Tandems and a slight fear of heights - experiences?

[deandob]

All,

I'm not making much progress locating and purchasing my first machine.

I'm torn between side by side versus tandem as after 14 hours training in a side by side as well as several back seat rides in a tandem I can see that the tandem is the more fun machine (better visibility, more agile) but the only thing that is holding me back is a slight amount of anxiety I experience in a tandem on takeoff for about 10 seconds or so into the flight, and I don't get this in a side by side. Its just the initial takeoff and only once in the air between 50 feet and 300 feet that I experience this and after that I'm fine including landings. Its also not airsickness - I do naturally have a small fear of heights. A tandem with a full canopy does help but only a little.

So being a student pilot not to far away from 'graduating' I'm cautious that being a low hours pilot, solo and with this anxiety after takeoff is not a good mix. I'm convinced as I get more experience with flying and confidence with my own machine this will go away but its the first 50 - 100 hours could be a problem especially if it puts me off executing a good takeoff.

I'm wondering if others have experienced this as well, if it swayed your preference for side by side versus tandem, and if you did have this anxiety disappear as you got more confident and experienced.

Thoughts?

[mad max]

I taught myself to fly 30 or so yrs ago Deandob and my legs were shaking so much at first I thought I had a rudder vibration. A littte fear is healthy and it usually goes away fairly quickly.

[deandob]

Thanks Max. Definitely don't get it as bad as shaking legs. But I do wonder how some of the guys in the gyro community can fly the very basic machines which are just a seat, motor, prop and rotors - I feel like a wimp in comparison!

[tonydenton]

keep your seat belts tight is a bonus for me . I don't like flying as much if I can move in the seat a little. firm seat belt straps definitely helps me.
talk yourself into relaxing too. mentally say
# and start with shoulder muscles give them a wriggle
# breathe in and out and relax.
# most importantly relax your bum muscles . my instructor told me it doesn't matter how tight your ass muscles are it will never make you a better pilot.
# legs and feet . move them around and tell your self to relax .
# I had to learn to do that mainly to learn to land the side by side gyro. I've been back in the same type of gyro a couple of times for my B.F.R. and I couldn't believe the closed cabin effect and wanted to get back into my open frame.
I agree with max thou, that a little bit of caution is healthy.

[tonydenton]

Negative G torture . look this up on you tube. LOL. always best to have tight seat belts.

[mad max]

I thought I might be 'brave' cause I was an ex sky-diver but it made no difference. You have to adapt to different situations. I still crap myself when I look over a tall building. My first gyro was a 2 inch piece of alloy and a plastic seat. I know some cowboys that have done over a thousand hrs. in an open frame and still 'crap' over 400 ft. I've trained a lot of bush gyro pilots and the ones with seemingly No fear are the ones I worry about the most. Anyway, exhilaration send two drugs through your body that fights cancer. The human evolved taking risks. It's healthy.

[deandob]

Firm seat belt definitely helps. I also find being in control of the machine is actually easier compared to being a (helpless) passenger.
Sounds like something I should not worry about and just 'push through' it. Good to hear that I'm not alone.

[RickE]

Before you make a decision get a front seat ride in a tandem.
i know many people that given the choice between enclosed and open cockpit would take the open cockpit every time.
A good friend of mine had similar concerns to you but a year later now flies every chance he gets.

[deandob]

Yes, I can definitely see the tandem being more fun and closer to the reason for recreational flying especially when I'll be mostly solo. Its reassuring that others have had similar concerns and got through it. I have had several rides in a couple of tandems enclosed and open but all have been back seat unfortunately. I'll see if I can organise a front seat ride.

[aussie_paul]

For some reason I was very nervous in the open frame at height deandob.

My most enjoyable flying was the side by side with the doors off.

Aussie Paul.

[deandob]

Yeah agreed Aussie Paul. Was walking through the hanger at Caboolture earlier this week admiring all the open frame machines thinking these guys must have balls of steel to take them up in the air, and I'm such a wimp in comparison. No way would I be going up in one of them! Sort of reminds me of the giant drop ride at dreamworld on the Gold Coast (you are dangling from a seat over 150 feet in the air then dropped), not my favourite ride....

[tonydenton]

I went for a fly this morning and couldn't help but smile when my seat belt was a bit loose. it meant I had lost some weight : )
I'm sure it will be tight again tomorrow after pigging out today : (

[Tim]

As soon as a new student tried to find a different way to try to kill me I always managed to pull a couple of inches out of my seat belts. I'm sure I was a little shorter after the flight.

[WEST OZ FLYER]

Deandob, I know of a low hour Ela 07 on the West Coast. Give me a ring a I will give you the details. 0427 987 175. Cheers Matthew

[Brian]

Sounds to me like a bit of a combination of things happening. In my first flight in a tandem [ back seat] I wasnt comfortable flying it from that position whereas side by side, no worries at all so you need to get up the front. One of the great things with gyros is being out in the fresh [ hopefully ] clean air, I think you will find most pilots dont like heights & you can add me to that height although it didnt put me off learning to fly & later doing a thousand hours in an open frame machine. There is a lot going for these open framed machines that you loose with cabs etc plus every kg of added weight causes a drop off in performance.
Its on my list to fly an open frame 912 machine one day.

BTW, merry Christmas to all for yesterday & safe flying in 2018 & 19 / 20.......