Hello,
I’ve been trying to attend flight school for a little over a year now and when things are about to get real I start to hesitate and end up not moving forward…
I read a lot about some people’s experiences of failure in flight school and it makes me think maybe I’m not smart or good enough to do this…
Any advice or words of encouragement would help.
Thank you
Jason,
If you are not sure, I suggest going to a local flight and taking several lessons, perhaps all the way up through soloing. This will help you know whether flying is right for you or not.
Beyond that, I can tell you that flying does require a certain amount of self confidence. Nobody is going to sit down and give you a pep talk everyday, you will have to find the motivation from within.
Now all of that being said, while flying is difficult, it is not brain surgery either. Many before you have done it and made it through flight school just fine. Try not to focus on the negative reviews, take a look at our Student Experiences section, you will see plenty of people that have done just fine in flight training posting there.
Chris
Jason,
This is an easy one. You should never let fear stand in the way of what you want and you won’t know for sure till you try. So try, if you don’t like it or don’t feel it’s for you at least you can put it to rest and move on.
Adam
When I take the intro flight or lessons, what should I focus on? How would I know if I like it or not? What should I pay attention to?
Jason,
What’s key (and I can already sense a potential problem) is to RELAX and enjoy! This isn’t a test or a job interview, you’re simply going for an “Intro” to the whole experience. You’re not a pilot and no one expects you to be. Simply follow the instructors directions and again enjoy.
If you finish with a smile you probably enjoyed it 
Adam
How does the intro relate to the actual experience of school and the actual daily work?
Jason,
It relates as it will “introduce” you to the training environment and give your a taste of what training will be like.
As for work it doesn’t really relate to the airline experience but flying in small GA aircraft is where you’ll me training and also spending 1-1.5yrs building your time. So if you hate that it’s a problem.
Adam
Can you give me a general overview of what a daily lesson is like for a newbie?
Task/hours on the ground and in the air?
Do you do sim time after?
What’s before and after flying?
After I’m done for the day, to prepare for the next day do I go home and study for the next morning or is that baked in the schedule while I’m in school?
Jason,
Your days will vary and be a combination of class, sim and flights. You will also have homework and online study but again your days will be different depending on the phase of training.
I recommend you visit the Student Experience section of the forum where students discuss their time at ATP.
Adam
Jason,
Other than viewing the Student Experiences on the forum, I recommend checking out this “Typical Day in Life at ATP” webpage ATP put together on their website:
Brady
Jason,
Spend some time browsing the forum. You’ll find students with some of the same worries you had, going on intro flights all the way through to soloing, getting their PPL and eventually finishing the program. It’s always scary to try something new. But you’ll never know until you take the leap.
The intro flight is a great place to start. Relax and just take in the experience. If you get back and didn’t enjoy it, you have your answer. If you loved it and can’t wait to get back up in the air, then go fly again or start your PPL at a local school to ease in to flight training. Hopefully with each baby step your confidence will grow.
Hannah