So you want a pilot’s license. You searched “flight schools near me,” found one you liked, and enrolled—whether your goal is to fly professionally or simply for fun. Congratulations! Deciding to become a pilot is a huge step toward achieving your dream.
Now you’re paired with your instructor and beginning your training. The first dozen or so flights are exciting. You’re learning your way around the airplane, completing preflight inspections, using checklists, learning flows and memory items, and things seem to be going well —until they don’t. Progress seems slow, and at times it can feel like trying to drink from a fire hose. In a world of instant gratification, that can be discouraging.
You’re not alone. Those feelings are normal, and a good instructor can help you work through them. The pressure to absorb everything at once can wear students down and lead to what I call “going dark”, scheduling fades, communication dwindles, and eventually the student disappears.
Yes, often the reason is money. Flying can be expensive, but it’s often no more expensive than buying a decent used jet ski, bass boat, or motorcycle-depending on which one, of course! Other times, life intervenes: family obligations, relationship changes, a roommate moving out, a new job, or a relocation can all interrupt training.
Learning to fly is more like marinating a steak- it needs time to soak in the seasoning. In the same way, you need time to absorb all the information and experiences that come with flight training. There’s no magic formula or silver bullet. This isn’t something you learn in a week. A well-run flight school with attentive instructors will notice when a student hits an emotional wall and will coach through it.
If you aim to become a professional pilot, here are practical ways to avoid quitting.
First, have a realistic budget.
Whether from savings, a loan, or disposable income, plan to fly frequently—ideally twice a week or more. The more often you fly, the less time you’ll spend re-learning material you’ve already paid to learn. For the best outcomes in a private pilot course, I recommend flying at least three times per week.
Second, choose the right flight school and training program.
Your training should match your goals. A good flight school will do a “meet and greet” with every new student to learn who you are and what you want to achieve: recreational flying, a career, or an airline goal. The right school will offer different aircraft and pathways to fit those goals. Someone flying for pleasure may do fine in a basic airplane; a career-focused student may benefit from training in a glass cockpit or modern aircraft.
Third, approach each stage of training one task at a time.
Treat each lesson as if it’s the only thing you have to accomplish and become a master of that task before moving on.
With time and repetition, you’ll move from what we call rote learning to correlation. You will know what to do- you’ll understand why you’re doing it.
There will be bad days. We all have them. Don‘t let those days discourage you.
It takes time to develop what we call the “seat-of-your-pants” feel for the energy of the airplane. Eventually, you’ll become one with your machine and learn to impose your will on it.
And here’s the best part: the better you get, the more you’ll want to fly.
One way to keep your enthusiasm high is by doing what we call “chair-flying.” Sit on your couch or a chair and mentally walk through a flight you recently completed or one you’re preparing to fly. Think through every step- the preflight, taxi, takeoff, climb, maneuvers, approach, and landing. You’d be amazed at how much learning takes place before you ever step back into the airplane.
Coming up in our next blog: The Steps to Becoming a Pilot.
Jay DeAndrade
Owner and Chief Flight Instructor
Primary Flight Control | Herlong Airport | Jacksonville, Florida
