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Having Problems in Primary. Need a little help.

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flpanthers1

Registered User
I have been in Primary for the past couple months now and I am having problems. I am doing Ok, but I am stressing myself out. I've had knots in my stomach ever since I started. I don't eat very much either. I just don't feel hungry. I want to do so well that I begin to do poorly. My major in college was not one of technical nature and I think it is showing. A fifth grader could have gotten a degree in what I have. (I am trying to keep my identity to a minimum. I don't want to incriminate myself to anything) I am having doubts about myself and if I am smart enough for the program. I try very hard, but I want to be the best which may be my downfall. I have consumed myself with Primary.

I don't give myself credit for making it this far. I am happy to be here, but I wish I could retain the information better. Can anyone suggest anything they did or someone they met with who really helped them? I would appreciate it. Thanks.

SNA
 
Dawgfan

Dawgfan

Pending
pilot
I think everyone goes through this to a certain extent... for me it was coming back from BI's and getting absolutely slaughtered on Fam's 5 and 6. I just couldn't do anything right, dreaded looking at the flight schedule, dreaded preflighting, just praying that somehow the hop would get cancelled. That was the worst week of my whole Navy experience, including OCS. It was like my onwing was telling me to hit a golf drive right down the middle of the fairway, 250 yards. Then I'd dribble it off the tee, and he'd chew me a new one. "No, hit it right down the middle, 250 yards damnit!" Flying, like golf, is not something you can learn in the books, you just gotta go out and practice. And it's going to be painful. But you'll make it through. If you want to talk more about it you can email me with the little email button thingy above this post. Good luck!
 
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JasonG

Registered User
Can you, or someone else, clarify why primary might be difficult for someone with an "easy" major? Although I think no one major is easy, I understand the difference between ART and ENG. I myself am a Business Man. major, so this all makes me wonder.

Best of luck to you in Primary and persevere and you'll be alright, dont doubt it. If you were accepted as an SNA then you have what it takes. I know of pilots who are great at what they do and they majored in "basket weaving".

Best wishes,
Jason
 
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flpanthers1

Registered User
I think having an "easy" major does not prepare you for studying. My major was communications, television, and all I had to do was not procrastinate. I would get my work done and go have fun. I played hockey for the school and had to budget my time, but my friends with more technical majors were always in the books. I never had to do that. I am overwhelemd with how much study time is needed and where I need to begin. As soon as I think I can take a break for aminute I realize there is 20 other things I need to know by the next day. So now I am jumping in with both feet trying to play catch up as far as my study habits go. I dod realize everyone who has gone through the program has probably felt the same way at one time or another though.

the main thing is I get flustered very easily which is a bad trait to have in this busniess. I am trying to harness this, but I am use to catching on to things on the first or second try. Of course I realize I am not Superman and flying is definitely not something you catch on to overnight. I have a hard time telling myself that. It's in my nature I guess.

I want to make it through the program, but am not sure if my nerves can keep up.

SNA
 
webmaster

webmaster

The Grass is Greener!
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
Well first off, Happy 4th of July, and enjoy yourself and the time off this weekend is going to provide you (I am assuming that you guys aren't flying this weekend).

You are not alone in what you are experiencing. Everyone goes through what you are feeling right now. There have been times when I was double pumped and on the flight schedule every day that I felt like I just couldn't keep up. Where did all the time in the day go to?!? The syllabus is designed in such a way as to stress you in exactly this way. Can you discipline yourself to study, chair fly, talk to IPs and fellow students, and fly the plane during the events. It is all part of the process that the Navy uses, in effect giving you enough rope to hang yourself with if you can't keep up.

As Mari mentioned, it is vitally important that you chair fly, or whatever you need to do, to get those procedures down pat while in the comfort of your study area. When in the plane, you just don't have the luxury of recalling that info, it should be second nature, or getting close to it. Even now, I find myself going through procedures in the car, sitting in my office, working out, or any free time I have.

The worst feeling is being behind, as Dawgfan mentioned, coming out of BIs and getting behind on FAM 5 and 6. It sounds like you are feeling like you are behind and beginning to question yourself. One of the best things/feelings and ability to have, is salvaging a bad flight. You start messing some things up early in a flight, and a lot of students just don't recover. But the student that just shrugs it off and says, ok, I am an idiot, and puts it out of their head to do well in the rest of the flight gets high marks from the IP for pulling it out.

Case in point, on like a FAM 6 I was being a total idiot in the high work, and my IP put the screws to me, "You are a one below right now in the flight", "!(#$(&(*&!#!". But, I took it to the low work and salvaged the flight with 2 aboves in the pattern. We landed, and he told me my grades, I couldn't believe it, and he told me the same, he thought he was going to have hook me on the flight early on, but I got my act together.

Oh well, I am sure Frumby has more to amplify if he has time on the IP side of it.

Anyways, I don't know how much that information helped or not, but you aren't alone. The big key is to accept that you are still learning, and not stress/beat yourself up too much about it.

Best of luck, and Happy 4th!
 
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Dave Shutter

Registered User
flpanther...I know exactly how you feel, I was a comm/filmmaking major. I didn't have to study for hours on end every day but having your entire semester hanging in the balance over a huge project you have to pull off in a single weekend because of equipment shortages is no fun either. I've hit a few bumps in API but I'm still truckin'. I've questioned myself a lot lately, I'll struggle to get passing grades while all the tech majors and AF guys with IFT seem to sleep though class, study a few hours the night before test day and get hundreds, all telling each other later on how easy everything is. I'm not used to the hours of studying required but I look at that as my new obstacle, if I have to study twice as long as the engineering major to get the same grade then that's what I have to do. When I get to Primary I'm confident I'll do ok in the airplane but I if don't get the academics down I'll never make it out of the briefing room.
 
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flpanthers1

Registered User
Hey all I really apreciate all the posts you all have been giving me. I know the one major thing I have to do is relax. Maybe I should get loaded tonight and take it easy. I too was a communications major and was working in Hollywood for awhile. So this heavy studying thing is totally new to me. I had to complete projects and that was it.

It is just going to take some getting use to. I know the grass will always be greener on the other side. Especially for a pilot. I know I have to suck it up and run with it. Do my best that's all I can. Once again, thanks.

SNA
 
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