Is my anxiety about flying normal?
By Patch • Category: Medical
During my very first lessonafter my “discovery flight” (some call it a “Disco Flight”), I couldn’t believe how scared I was to be up in the air. I was very nervous about every movement made and every bump. I was ok turning to the right since I was sitting in the left seat. But, when my CFI (Certified Flight Instructor) told me to turn to the left I found myself leaning a LOT to my right. I was deathly afraid of the door opening or something. I honestly can’t even tell you what I was afraid of happening. All I know is my heart was pounding and I started to question my desire to go through with this. My CFI actually asked me if I was ok. I must have looked kind of nervous. I wondered if any flight schools have had someone completely panic on them in the air.
Something to think about, if you’re going to go up for your first flight, try to do it first thing in the morning when the air is cooler. When the ground warms up, something called “thermals” start showing up. As we all learned in elementary school, heat rises. The warm ground cause up drafts that tend to bounce your plane around a bit. First thing in the morning, the ground is still cool from the overnight temperatures. It’s honestly as smooth as a finely paved road in a brand new Rolls Royce.
There’s no way I’m going to let this stop me. I have wanted to do this for far to long. I just hope the anxiety goes away. I’ll keep you posted.
Patch is the owner of this site. I originally took my flight instruction with Spokane Airways located at Spokane International Airport (GEG). I passed my checkride in August of 2007. I now live in Florida and fly out of Lantana (KLNA) or North County Airport (F45).
Email this author | All posts by Patch
Hi,
I have gone up twice now and I felt the same way on my first “intro flight”. We used a Katana DA-20 and it was during noon. The pilot let me do the rotation, and realized that the easy part is taking off. However, I felt just like you did: I got nervous and scared with every bump. The pilot let my have the controls from take off and it was pretty bumpy on the climb, I felt I was going to lost control of the aircraft, so I asked the instructor to take over. Funny, I don’t really have any “panics” about banking left or right. However, I do feel great anxiety when lifting the nose for a climb: I feel like I’m going to fall backward…like a backward stall.
I went up a second time a week later. This time, different flying school, with a Cessna 150. I was not as anxious as I was before, but I will still nervous on the bumps. Obviously, I am drawn to flying, but at the same time, I do feel the anxiety. The anxiety has gone down a little on the second flight, so perhaps, a few more trips, and I should reach a comfort zone.
I asked the pilot on my second flight if he was comfortable with the “bumps” and he said he doesn’t feel them anymore.
I have run out of “intro flights”: there are only two flying schools where I live, so the third flight will be more costly. If I get the urge, I might try again.
Good luck.
What your CFI said is really SO true. It’s great because I can come back to this article, which I wrote almost a year ago, and honestly say, I don’t really feel those bumps anymore either.
I just went on a flight with my wife and my 7 year old daughter. My 7 year old said she felt a little sick when we were bumping up and down a little, but I don’t really remember it being bumpy.
So, yes, it’s true, the bumps will become less noticeable in time. Keep at it and keep moving forward. Congratulations!