Exactly what I was thinking when Stef talk about the frustration of cancelling a flight for weather conditions and then see clear skies from the ground! That sentence helps me looking at the bright side :)
My instructor told me the same thing - it's a good lesson. And there are three things that are of no use to a pilot in an airplane: 1. Runway behind you. 2, Air above you. 3, Fuel in the fuel truck
@@simonmetcalf124 actually no - aircrafts dump fuel for many reasons. i heard if big airliners need to turn around and land, they will dump fuel (because it wasnt burned during 12h flight) so then can land safely (cuz of weight)
You ever think about it from the bug's perspective? Holy Crap, where am I now? But yes I agree with you a bug in the cockpit on a long flight is one of the most annoying things ever.
Self-doubt has been the biggest obstacle in my pilot training so far. Second guessing everything you do and wondering if you’re making the instructor next to you happy gets you caught up on the little things, and you can fall behind the aircraft so easily - leading to bigger mistakes and feeling completely flustered. I’ve got my final CPL flight test on Tuesday and only recently do I feel like I finally have my confidence and control back. I know what I’m supposed to do and I can only do my best. Wish me luck!
Good luck and remember what you learnt on Human Factors and Limitations - humans make 1 mistake out of 100-1000 repetitive tasks. So a little bit of self-doubt is always good :) there is no perfect flight. If you experience one, you probably overlooked something :) Just aim for a safe flight, with good airmanship, sound and conservative decisions and you will be fine.
As a student pilot with just over 8 hours logged, i can say this video really speaks the truth. Paying for the PPL training is hard, I'm constantly wondering if I am "up to par" as a student, and at times I've considered just stopping. But then the next lesson comes and the sun is shining on that Piper and the sky is clear and I realize how incredibly unique a perspective we pilots get to see from above! Press on because it's worth it! Always keep learning new things while making the best choices for the situation!
99.9% agree. Great vid! About the not flying after a bad experience I don’t completely agree. If you don’t go back after that, you might not go back ever again. It tends to get bigger and bigger in your head. Alternatively you could go up with an instructor, especially so if you think the bad event happened due to pilot error.
That's great advice Coen. I've done that - gone up with an instructor after a bad flight, talked it through with them, and let them help me get back on track
Hi Coen! I´m Walter, from northern patagonia, Argentina. I agree with you in the way you should never permit the fear grow inside you. Horse riders say wen you fall from a horse, ride it immidiately after, otherwise your fear grows, and your self-confidence decreeses. Same case after a minor car accident. Fear is the worst friend of a pilot, but that dosen´t mean you should be wreckless. Cheers from Argentina! P.S: I appologiese for my english writing, since it isn´t my main lenguage, (it´spanish).
I was literally about to write a comment on that if you are afraid of turbulence you should become a glider pilot to begin with. I fly a piston plane now and turbulence/updraft/downdraft/gust doesn't even provoke me. I just adapt and adjust the plane. As a glider pilot you really learn how to fly a plane without losing to much energy
Thank you so much for this video. You said in the beginning “you want to keep your videos positive” but honestly this is something ALL student pilots need to hear. You tackled one of the most Important topics, which is what many student pilots don’t see, including myself.. We want the fun of being a pilot but not go through the stress and dedication it takes to get there. I myself felt a big slack of motivation lately due to some reasons, whether money or just simply lack of dedication, and your video honestly motivated me much more and makes me realize that all that I am feeling right now is normal, and once somebody normalizes these issues they can go further than they think.
Stef, you hit the nail on the head with your list of "annoyances" that bother us all as pilots. For me however, the worst part of being a pilot is losing a fellow pilot/friend in an aviation accident. That sucks. The longer we are members of the aviation community, the inevitability of losing friends is a certainty.
I have always wanted to get my private pilots licence, but I haven't, yet. Your videos have really helped to drive me to achieve this. Everytime I have been in the air, I have this feeling that I don't get anywhere else. calm, excitement, intensity and most of all appreciation of everything that it involves, from the care and love that the people in the aviation industry have and will always put out a helping hand. And then the incredible experience of the world around you. And just observing. So thank you! And keep making great videos! Hopefully soon, i will be up in the sky too!
Probably one of the best aviation videos I've seen in a while. You just mentioned everything that I encounter as a pilot: nervousness, motivation, tiredness etc. and it always helps to be reminded that you're not alone. As an aside, when I did my flight test the examiner said to me: "I'm going to look for two things out of you today. 1) You keep us safe. 2) You act as pilot in command. You do those two things and everything else will be fine"
That sounds like a pretty awesome examiner to me. I think all too often we hyper-focus on a list of specific things that an examiner can put a tick or cross next to, many of which we will never use in our flying career. But approaching an exam from the standpoint of safety and command decision making is an excellent approach. Thanks Wayne, appreciate you leaving that comment.
