I remember when flying that my instructor, Dan, would tell me that all students will have a minute or two of pure fear. Usually it is when the instructor has signed off for solo's and the student took the plane up with the knowledge the instructor was not at the airport to talk you down if you freeze up. Now in my case, I was flying at a non controlled small airport, so no air traffic control.
This was the airport just outside Denver, and when the weather went down Stapleton TCA would block retuning to the airport.
My case of intense fear was the first day I took the Cessna 152 that I rented out totally by myself. I was headed out over I-70 and was just off the runway at about 200ft. AGL. And I looked over and there was no one else in the plane but me. That is when I had to talk to myself and so I ran though the controls to make sure the plane was flying right. Nothing wrong with the plane. I decided it was a pilot problem. I gave myself a talking to and told myself to fly the pattern, then I could land it and never had to get in it again.
So, I carefully few the pattern. I landed, and darn if I didn't hit the throttle, and took off again and FLEW. I flew out towards Limon and back for about 90 minutes. Then I came back and landed.
That's when I knew I could literally take my life in my hands and live and be free.
What about you? Did you have a moment of fear, then the freedom of flying?
This was the airport just outside Denver, and when the weather went down Stapleton TCA would block retuning to the airport.
My case of intense fear was the first day I took the Cessna 152 that I rented out totally by myself. I was headed out over I-70 and was just off the runway at about 200ft. AGL. And I looked over and there was no one else in the plane but me. That is when I had to talk to myself and so I ran though the controls to make sure the plane was flying right. Nothing wrong with the plane. I decided it was a pilot problem. I gave myself a talking to and told myself to fly the pattern, then I could land it and never had to get in it again.
So, I carefully few the pattern. I landed, and darn if I didn't hit the throttle, and took off again and FLEW. I flew out towards Limon and back for about 90 minutes. Then I came back and landed.
That's when I knew I could literally take my life in my hands and live and be free.
What about you? Did you have a moment of fear, then the freedom of flying?
