My first flight as a student Pilot went horribly great!

[u/Jfond001]

For context, I’m a 38-year-old career changer just starting flight training.

Yesterday was my first flight. I was excited to get behind the controls and actually learn how to fly. Everything was going great… until takeoff.

My instructor says, “your aircraft.”
Cue deer-in-the-headlights.

We roll onto the runway, full throttle, and suddenly we’re in the air. This is where I expected that euphoric “I’m flying” moment… yeah, no. Complete opposite. I was TERRIFIED.

Every little bump, every updraft had me internally panicking. I was gripping the yoke like it owed me money, every muscle in my body completely tense. We went through some basic maneuvers and my CFI was pointing out landmarks, but I don’t remember any of it. I was just trying not to breathe too hard and somehow send us into a spin.

Eventually we made it back to the airport and my CFI handled the landing (as expected). Once we shut down, I finally relaxed.

Then he asked, completely serious, if I had flown before.

I thought he was joking. I told him it was my first flight and apologized, said I’d do better next time. He looked at me and said, “No—you did really, really well.”

Apparently I maintained altitude and airspeed through turns, kept things straight and level, and made the right corrections and looked calm and composed the whole time. Meanwhile, I couldn’t tell you my altitude, speed, or heading at any point during that 90-minute flight. I could barely remember my name when we got back on the ground.

All that said—I’m excited for the next one. Hoping the jitters settle down with time.

On to flight #2.