Another great video, true words, stunning views, really enjoyable! My motivation for the next flight did rise tremendously while pondering about your words! Thanks!
Stefan, really appreciate your videos, esp when its so motivational. Everything you ha e discussed in this video, i could relate to my flight training.. feels so much better to listen from an experienced pilot that all these feelings are pretty common and nothing to feel bad about.
Great video Stef! You know, the more I watch your videos, the more I think of flying as a hobby only. A friend once told me that if you take something you love and make it into a job, you might start to hate doing it. Watching you, I really want to remain on your level of enthusiasm. Happy landings! 😉
Your right. It gives people a smile to be able to ride along in a small plane. Grateful for you taking us along with you all the time. Thanks Stefan. Keep up the great videos.
This is a great video. Very sound advice for all of us who wish we were in your shoes and hope to be one day. Also applies metaphorically to many parts of life. Once you make a command decision, be proud that you made the decision and stuck to it. That's what you are supposed to do. Great job. Thanks for the encouragement Stefan!
Everything you said is so true! I just got my pilot’s license at 93 hours and it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done and it was absolutely worth it! Keep flying, keep improving and never let anyone put you down!
Great video Stefan, I also had some large gaps due to work and family commitments, but was lucky to have some great instructors and flying friends who kept me going!
Nailed it, Stefan. I'm just getting back to going through my RPL to PPL after having done 40 hours in Canada about 8 years ago then having to wait because flying's so much more expensive here. I can relate to so many of the points you make here, and I'm loving watching your videos. Thanks for making such great, relatable content!
Thank you for this video! This has been one of the most helpful videos I've seen about flying. Really appreciate it! "Too much turbulence? Just land and take a break! Don't be ashamed about that!" I really needed to hear something like that ... said the way you said it.
Absolutely the best flying video I’ve ever seen on RU-vid …thanks Stefan……its the same in NZ, I went through everything you mentioned during my pilot training-the money thing,self doubt,turbulence,imposter syndrome they were all there.I guess in the end it comes down to how much do you want it ?….because if you want it heaps(as we all who are bitten by the”flying bug” , do!!)then you can always find a way through!!
Oh, the motivation thing. That's so me! I can recommend pairing up with somebody more experienced, grabbing a plane and going for an adventure. I've been halfway around Europe for two weeks at a time using this method. Twice. And I've loved every moment of these awesome experiences. Doesn't stop me from growing bored of flying to the same 10 airports over and over again.
Wise words and great advice as always! Turbulence is my number one worst thing about flying but you have to take the rough with the smooth - literally. I always try and rationalise why there is turbulence and keep busy with other cockpit tasks to distract me.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! This video was very helpful to keep the eye on the prize. I am student pilot and I've been trying to schedule my dual cross-country. Weather, Time, Work, and ..money has been a pain in the a$$. Now I am getting close to renewing my Medical Certificate and I was really really hoping to complete my PPL before the Medical Certificate renewal date. Thanks for the inspirational video. I needed that.
Cracking video, Stefan. Good to hear you say all of that, a mate of mine is finding training a challenge, poor weather (cancelled lessons), self doubts, second guessing, over thinking, finance (all the usual). I'm going to make him watch your video - shared, in fact, as soon as I finish writing this.
Hi Stefan, Thanks, he and I have. I'll get him signed up LOL. I expect youve helped a lot of pilots with your openness and honesty - good on you! On the TV series 'The Aviators' I heard a renowned aeros pilot say that he took 4 years to get his PPL, his instructors scared him by constantly going on about 'if the 'plane crashes you have to do x,y & z' (which is partly what training is about). He qualified - still scared of flying to the point of panic (knowing that wasn't good for him as panic isn't a great go to response). From what I can tell he went up with an aerobatic pilot, learned aeros, and his fear just left him. Now he's a multi award winning champion! Sean D. Tucker.
Mate, so much respect. Theres a reason they call you guys "creators". Putting time into creating content like this. Cheers. For me, between starting my PPL years ago, fear of failure lead me to stop flying. I used excuses like lack of money as reasons to stop instead of looking for options to continue. You've definitely inspired me with your laid back yet personable and relatable style, Stef and I'm restarting my PPL rotor in April. Thanks mate.
