Am I the only one??

[oilcanbland]

I don't know about any of you, but my parents are freaking out at the idea that I'm flying planes all by myself now. They get completely nervous, right before each one of my flights. Especially my cross countries. When I told my parents that I went on my first solo cross country last week, they almost had a heart attack. When I see them getting nervous, it makes me think that I should have something to be worried about. (As you can tell, I am the only pilot in my family).

Did this happen to anyone else? Do they finally get used to the idea of you flying planes? How long does it take.

 

[FL000]

My father never had a problem with it. He had a PPL years ago. My mother simply requested that I tell her about my solo flights AFTER they occured. Now she worries only when she hears about bad weather in the area or drunk pilots being arrested in the cockpit.

 

[Timebuilder]

My Dad was in the RCAF, and flew for many years after I was born, so it came to my mother as no surprise that I would also be a pilot.

When a child dies on a bicycle, I ask doubting friends if those dangerous bikes should be outlawed, or I use some other example.

Life is full of risks. The key is how you asess and control risks, both small and large.

 

[avbug]

My father still tries to convince me that flying isn't a good idea, and to this day, won't go up in an airplane. My in-laws all believed that I should get out of flying and get a real job...driving a logging truck. They still think that.

They're probably right.

 

[chawbein]

"You'll kill your fool self!!!" - That is what I heard from my mother. My mom is terrified of flying, she almost has to be knocked out to fly in a 737.

Solution: Don't say a word.

I'm glad my wife is supportive.

 

[RichardFitzwell]

Don't tell your parents what you're up to.

If they're like mine (and it sounds like they are) they still think of you as their baby boy. I think it's hard for them to see you as the safe and competent pilot you are. Remember, to them you were crappin' in your diaper just a few years ago.

BTW -- Congrats and good luck with your progress!

 

[Timebuilder]

Here's a twist.

My mother is proud to tell her friends that I am a "jet pilot" as she puts it.

She wouldn't tell ANYONE that I was a broadcaster.

 

[bobbysamd]

Parents and flying

I was almost 31 when I started flying. If my parents were worried about me flying alone in an airplane, I never heard it. They thought it was a good idea because I was enjoying it so much, so they gave me some money toward my Private. When I decided to try it full-time, at age 36, my father was 100% supportive. He said I should have made that decision ten years before. As it turned out for me, he was right.

I took my mother flying in a 172 once. Although she denied it, it was clear that she was nervous, if not scared outright. My father would not go up with me. I believe it had to do more with his heart condition than fear. He told me he went up in a small plane when he was in college.

Best thing to tell your parents is that the most dangerous part of the flight is the car drive to the airport. You're far more likely to be injured by a moron driver than while flying. It's a big sky out there. Moreover, you have learned how to deal with emergencies; the most likely of which is the engine quitting. You know you won't run out of fuel because you will have looked inside the tanks during the preflight. You fly a 152, so the fuel is either on or off. You know to open carb heat if you add power and get no response. So, you are well versed on emergencies. One other thing to mention is you are tied to your instructor for your cross-country flying; he/she won't sign you off unless he/she is satisfied that you can complete the flight safely.

Try those stratagems with your parents. Good luck with your solos.

 

[bobbysamd]

Hey, Timebuilder . . .

My mother wasn't particularly thrilled about my radio career, either.

 

[AV1ATRX]

My parents HATE that I fly, and they especially hate it that my husband and I fly together. They never tried to stop me from flying, but they don't encourage it, either. My mom tries not to tell people what we do for a living, but it eventually comes out. And one more particularly sucky thing - my dad went flying with my husband once, but won't even cosider flying with me. Both of my parents are very afraid that more than one family member will die in a plane crash. Neither one of them has ever had any problem with all of us flying on the same commercial flight, though, even all the way across the pond!

Yeah, I celebrated my first solo without my family, but the old guys sitting around hangar flying all helped cut my shirttail and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life!

I hope your parents eventually get over their fear, but I doubt that mine will. I've been flying for 5 years. We talk about flying in general, but don't talk much about the actual flying that we do.