible inside a plane! but, YOU SURVIVED to taalk about it.
    Do you LOVE flying? If you really love it, then you’re willing to endure the struggle to become a good pilot.
    There have been a few times where I questioned whether I was good enough. Heck, the Air Force thought I was … and they made me an instructor too.
    But every once in awhile, I make a mistake or two, enough to make me wonder a bit … but in the end, mistakes or growing pains just serve to keep me humble. A humble pilot lives a long life.

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