Hey Mark, that's amazing to hear, very humbling to think I could have a small part to play in you deciding to get back into your PPL again, congratulations on making that decision. We've all been there, I remember calling to cancel an aerobatics lesson saying my car had broken down because I was scared to get sick in the plane (it took me a long time to get used to aerobatics). But again it's great to hear you want to get back into it. Good luck with your PPL, keep us all updated, stef
I needed this video. I was just asking my pilot friends about how I seem more anxious about turbulence then them. They explained that after thousands of hours they just seem to get used to it. Thank you for vid..really helped to know it can be unnerving for all of us.
It's nice to see another pilot being so positive and giving supportive advice instead of uppity criticism. While it's important to pay attention to constructive criticism, there are too many pilots out there who don't offer anything constructive or positive. Thanks for being one of those who does!
I’m at the very end of my PPL training and I took a 6 year break in between. I find myself surrounded by pilots and instructors that always say “you should of done this” in any situation. Biggest thing I took away from this video is owning it and having the self confidence I’m making the right decisions and not to dwell on them. We all make mistakes and learn from them, but being confident in the decisions we do make is what matters the most I feel. Thanks for the awesome wisdom Mate!
Firstly, I LOVE Greece. Had a great week there last year, beautiful country, people and food (had about 300 Greek salads...). And thanks for watching ttclz, appreciate the feedback.
As usual, another great video. Excellent editing - nice and punchy, no thread too long. Very professional. Lotsa good clips inserted. Good music. Thanks. Hope to bump into your YMMB one day soon. how do you capture the audio from your headset, and sync it with the camera footage??
AWESOME video. THANK YOU for sharing your thoughts and experiences. I'm a 59 years YOUNG student pilot. My last flight was my first solo,late February. Then COVID-19 hit and everything ground to a HALT! CAN'T wait to get my training back up to full speed. Really ENJOY your videos. From beautiful Thunder Bay Ontario Canada ... thanks eh. 👍😊👍
Thanks for the good advice again Stefan. Every pilot should listen to you. Worst thing personally is the amount of administrative tasks that I have to go through. Europe is a nightmare for that. I have done my PPL (LAPL actually) in the UK and am now in Germany. I own a G-Reg airplane and want to work on my IR. You cannot imagine the amount of administrative burden I have to go through, and Brexit hasn't been helping in the process... Again thanks for motivating us for keeping on flying, we need a bit of a push sometimes to go further
G’day Stef... another great vlog and every point very valid. I found that when I was a young pilot I would try to find any excuse to get airborne and would go out to the training are just for the fun of flying but as I got older and owned my own aircraft I tended to fly for a purpose and while I still enjoy the challenge of a smooth and comfortable flight I really relish the opportunities that happen at the destination like flying friends to an outback ball held near lake Eyre or flying to the Birdsville Races or a special concert somewhere which would taken far too long by road. The world becomes smaller and the opportunities become bigger when you fly!
I think we're quite similar in many ways. I definitely love flying for the feeling and enjoyment of being up in the air, but also the destination and what you can do 'as a result of' flying is really important to me nowadays too. Thanks, appreciate you leaving that comment J Bawden.
EVERY SINGLE thing you talk about in this video is ME! I passed my PPL in 45.5 hours and I was incredibly lucky with the weather over a course of 10 months. I have days where the weather is marginal and I make a call to stay on the ground and then the weather clears. It makes me feel like I wish I just went flying. To hear you say I made the right call means a great deal. Listening to your views on all of these issues is so refreshing and makes me feel so much more positive about my flying and my journey whilst being a general aviation pilot. Stef, mate you are brilliant. Keep doing what you're doing and spreading this positive energy with your channel. It's seriously so refreshing. You are awesome!!! I hope to meet you one day! 👍👍👍👍👍
Hey John, thanks so much for this. It makes me so proud to get feedback like that, knowing these videos help fellow aviators so thanks for leaving that comment. I still have days now when I cancel a flight for weather only to see blue skies or winds dying down a little later. You can either accept your decision and do something else that day, or wait on the ground and see if the weather does get better later. What you can't do is live in regret for your decision, that gets you nowhere. There's no "unfair" or "not deserved" with marginal weather, there's just "fly" or "don't fly", the rest isn't worth focussing on. Thanks again, stef
@@StefanDrury Hey guys. I´m doing my PPL right now with only 6h on a C172. BUT, i´m a skydiver (1077 jumps and tandem-instructor) and i am a Base-Jumper. One time a really experienced base-jumper told me that he has not only log-book for his jumps he did, he also has one for the jumps he didn´t do. Where he was hiking up 6h in Norway, just to see thick fog on the exit-point. Only option not to to sleep on the mountain is walking down another 6h and call it a day. If you feel bad after cancelling a flight, think of that one or 10 base-jumpers that are maybe walking down right now in rain because weather changed quickly. Or file that flight into your new NON-done-fight-logbook ;) By the way Stefan: such great videos. I didn´t saw a lot, because i found you just recently. Loved the video where you went to Altenburg for lunch and the restaurant was closed. :D One of the sucks to be a pilot storys. With a car in Altenburg you have like 15 places to eat or more :D I live quite close there. Would love to meet you someday and maybe pull you out of the cockpit into freefall ;) but most pilots are so super super scared of skydiving. So please don´t be a normal pilot, jump with me ;)
John Malone avg time is 60-80hrs. I told people. If your serious on this. Do it. Don’t do a couple hours then wait a week or 2 cause if money. It will cost you 2x as much. And instructions here in California has skyrocketed
Thank you for making this video. I'm a new paramotor pilot and have been struggling with these same issues. Even though I don't fly a fixed-wing plane, your advise really helped.
