Basic Airwork.

[Rocky3168]

Ok so Im only on FAM 2, and I realize that I am being extremely hard on myself, but I just need some assurance that things will get better in the cockpit.

I know my procedures cold. I cant recite them on the ground and my briefs are money But when I get in the air and my on-wing starts screaming at me, I feel like my brain goes to mush and I cant do anything. The enviroment seems so foriegn to me, even though I did nearly 2 dozen profsits and all my CPTS. I was so flustered on FAM 1 during a level speed change that when I tried to bring my power up to 600 ft lbs for the landing config. I was looking at N1, not my torquemeter and nearly hit 1315. I realize that it was my first flight, but Im having trouble getting over such stupid mistakes like that.

I think I need to chairfly more, but I just dont know how to simulate the stress involved with actually flying with an IP.

Any suggestions and/or words of advice or encouragment?

Thanks guys.

 

[Herc_Dude]

Sounds normal to me. Thats why they give us the first 4 FAM flights non-graded, to get our bearing in the A/C. Chair flying has always been a big help to me, use that big poster of the insturments that they gave you to look at while you are doing it. Hell, go over at try to grab a CPT or the pre-flight bird and do it in the actual cockpit. It is going to be a lot at first, but the more you do it the easier it will all become. Your scan will improve after all the BI sims and flights, so your eyes will eventually just go to the proper insturment without much thought. Continue to chair fly, keep studying the procedures and maneuvers and you will be fine. Good luck.

 

[KnightNArmor]

Concur with the above...
don't get too hard on yourself. just realize that you are going to make a mistake from time to time. when you do make that mistake, just take a deep breath and relax. The instructors will tell you it's all part of compartmentalization. I had an instructor in advanced tell me once that it's not the last landing that you are thinking about now that's going to kill you, but the landing you're getting ready to do that you're not thinking about that will.

 

[Steve Wilkins]

I cant recite them on the ground and my briefs are money But when I get in the air and my on-wing starts screaming at me, I feel like my brain goes to mush and I cant do anything.

Gatordev must be your instructor. Yea, he's a real cock I hear.

 

[NavAir42]

I think I can echo what everyone is saying. It will get better and you'll become much more comfortable in the plane. It just takes time. I can't really tell you how to deal with an instructor who makes it a point to be an ass. Do chair fly. It helped me through fams. The other thing I did was talk through maneuvers as I was doing them. This helped a lot earlier in the syllabus because it proved I knew the procedures even if my air work or power settings were slightly off. There's never an excuse for having no idea what you're supposed to do. Most instructors realize that if you know the procedures it's just a matter of time and practice to get the monkey skills down.

That said, the weight on ass switch that turns off your brain will never entirely be disabled. Every time you get in a new aircraft and an instructor starts grilling you, answers that came easily on the ground seem to take way more effort to recall in the air. You just have to be able to compartmentalize when you make a mistake and let it go. Easier said than done, but make your best effort at it. There's nothing you can do about a mistake that's already happened except to try and not let it happen in the future.

 

[ArkhamAsylum]

You can use the Microsims to practice your verbals, pattern work, etc. Though the electronic aircraft handles differently, the point is to engage your brain and mouth while your hands are dancing around.

 

[e6bflyer]

Be patient. You will probably suck until some time in mid stage contacts. Your on-wing shouldn't scream at you.

 

[PropStop]

One thing that really helped me was to change every EP and normal procedure by adding a new first step, "Take a Deep Breath" and then proceed. I had problems flailing in the cockpit because I would get excited. I don't know if this is your problem, but it may help none the less. It also helps when you have a screamer. I was fortunate to never have one throughout flight school, once i got to my squadron though, I had a couple.

 

[MasterBates]

Your on-wing shouldn't scream at you.

I thought that was their prime function??!?

 

[Koozer]

As far as your "getting over your stupid mistakes", realize that despite what you hear, every aviator has made stupid mistakes. I will give you an example. A very good friend of mine was in primary and he was coming in for the overhead. He reached for the gear above 150 kts and the instructor had his hand on the gear handle. My friend felt the resistance on the gear handle and for some reason dropped the flaps above 150 kts. He is winged and now flies -60's out of Mayport. Keep the faith and laugh at yourself.

 

[MasterBates]

My friend felt the resistance on the gear handle and for some reason dropped the flaps above 150 kts. He is winged and now flies -60's out of Mayport. Keep the faith and laugh at yourself.

Further proof, that TopGun got it wrong..

Instead of:
"And if you screw up just this much, you'll be flying a cargo plane full of rubber dog shit out of Hong Kong!"

It really is:
"And if you screw up just this much, you'll be flying a 60B out of Mayport!"

 

[Gatordev]

Lots of good suggestions (and one lame attempt at humor) here. Something that you might want to try that's very easy to set up is grab a tennis ball and bounce it against the wall while you recite procedures in a chair. That way, you have to be accurate w/ the ball but also concentrate on the procedures.

 

[RockyMtnNFO]

^^ I am sure that has been posted before and it is a great way to study something that you have to have cold.

I have done cognitive skills instructing previously and what the tennis ball, or ping pong ball, does is force your brain to make the knowledge automatic and subconscious; it is a very effective technique. The technical terms are sensory-motor integration and divided attention.

R/
teve

S

 

[Single Seat]

Dude, if you haven't gotten it by FAM 4 you're never going to get it.

 

[othromas]

That's just mean.