Self-confidence and flight training

[TwosBlind]

Did anyone ever doubt themselves when going through flight training? Are there guys out there that wanted to be a fighter pilot since they were old enough to walk but werent sure if they had what it takes when they were finally ready to go? It seems like alot of these guys you see graduating at the top and getting jets "knew" they were going to from day one of flight training, and that some of the guys that wound up in helos or P-3s or something (If this wasnt what they wanted from the beginning) also "knew" from day one they would get jets even though they didint. How confident were all you pilots that you would be the next "maverick" and just destroy flight school when you went into training? Im not talking about cockyness, but pure, undeniable confidence in your natural god-given ability as a pilot and your ability to adapt and learn quickly throughout the program. It seems like confidence would be key to doing well and getting what you want come selection time. I ask because im currently having some self doubt. As the time nears for OCS, commision, commitment, and eventually flight training, im wondering if Im going to do as well as ive always assumed I would in flight school. Im worried I wont be able to handle the academics and wont be able to handle the stress in the cockpit. Im worried ill wind up with nothing but helmet fires and busted rides. I have never really felt this way until recently, and it is kind of throwing me off. I just dont know what to expect from myself as far as how im going to perform. Anyone feel me out on this or am I no longer cut out for the fighter community due to my self doubt. Is this something that I need to put in check asap or is this common?

Thanks fellas

 

[SDNalgene]

It's common to have self doubt, and it is common for people to give you shit for bringing it up.

I would suggest that you don't allow yourself to be deluded into thinking that people who end up going helos or P-3's lacked enough confidence or failed in anyway. Not everyone wants to be a jet pilot and moreover not everyone who arrives at primary wanting to be a jet pilot still feels that way at the end of primary. I know what you are getting at with the confidence question, but phrasing it in terms of "knowing" you are going to get jets and the suggesting that the lack of such clairvoyant confidence leading to something other (and by implication, worse) than jets is rather disrespectful toward a ton of very professional and skilled pilots.

Everyone has doubts. Most everyone has them at every stage. Because of the nature of the business and the personalities that it attracts most people don't express them that publicly. Don't allow your legitimate anxiety about flight training turn into a nagging doubt of your ability to hack it. Flight training is a very different learning environment than anything in your past so it will take you some time to adapt. Until you figure out what's going on you will have some anxiety; it's normal and you will be just fine. Oh and about the time you start feeling fine, you will be on to the next thing, be it a different phase or a whole new aircraft, and you will be back to feeling that anxiety. Take things one step at a time and don't get ahead of yourself.

Instead of worrying about whether you will get jets or not I would advise you to work as hard as you can at each stage so that when selection comes around you can know that you did everything you could do to get what you wanted, because when it comes down to it, you can't control selection that much at all. Timing and needs of the Navy can trump your hard work at any point and there is no way to predict it. But if you don't work hard your chances of getting what you want are slim and all the timing in the world won't really help.

And by the way, the percentage of people who get jets is 42%.

 

[BACONATOR]

I think self doubt occurs in EVERY challenging thing you do in life. The key is how you respond to it. I don't think there are very many people who didn't think in the first week of OCS: "What the HELL am I doing here?". Those who were committed and determined rose above and pushed through.

Same thing with flight training. After sucking on the fire hose for a bit, you can get burned out. Many people think: "Hey. Flying isn't as fun as it used to be. Is it going to always be like this? This sucks." But then you go on your next hop and can't believe you get paid to do what you do.

Self doubt is good at difficult times. However, if self-doubt is chronic and festering, it can be detrimental to your success. Face the challenge and rise above. Many others have gone before you and many will go after you. Use your own resolve, determination and skill to get through it. (This is what I've done/experienced but I am still only on step 2 of 20 so take it for what it's worth).

 

[kejo]

How about those weird "I like to have sex with girls regularly" types like me who KNEW he wanted to fly helos from the get go. I guess you could say that everyone doubts themselves at one point or another, regardless of their goals. The key to becoming successful at anything is to keep a certain amount of humility about you always, especially when you're in flight school or new to Naval Aviation in general.

 

[loadtoad]

How about those weird "I like to have sex with girls regularly" types like me who KNEW he wanted to fly helos from the get go.

wait wait wait wait. So if you fly helos you get to have sex with girls regularly? Can I get this in writing before selection?

 

[Scoob]

As the Marine Capt flight instructor told me after I got my first big kick in the balls in Primary - "nothing teaches you just who the fuck you really are the way being a Naval Aviator does".



Of course, that was after he told me: "So, you stepped on your crank and showed your ass. Now move on." Marines are some eloquent motherfuckers.


Bottom line: be confident in your ability, but make no mistake, you're gonna have to work harder than you ever have in order to be successful.

 

[VAmookie]

As the Marine Capt flight instructor told me after I got my first big kick in the balls in Primary - "nothing teaches you just who the fuck you really are the way being a Naval Aviator does".



Of course, that was after he told me: "So, you stepped on your crank and showed your ass. Now move on." Marines are some eloquent motherfuckers.


Bottom line: be confident in your ability, but make no mistake, you're gonna have to work harder than you ever have in order to be successful.