Great video Stefan, again, an insight not all YT pilots provide 👏👏 Btw, the new Apple Pencil connects to and charges from the iPad itself. My old one used to run out of charge at critical moments all the time. The new one is always fully charged 😊
Wow Stefan, you hit every issue I have had in the last year of training for my PPL. Turbulence was my first obstacle to overcome it still SUCKS!. Crosswinds suck. There are days that are perfect to fly that I just don’t motivated to give it my all. There have been crappy weather days that I canceled my flight early in the morning then it turned out to be beautiful weather in the afternoon while I stayed on the ground. Money, this is an expensive hobby/education. There are days that it is difficult to be a pilot. Thankfully there are many more days that it is an absolute pleasure to have the ability to soar like a bird. Thank you for putting up this video! I don’t feel quite as much a loser having some of the feelings I have had over the last year.
Hey Chuck, I'm really glad it helped. You're definitely not alone in feeling one or all of the things I speak about in this video, problem is many of us often don't talk about it at all. Thanks for watching and commenting, and I wish you all the best with your aviation journey, stef
Stefan buddy, you are an absolute diamond bloke. We have all had those days about flying, and you know the old saying, better to be down here and wishing you were up there rather than the other way round. keep doing what you are as you motivate all of us especially when like me you are stuck on the ground with all this crappy weather out here in the UK.
Cheers Sean, yeah I like that phrase very much and tell myself that sometimes when I postpone a flight just to watch the weather open up after all. You’re right, better to watch the skies clear from the ground than watch them close in around you in the air.
Really great video that covers a lot of the buggaboo's of aviation - self doubt is a big one - for me, anyway. Your best advice was at 8:22 - "Talk to other people." CFI, Flight School Manager. Someone who is in aviation and understands what's going on. I didn't do that, and have lapsed too many years, for no real good reason. But... I'm motivated now to get back into the saddle/cockpit. My plan is to work towards the BFR, and then do an upset recovery program like EMT (Emergency Maneuver Training). Full on aerobatics can come later, but the first module (stalls, spins, spirals, intro to rolls, etc) I believe will inject back in that confidence you mentioned in your video.
Great Video, Stef. Thanks! One bad thing about our passion is that CAVOK often means, “I don’t have time”. We all know the very infamous Monday-CAVOK and the Weekend-Marginal. Also, don’t having an own plane but charter as a flying club member, when the weather is great, everyone wants to fly and it’s difficult to get a plane. And another thing is sharing the experience. You mentioned taking someone with you and share. I wish I could do that. I could show more people or at least the loved ones why flying is so fascinating. I have this situation with several of my hobbies that I would love to take someone with me either in the plane or on the motorcycle, but..... Ok, to be honest, that are. It really the worst things of being a pilot. And bottom line the great things are sooooo much more then the bad things, aren’t they? Ha! And I absolutely feel you about the turbulence thing. Specially since I fly really really small two seated microlight planes. We are like leaves in the wind! Believe me. Not so much fun, sometimes ;-)
We live in a time when all decisions are endlessly second-guessed. "I'm not flying today" can be a difficult decision, but as pilots we have to make decisions, and stick with them. You can't fly a plane in the subjunctive. I encountered severe turbulence once. I hit my head on the roof. I checked the plane carefully to make sure I hadn't hit something. Then I called in a PIREP.
