Roller Coaster Ride

“Clear Prop!” The propellers start, and the engine revs. My hearts starts pounding, I have complete control and responsibility of handling a very expensive aircraft. And don’t forget your life and the instructors is now in your hands too.

I put on my headset, now I hear voices in my head. I’m trying to listen but my heart is beating so loud I can’t hear. I’m overwhelmed, I’ve listen to ATIS 3 times already and all I got was information BRAVO. My instructor has to take over .

I try to taxi in straight line but can’t. My instructor has to take over . I break out into a sweat. We are cleared to takeoff. I pull back on the yoke too much and I let go. You never let go of the yoke . We are off centered “Right Rudder!” “ Too Much Right Rudder ! “Right Hand on the Throttle!” “Left Hand on the Yoke!”

Attempting to control an aircraft isn’t just one thing . Its technical jargon, complex procedures, and intricate systems. All I know is, that I don’t know what I am doing. The plane is climbing at 2200RPM all I feel is complete loss of control. This uneasy feeling makes me nauseous

Next we attempt power off stalls, and I feel the engine go idle and plane nose dips. I know the procedure but my body freezes up because I think we are going to crash. Again my instructor has to take over.

We attempt three different maneuvers but all I feel is sick. So I would give up and just have my instructor fly because I mentally couldn’t. Flying back to base, It would take all of me to fight back tears because I felt like with every failed maneuver I was letting everyone down. Especially my mother who told me at 69 years she never would thought she would know a black female pilot but that her daughter would one day become one.

It got so bad that my instructor had “the talk” with me. In summary “the talk” was maybe flight training isn’t for you. During my hour drove home I almost cried. My mother is absent but her words spoke to me;

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:7

Despite the initial apprehension, the rewards and personal growth that come with flight training make it an adventure worth pursuing. I came back after “the talk” with a new attitude ready to embark on this rollercoaster ride.

Flight Hours

Total Time = 15.9

As of October 12,2023