Overcoming Stressful Situations

If you have been considering learning to fly a plane, whether a light aircraft or a jumbo jet, you may have been thinking about whether you want to be up in the air all the time. Many people think of learning to fly as something you do when you want to be soaring above cities and landmarks, and that's a valid reason. But there are other reasons to learn how to pilot an aircraft even if you aren't particularly dedicated to traveling and getting a bird's-eye view of places. Knowing how to pilot an aircraft can help your overall skill set and eventually keep you safe.

Backup Skills

One of the most obvious benefits of knowing how to fly is that you can serve as a backup in case something happens to the pilot of a craft that you're traveling on. Even if your training is for light planes only, and you're traveling on a jet, you'll have the basic concepts down and will find it easier to work with the flight tower. Of course, finding yourself on a jet where both the pilot and co-pilot can't fly isn't that common; you're more likely to need the skill in a small plane where there's one pilot and no regular co-pilot. But you see how one skill can expand to cover different situations.

Coordination and Attention

Flying, even with autopilot, is not a task where you can stop paying attention. You have to be checking controls, readouts, visual space, and so on. Learning to fly helps you coordinate your ability to focus with your ability to keep an eye on several things at once, and you quickly learn how to respond to any situation without pausing to wonder what to do now.

Location Skills

As a pilot, you'll have compasses, radios, radar, and GPS to work with to help you keep your bearings. But you'll also learn ways to determine at least partially where you are should your instrumentation fail. You'll also learn how to keep calm under pressure so that you can find your way when you have no other means, rather than panicking and wondering if you'll be lost forever.

If you think you can't afford to learn to fly, check into aviation scholarships. Some are meant for people attending aviation schools, while others are for college students who plan to study aviation as part of their regular degree work. You'll be able to find scholarships that fit your situation, and while you'll still have to apply and see if you can get one, you'll at least have a chance.

Speak with a local aviation school or click here for more information.