Currently getting my PPL. Really loved the real advice and stories you shared. I had a big gap in between my training so i was hooked once you brought it up. Subbed forsure! I hope to give the same platform for others like you are
Thanks for subscribing Daniel, welcome to the channel. Good luck with your flight training and I look forward to watching your videos here in the future. Cheers, stef
So awesome to see this video. Thermals and turbulence gets exhausting. My instructor keeps telling me its not bad. So i really thought it was me. But, it really does beat the crao out of you. I was flying the other day trying to hold altitude and hit a thermal that pushed me up 400 feet, so i had to stop my checklist readjust then went back to my checklist and was descending. It was so annoying. Took twoce as long to do anything because i had to constantly check the instruments etc. Kept getting pushed off track. Trying to do the timing for dead reckoning. Today tho. Went up set altitude and direction held perfectly was able to do my checklists. Way more fun to fly in good weather. Anyways great video
Hi Stefan! Great content that you’re posting, it really keeps me motivated to chase my dream. I hope to start my own channel about aviation in the future so I’m learning quite a lot from you haha. Btw, can you make a vid about how you got your whole GoPro + audio set up with the approvals needed for it? Keep up the good work! Greetings from the Netherlands
Thanks Nabil, great to hear you're planning on a RU-vid channel, we need more interesting aviation content to help spread the word. Yeah I was actually planning a "camera setup" video on the cameras for the RTW trip, I can cover the procedures for approvals in there as well. Cheers.
Great vid. You should consider becoming an instructor. You have a great attitude to flying. 👍 And its a nice time of year to head back to Melb South via the coast. South Coast NSW lovely.
Ha, thank you. That's a nice compliment. Yeah I've flown via the SE Coast Syd - Mel before (due to storms inland) and it's lovely down Merimbula / Moruya way. Would like to go back for sure.
I think as pilots having a bad day brings a hell lot of experience for the next time up in the air. I talk to other pilots and they tell me how they tackled the particular situation brings up the confidence in me that i can do it as well. Learning never ends in this industry and that's what i love about aviation. Thanks Stef for sharing your experiences. Any plans for Grand Prix 2020? Meet up would be great :D .
I finished my cpl in south africa and i really wish i watched this video before even starting my training, or while i was busy with my ppl.. very insightful and it reminds me a lot of my training 👍🏼 dont want to repeat the other comments but it is reassuring to hear your point of view on the cons of being a private pilot.
Hi Stefan, thanks for sharing. You have a beautiful airplane! I appreciate you saying that it took you 70 hours to obtain your PPL and how there are really no minimum hours required. I have 32 hours and hit a road block with my medical so im "grounded" until i can get my medical cleared to continue my training. It's been about a year and half since ive been up in the air and I have to overcome the self-doubt constantly!
I do have to say I appreciate your advice from the other day. Today I went out and it was a bit bumpy from turbulence and I was able to just keep flying. My instructor even commented it was great flying from me today since I was nailing all the elements of the lesson. I was finally not instrument locked and instead looking out the window while doing my ALAP checks. Guess it's one of those good days for flying.
Couldn't echo your points on turbulence more. I used to fly gliders (sailplanes) a few years back, which literally use those pockets of warm, turbulent air in order to stay up. But despite my experience, whenever I've had turbulence on an airliner, as a passenger I absolutely hate it. It gives me sweaty palms and a racing heart. The one thing that keeps me from total panic is just remembering that modern aeroplanes can withstand a heck of a lot more force than what mother nature can throw at them, no matter how bad it can feel sometimes!
I was going to start flight training but my medication was preventing me and my flight instructor contacted a casa doctor but never got back to me so that really makes me sad.
Some great advice there Stef. I guess no matter what you do in life, there will be good and bad parts about it. By the way, welcome back to Bankstown, although i suppose you will be back home by the time i watch this. Thanks mate
Excellent video. I personally worry about the maintenance aspect of the planes that I would be flying at a flight training school. I started my training in a privately owned plane, one which I personally was involved in the annual inspection. I was able to so for myself the airworthyness of the aircraft that I was flying. That plane was sold by the owner who was no longer flying it, and I've been hesitant to start flying in the local school because it's hard to really see if the plane has been properly maintained with a pre-flight. Someday I'll have my own plane...but I'm sure it won't be anywhere near as nice as EYZ (really great cockpit shots in this video). Question...where are those mountains you were flying over at 6:26? Thanks for the great video.
I got my license at a 141 school, but when comparing its policies and procedures to other 141 schools, I was disturbed to find that the school I learned at was not exactly the cream of the crop. This hang heavy in my mind when I am flying in busy airspace or in bumpy weather. However, that isn't to say that I don't trust my training. Taking my family out to the airport only to have the winds pick up to 35 kts almost direct crosswind was a kick to the chest, but I felt proud to be able to make the no-fly call. We rescheduled. Stefan, you're right about the ups and downs of being a private pilot. And actually because of that I think that, when we eventually did go flying together, seeing the smile on the old man's face after pulling 0gs was all the more satisfying.