Something that never tires me of this profession is how willing some people are to pat themselves on the back

 

[Cams1215]

Doubting is not bad, it shows that you arent a cocky ass. Doubting, in my opinion, is thinking about the difficulties ahead, and being curious how you will respond. But if you can't believe that you will work hard and make it through, and that making it through is the only option, I'd say reconsider. Take it one step at a time. From what I read it sounds like you havent gone through OCS yet. Flight school and everything else are way down the road. Worrying about flight school while in OCS will make it that much harder.

 

[TheBubba]

wait wait wait wait. So if you fly helos you get to have sex with girls regularly? Can I get this in writing before selection?

Its the wings that get the girls... there's a reason that NFO or NA Wings are referred to as "Golden Leg Spreaders"...

As for the original topic of self doubt, I knew from the day I was told that I'd picked up a SNFO slot that I wanted to be an ECMO (Prowler NFO). At one point during intermediate, I was going through a rough point... I just didn't get along with the T-1A (turns out that 240 KGS is not a friendly airspeed for a low level).

I thought that if I wanted to make it through flight school, I'd have to go E-2s. Not that its a bad job (actually think it could be cool, just not what I wanted to do). All because VT-86 is low level intensive... all but 10 of the flights in the Strike Core/Strike syllabus are low levels or use the standard low level procedures at a higher altitude.

Well needless to say, after much debate, I decided to leave my dream sheet as originally filled out... ask to go to VT-86 and let the Navy tell me no. Well, they said yes, and I found that 300KGS is a much more comfortable place to do a low level.

Basically, you're going to doubt yourself. Moral of the story: stick it out. You may just be going through a spell. Ask for what you want, cuz if you don't, you'll be wondering for the rest of your life if you could have done it.

 

[BACONATOR]

Its the wings that get the girls... there's a reason that NFO or NA Wings are referred to as "Golden Leg Spreaders"...

As for the original topic of self doubt, I knew from the day I was told that I'd picked up a SNFO slot that I wanted to be an ECMO (Prowler NFO). At one point during intermediate, I was going through a rough point... I just didn't get along with the T-1A (turns out that 240 KGS is not a friendly airspeed for a low level).

I thought that if I wanted to make it through flight school, I'd have to go E-2s. Not that its a bad job (actually think it could be cool, just not what I wanted to do). All because VT-86 is low level intensive... all but 10 of the flights in the Strike Core/Strike syllabus are low levels or use the standard low level procedures at a higher altitude.

Well needless to say, after much debate, I decided to leave my dream sheet as originally filled out... ask to go to VT-86 and let the Navy tell me no. Well, they said yes, and I found that 300KGS is a much more comfortable place to do a low level.

Basically, you're going to doubt yourself. Moral of the story: stick it out. You may just be going through a spell. Ask for what you want, cuz if you don't, you'll be wondering for the rest of your life if you could have done it.

Thanks for this post. It is encouraging. I have NO idea how my NSS will turn out in the end, but I am definitely the stubborn-ass kind of guy to put down jets/tailhook with a 40NSS. (no my grades are not THAT bad )

 

[MasterBates]

Yes they are.

 

[Scoob]

Something that never tires me of this profession is how willing some people are to pat themselves on the back

Its not an opinion that comes from being a Naval Aviator, its one that comes from working with people who aren't.

 

[xj220]

I wouldn't worry. This isn't easy stuff we're doing. I know there's been several days (especially starting RIs) we're I've just wanted to finish primary, let alone get the grades for tailhook. You're not the only one, and it helps keeping you from getting too overconfident. The point at which it starts to become a problem is if you doubt yourself to the point where you can't perform properly. If you have a bad flight, you have a bad flight. Learn what you did wrong, clear your mind and do it right the next time you fly. Don't dwell on it and keep on fighting.

 

[TwosBlind]

thanks for all the replies fellas, its helped immensley. Its good to know im not the only one that is going/has gone through this. Ive grown up seeing fighter pilots and military pilots in general as superhuman gods. Honestly. I mean you guys have been my Michael Jordan, John Elway, and Wayne Gretzky since I can remember...larger than life itself. And to be soon joining the ranks with you all seems almost unreal at times, especially the possiblity of setting a jet down on a pitching deck in the soup at 2am...ive always dreamed about it, and seen myself doing it, but now that it may come upon me withing a few years all i can say is damn...is this for real? And thats when the self doubt comes in, its like trying to step into superman's own shoes after reading every comic and seeing all the movies.

And just to clarify. I meant absolutely no disrespect to any of the other communities in my original post. I have nothing but the utmost respect for all the Helo, P-3, and E-2 (etc) guys out there. I would jump at and opprotunity to fly any of these and would love every minute of it. I equate low grades with these tracks from a personal standpoint only becasue for me, getting selected for one of these will be the result of the needs of the navy and/or my own inability to have my first selection because of my class rank. Its just a personal thing, and there are plenty of absolutely outstanding pilots out there who choose helos and P-3s because they were their first choice or thats where the Navy wanted them.

keep the replies coming guys, I appreciate them all, and will continue to check back.

 

[FrogFly]

I find myself aspiring to be more like the Ron Jeremy of naval aviation.