mr badger Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 has anyone out there ever lost there confidence to fly?? i seem to have owing to some things that happened while flying , while doing the right thing i missed seeing two aircraft flying towards me how come ?? , then same thing happened another flight a helicopter left the airfield with all correct departure calls i knew where he was but i could not see him till he shot past me just below me , now this has happened 4 times and has freaked me out as i am a very cautious pilot may be to cautious, has anyone had this happen to them i have about 45 hours solo , and i am on the point of selling my aircraft because of it help !!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turboplanner Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 has anyone out there ever lost there confidence to fly?? i seem to have owing to some things that happened while flying , while doing the right thing i missed seeing two aircraft flying towards me how come ?? , then same thing happened another flight a helicopter left the airfield with all correct departure calls i knew where he was but i could not see him till he shot past me just below me , now this has happened 4 times and has freaked me out as i am a very cautious pilot may be to cautious, has anyone had this happen to them i have about 45 hours solo , and i am on the point of selling my aircraft because of it help !!!!!!!!! Try a few flights as a passenger with friends, and see how you compare with them. If after a reasonable number of comparisons you think something's wrong, see an eye specialist (not just an optician) Aircraft in the circuit are hard to see especially when you are slightly above them. I look for the tiny Jab wings banking as they call their turns. You may be being too hard on yourself; you may have just had two unusual incidents close together, the two aircraft flying towards you may not have been complying with regulations. Or put in a few hours with an Instructor, briefing him/her on what you think your problem is and let him/her observe you very closely. Don't get despondent yet, I'd rather have you around me than the super heroes who soloed at 5 hours, got their PC in the minimum, and have never seen any of their narrow misses. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yenn Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 The above advice is good. I am always amazed at how hard it is to spot other aircraft, even when they are talking to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest davidh10 Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 Other aircraft are difficult to see. I second Turbo's advice, above. You do improve with experience too, as your eyes and brain learn what to look for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Andys@coffs Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 I was always taught to make my circuit position calls just prior to and into banked turns becasuse in general visibility of a banking aircraft is slightly better and in a more predictable place. If Aircraft were in general easy to see then my FI wouldnt have hassled me with that learning so from that I conclude that everyone is likely to miss seeing an aircraft which is why we have the radio as a prompt... Still as we get older our eyesight deteriorates so it may well be worth explaining the circumstances to the Optometrist or if really serious the opthamologist so they can investigate. If serious about selling, I wouldnt until youve had the checks done, afterall sight isnt only required for flying and it 'd be a shame to sell and then have a car accident believing the issue is only flying related..... Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfGnome Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 Ever so slightly off-topic, but having an interested passenger can make a big difference - double the eyes and ears. Recently I was heading down the coast towards Wollongong where they occasionally have parachutists onto the beach. I don't know what I was concentrating on, but suddenly my beloved said "They just dropped some chutes" - she'd heard the radio call, and I was utterly oblivious to it! Experience won out in the end though. I spotted the drop plane on its descent while she couldn't see it... It was nice to watch them float down. It was a bit like having birds for company, but safe in the knowledge they weren't going to attack! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaz3g Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 ... i missed seeing two aircraft flying towards me how come ?? , then same thing happened another flight a helicopter left the airfield with all correct departure calls i knew where he was but i could not see him till he shot past me just below me , now this has happened 4 times and has freaked me out... The closing speed of two light aircraft approaching one another head on makes detection particularly difficult and only a very short elapse of time turns a speck on the windscreen into something very large and very close. You may be having trouble with your scan. Keep your eyes moving rather than staring at a particular spot because staring will cause the eyes to hold a fixed focal length rather than allowing the eyeballs to change shape for near and far sight. Try scanning a quarter of the screen at a time but maintain peripheral vision so you continue to get the whole picture. kaz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cficare Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 totally agree with Andys advise...call in the experts and ensure there ain't something going on with the eyeballs (if there is it is probably treatable)..... PS...looking at something 'straight on" is a guareenteed way off NOT seeing it (everyone has a blindspot looking directly at an object)...scan with your eyes...most targets are detected in periferal vision Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest davidh10 Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 Your eye focussing mechanism works a little like a camera and you know how they sometimes have trouble focusing on some subjects. Well your eyes are the same... if you stare at a featureless landscape / sky, then your eyes tend to relax and focus on mid range, or if you have dirt on the windscreen (focal traps), they will focus on that. There's been articles written on effective scanning technique to avoid that issue. Sorry, but cannot remember where. Ask your CFI. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank marriott Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 I would look at situational awareness - Maybe just park at an airport and listen on a scaner and mentally picture where all aircraft are wihout the added pressure of flying as well I am not an instructor so take my comment for what it is worth - but situational awareness is a big thing Some calls are too brief or too quick unless you are so familuar with the jargon that it is the norm. Don't give up - you will regret it Frank M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rocketdriver Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 The closing speed of two light aircraft approaching one another head on makes detection particularly difficult and only a very short elapse of time turns a speck on the windscreen into something very large and very close.You may be having trouble with your scan. Keep your eyes moving rather than staring at a particular spot because staring will cause the eyes to hold a fixed focal length rather than allowing the eyeballs to change shape for near and far sight. Try scanning a quarter of the screen at a time but maintain peripheral vision so you continue to get the whole picture. kaz I find that I glance at the instruments, glance at the ground (near and far) and concentrate most of my scanning attention close to the horizon, .... reasons? ..... I think glancing at close and distant objects unconciously causes your eyes to change focus and the horizon plus (if I am climbing and/or they are descending) and minus (if I am descending and / or they are climbing) is mostly where the real threats lurk .... ... except for jumpers and choppers of course ..... I also move my around head a little, which can help to discriminate between real aeroplanes and the dead insects on the windscreen .... And as others have said, have your eyes checked. I had a hellova surprise about 20 years ago when, during my avaiation medical, the Doc said, "here, read this" and I couldn't ....... Glasses ever since! cheers RD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne T Mathews Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 You've been given a truck load of good advice here, Mr Badger... I especially agree with everything Turbs said straight up front, and within 13 minutes of you posting the question too... Spot on... Especially the bit about, "I'd rather have you around me than the super heroes who soloed at 5 hours, got their PC in the minimum, and have never seen any of their narrow misses." We've all had near misses... It's the people who don't know/realize/admit they've had near misses that frighten the crap out of me... Because they haven't learnt anything from the experience. Keep the sunny side up, Wayne. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c722352 Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Mr Badger. have had the same thing happen loss of confidence, I did what a previous member suggested, take a flight with an instructor he or she should pick up any thing amiss with your flying if it exists. if not it should give you confidence to get back in the air. I think we have all been were you are now. PS hope it doesnt come to it but I would love to get my hands on a shadow streak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr badger Posted October 30, 2011 Author Share Posted October 30, 2011 thanx everyone who commented much help there just had my tested friday all a o k just glasses for reading , have talked to y old instructor about it, he is of the same opinion as most to see a plane head on it very difficult and to keep scanning i do not think it is my eye sight just not seeing them coming at me . will get back in the air soon and have another bash at it thanx everyone mr badger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest aussie carl Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Sounds normal to me. You either have to just get back on the horse and do it. Took me some time to get some confidence back and it only happens when I seen some freids make some mistakes which made me feal normal again. Flying is not easy, learning to fly properly is down right hard work but he warm fuzzy ya get when you do jump a hurdle makes it well worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
av8vfr Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Caloundra can be busy anyway. Stay away from the Ring Tank and Roys orchard as these are favorite inbound points. Also a lot of straight in on rwy 12 so keep an eye out when near the racetrack. Years ago I was outbound Maroochy to Kingaroy and a Baron went zooming 500ft above me. I was at a VFR level and he was IFR. Didn't see him until he passed... no time to do a thing. At least I knew I was on track lol... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Koreelah Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 All good advice. Learning how to scan with our eyes is not easy! Perhaps we could all benefit from some training with the Aust. Vol Air Patrol and similarly-experience search personnel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest davidh10 Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Mr Badger.. I've remembered one of the resources you should look at. Its a safety video by CASA on situational awareness, and well worthwhile. Ypu can order the DVD for the cost of the postage (ie. the DVD is free) at the link below. CASA was also giving it away on USB Keys at an Av Safety seminar I attended. I've watched it several times. http://casa.cart.net.au/details/2757820.html Good to hear it isn't your eyes. There is another possibility that creeps in every now and then... Pilots who make bad calls. I was tearing my hair out one evening when I had just joined downwind and another aircraft called joining downwind. You can imagine my situation... I hadn't seen him and felt that I should have in my scan before turning onto downwind. I was nearing my base turn and feeling that I should bail out and let him overtake me, as he was in a faster GA aircraft and hadn't given any acknowledgement of hearing my call or having sighted me. Then it came... He made a call to a friend on the ground asking if the runway lights were on! If he was really on downwind he wouldn't need to ask. He was really about 4 miles out still. He did get reported to CASA for that bit poor behaviour. So there's pilots out there who make bad calls. It isn't the first. I bailed out of the circuit one night because I thought I might become a hood ornament on an incoming twin turbo who clearly didn't know where he was in relation to the AD! The thing is, don't expect to see them all and it isn't all your fault. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazza 38 Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Hi Mr Badger, I nearly wore a R22 Chopper from chopper line at Caloundra. Late nineties.He was hovering outside the Gable markers, I was doing circuits on 23. Anyway I was just getting airbourne after a T & G. Old mate cut me off. He was a student, and his radio didnt pick up my calls.(Dunno why, everybody else heard my calls). Also I nearly wore a Mooney over Nth Stradbroke.About a year after the chopper. I was a bad day for VFR, alot of sugar cane was being burned off.Couldnt realy see a definative horizon.Visability was realy crap. Anyway we knew we where close to each other, via the radio.We where at different altitudes, not by alot though. Anyway he came from the left, about 150feet lower than me. He had me spotted before i had him.He turn right and went behind me. Horizontal distance from memory, about 200 metres. That sounds like alot of distance, but when a mooney traveling at 160 odd knots. The gap closed up pretty quick. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Isaac Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 I think all of us who have had close calls have had the crap scared out of us and usually some confidence at the same time. I came so close to a 1 bounce, 2 bounce, 3 prop strike landing and nose over one day many years ago in the Citabria ... just not not quite on top of it, it scared the crap out of me, (I have had a couple of different frights in the Citabria over the years). I immediately grabbed an instructor and went back up again and I have to tell you I was as nervous as hell, we went over what I had done wrong and my confidence quickly returned. A good fright is healthy as long as you survive the experience AND learn from it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushpilot Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 The closing speed of two light aircraft approaching one another head on makes detection particularly difficult and only a very short elapse of time turns a speck on the windscreen into something very large and very close....kaz I bet many have had this experience.. I was inbound from our training area with a student (about 12 months ago) and a GA a/c (VH) was departing toward the training area.. I announced our intentions at 5NM and the instructor in the GA a/c advised that they would remain East of the runway centre line, to which I confirmed I would remain West of it - which I did - but maintained a concentrated lookout for them anyway. Then 2 mins later I had a Cessna filling the screen; it was about 50' higher than us and climbing, so we were not going to collide, but the fact that it just appeared like that, despite a focussed lookout, was scary.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eightyknots Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 has anyone out there ever lost there confidence to fly?? i seem to have owing to some things that happened while flying , while doing the right thing i missed seeing two aircraft flying towards me how come ?? , then same thing happened another flight a helicopter left the airfield with all correct departure calls i knew where he was but i could not see him till he shot past me just below me , now this has happened 4 times and has freaked me out as i am a very cautious pilot may be to cautious, has anyone had this happen to them i have about 45 hours solo , and i am on the point of selling my aircraft because of it help !!!!!!!!! Another thing you could try is to s-t-r-e-t-c-h your focus by looking at your wing tip (and focusing momentarily) before starting your scan; this means your eyes will be focused for distance. Hi Mr Badger, I nearly wore a R22 Chopper from chopper line at Caloundra. Late nineties.He was hovering outside the Gable markers, I was doing circuits on 23. Anyway I was just getting airbourne after a T & G. Old mate cut me off. He was a student, and his radio didnt pick up my calls.(Dunno why, everybody else heard my calls).Also I nearly wore a Mooney over Nth Stradbroke.About a year after the chopper. I was a bad day for VFR, alot of sugar cane was being burned off.Couldnt realy see a definative horizon.Visability was realy crap. Anyway we knew we where close to each other, via the radio.We where at different altitudes, not by alot though. Anyway he came from the left, about 150feet lower than me. He had me spotted before i had him.He turn right and went behind me. Horizontal distance from memory, about 200 metres. That sounds like alot of distance, but when a mooney traveling at 160 odd knots. The gap closed up pretty quick. . Yes, at 160 kt, those 200 metres will be gobbled up in 2.4 seconds. Not much time to take evasive action Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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