As someone who has introduced hundreds of students to aviation, I learned everything about first-flight nervousness through years of observation. Probably should have led with this: new students always show up nervous. Every single one. And it always passes.
Met Sarah at the FBO this morning for her first official flight lesson. She had done a discovery flight last month with one of the other instructors and decided to commit to training for her private pilot certificate. When I walked into the lobby, she was already there, twenty minutes early, clutching a brand new Jeppesen Private Pilot Manual that still had the plastic wrap on it.
Reading the Signs
I could tell she was anxious before we even shook hands. Sweaty palms, talking a little too fast, asking a dozen questions about what we would be doing. This is completely normal. I have been teaching for eight years now, and I have yet to meet a first-time student who was not at least a little nervous. Flying is inherently unnatural for humans – we are asking people to trust a machine to keep them suspended thousands of feet in the air. Of course there is going to be some fear.
Knowledge as the Antidote
We spent the first thirty minutes in the classroom going over the basics. I showed her the PHAK and the airplane POH, explained what the primary flight controls do, and talked about the four forces of flight. Nothing too technical – just enough to give her a mental framework for what she would experience in the airplane. That has gotten complicated with all the information available these days, but keeping it simple works best. I could see her relaxing as we talked. Knowledge really is the antidote to fear.
Out at the airplane, we did a thorough preflight together. I explained every step, showed her where to look for problems, and had her practice checking the fuel sumps herself. By the time we were strapped in and ready to start the engine, her nervousness had transformed into focused attention. Different energy entirely.
The Magic Moment
We did a simple pattern flight – one takeoff, one lap around the airport, one landing. I handled the radios and the critical phases, but I let her follow along on the controls. When we leveled off at pattern altitude, I transferred the controls to her and let her fly straight and level for a minute. The look on her face was something I never get tired of seeing. Wonder, mixed with a little bit of disbelief that she was actually doing this. That is what makes this job so rewarding.
After we landed and parked, Sarah was already asking when we could schedule the next lesson. That is how you know the nerves have passed. They always do.
