Is this normal? (Irrational concern about flying VFR)

[Aeronautik]

I learned to fly in airspace studded Los Angeles, so I’m very familiar with Class C services. I got my instrument rating in SoCal as well, so now that I go to college in Michigan, flying out here is a lot less stressing than it is down there. But I came to a realization. I’m overly-scared of busting airspace (maybe due to learning out in SoCal where airspace was a big deal?), so much now that I never fly without an IFR flight plan. I never fly VFR anywhere anymore. You can forget following roads and VFR charts, I file IFR on every flight, clear or not. I like the security of being on an IFR flight plan. There are so many times when I take people up when it would probably be a lot more fun to go VFR and putt around, but I just go IFR (they all enjoy it, either way). I just wanted to know how normal that really is. Is it odd? Considering I’m going for my CFI this summer, I wonder if this is something I should be worried about—being almost scared to fly VFR. Any tips or advice? When I think about it, I think I just do it because of the security. I feel safer flying IFR (and I also don’t have to worry about busting anyone’s airspace). I’m guessing that, since I haven’t really used a VFR terminal since my IFR checkride, I’m probably pretty (four letter word followed by 'ty') at picking out landmarks. Pretty worried here, I think. Could use some advice.

[jrh]

From my observations, we're all scared of the unknown or areas we aren't experienced in. I once flew with a guy who owned his own plane and flew in and out of a Class C airport on a regular basis. When we went to a Class D airport several hundred miles away, he didn't seem comfortable or aware of how the system worked in Class D airspace. He was too used to the tower having radar and just giving him a vector staight onto a base leg for the landing runway.

I think that you're correct in wondering if this fear will be a problem during your CFI training. As a CFI, you ought to be comfortable with any situation you're going to teach, and that includes VFR cross countries.

Of course, I don't think this would be a hard fear to overcome. Do you have any instructor friends or friends who are experienced flying VFR cross countries? Have them come along with you on a trip and help you brush up on identifying landmarks. Look for landmarks right on the edge of a particular type of airspace so that you can see where the boundaries are.

Just like anything else in flying, you'll get comfortable with whatever you expose yourself to. I had a fear of spins, until I went out and did some with an instructor and saw how they weren't a big deal. Same thing for landing on grass strips.

I'd imagine it'll be the same for you and VFR trips.

--James

[Flight81]

I think your lack of confindence is due to the fact that you don't do fly VFR anymore. There should be no reason to be affraid of busting airspace. It's as simple as following the basics of flight we all learned when getting a ppl. Is it that your not good at telling where the airspace begins? If thats the case, Just tune in the VOR to an airport inside the airspace and get a DME reading as to how far you are out and use the sectional to find your point. I think you just need to force yourself to do it more. If all else fails put your pride aside and go get an instructor familiar with the area and have him point out landmarks and airspace boundries.

[Bandit_Driver]

Flight 81 makes some good points. If you are that nervous pay few bucks and get some instruction in the area. As a CFI you will have to teach your students to fly VFR. If you are nervouse about your students will be too.

I have flown in Michigan for many years now both IFR and VFR in tuboprops. Michigan airspace really isn't that bad the only real concern is in the DTW and the Canadian boarder.

The more you fly VFR the more comfortable you will be.

Good Luck

[kellwolf]

I second just going flying with a CFI. Take a sectional with you and just fly around. Practice keeping track of where you are with landmarks. Having the extra person there to validate your analysis will help to build your confidence back up. After a few flights, go up and do the same thing by yourself. If you can consitantly know where you are on a sectional by reference to landmarks, you should be able to keep yourself out of trouble. It's just one of those things that gets better with practice.

[Jake_D]

I don't think your apprehensions are all that un-normal. I have many friends who felt the same way you do; once they got instument rated it was IFR always whether it was a VFR day or not. It is much easier to file and plan and IFR than VFR. I never did have that apprehension though. Much of the time, especially in my commercial training, I most always flew VFR or when I flew IFR on VFR days I always took along VFR sectionals appropriate for my route as well. This way I kept sharp on my VFR skills. Plus you can always request flight advisories. Unless ATC is busy they most always let you know when they spot a target.

My advice is to work on some VFR skills during cross country training if you still have some time left to get your commercial. This is becuase you will need your VFR skills when you take the check ride, but like others have said, you will need them when you complete your CFI. Not only for your students, but you will need to use those skills to navigate to and from the primary airport depending on how far out you go. You also will most likely get more primary students that instrument and advanced and you need to be sharp on those to teach them properly (preferabley without a GPS). This is especially becuase primary students fail to see the "big" picture when they fly these first VFR trips and cannot recognize major lakes, landmarks and what not that is in the distance off in front of them. Plus your advanced students will need to have 4 total hours with you performing VFR cross countrys.

Once you get back into the swing of it though you should not have any problems or apprehensions.

[E_Dawg]

You don't even really need to bring a cfi with you to build confidence vfr... just force yourself to fly the next few flights vfr... take your time before flight planning it out and be sure you won't bust airspace. Then fly the flight as planned. The next few xcs just spend less time planning. Soon you'll be picking destinations inflight

[Aeronautik]

This is all good advice. Thanks guys. I think I'll just fly VFR from now on, especially since the weather's getting so much better here!


Thanks again,
S.A.S.

[Aeronautik]

Sorry about that last quick reply, it was a long night.

Before I got my Instrument Rating, all I did, of course, was fly VFR. A lot of VFR flying through LAX, doing the LAX Shoreline route and stuff. I was fine, then. I guess it's true that not flying VFR in a long time is probably the reason I'm not comfortable with it anymore, just like I wouldn't feel comfortable flying IFR after only flying VFR for a year.

Once I get my commercial checkride out of the way, hopefully in the next month, I've been told to just start flying right seat VFR everywhere. Just go up there with a sectional and do some airport hopping to get back into it. Busting airspace is indeed a big fear. What I'm not so good at, now at least, is looking at a sectional and figuring out where I am--fast. It takes me a little while, I usually end up programming the VORs to figure out position. Some guys can just look at a sectional and badda bing badda boom know where they are. I'm not one of those guys.

I'll see how it goes. The weather's getting nice here so the next few flights I'll go under VFR.

Thanks again,
S.A.S.

[MikeD]

Aeronautik,

Come take part in MikeDs low-level nav training program. All the navigational experience via pilotage and DR you'd ever want, all at 500 AGL, all in mountainous terrain, and NEVER one utterance of the acronym "IFR"....at least not in it's proper sense.

And you WILL get the mission done, mister..........

[flyover]

Ah, the advantages of learning to fly from an ag pilot. I started fooling around with the NAV receiver one day and he let me know that "I didn't need to be fooling with that thing."

Also don't forget, water towers in small towns often have the name of the city on them.

[Aeronautik]

Mike D, which program are you talking about now??

[Derek_S]

[ QUOTE ]
Ah, the advantages of learning to fly from an ag pilot. I started fooling around with the NAV receiver one day and he let me know that "I didn't need to be fooling with that thing."

[/ QUOTE ]

Same here, the only time my instructor let me use it was during lost procedures and diversons when we were above nothing but clouds.