Strangest Positive Experience Ever
Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2016 9:29 pm
The title pretty much begs an explanation. So it gets one, and PE gets a testimonial.
I went on the network for the first time ever, last night, after months of putting it off. Planned a VFR+Flight-Following trip from KSBA-KSBP. Found my navaids, entered my freqs. I listened to ATIS then got ready to call clearance.
And got hit with a mic fright tsunami. I don't say this to discourage anyone. As you'll see, it's just the opposite. But, for the moment, think Ralph Kramden, going "Homina-homina-homina-homina." Think Chuck Knaubloch forgetting how to make the throw to first. That kind of thing. And it came out of the blue.
See, I make Youtube videos, and blab on endlessly into a mic. I work behind the scenes in TV news. For the last 25 years I've sat in a dark, tension-filed room, wearing a headset, and either given or taken instructions, with several million viewers watching, seconds to act and, most important, even less time to communicate. There has not been a moment in my career when I and my colleagues haven't had 26 plates in the air spinning simultaneously--and each broken piece can cost millions. Or someone's reputation.
I have a dent on my frickin' left ear from a headset. And been screamed at by tyrannical executives. No one doing what I do has NOT been reamed for a mistake at least a dozen times in his/her career. everyone I know has been fired. Brutally.
None of that was going to happen here. None.
And yet. And yet. I got The Fear.
And I could not be happier I kept going. I made it out to the runway. Got clearance and, little by little it dawned on me. I was doing just what I love doing. And the controllers were, to the best of their ability, doing everything to make that possible. They obviously have a training mission, but they also just enable us to step out of, say, a rainy New York day and spend some time in California Pinot Country.
So I landed, taxi'ed to the parking, was about to shut down, when something moved me to go out again. So I called ground, didn't botch my info this time, requested pattern work and did about a half-dozen turns--which got me talking a lot to the tower and helped immeasurably. By the end I was requesting military overhead break patterns and departing to sight-see and checking back in. The two controllers who worked me made it easy.
And maybe that's the key. When I go flying with a friend I sometimes work the comms. And I'm never nervous there--I now think it's because I know I'm out doing what I love, and ATC is helping me do it.
Well, same here. It just took a few jitters to realize it.
Chris Stewart came home today from a rough day at the office and turned to PE to unwind. I'm not quite at that level of Zen yet, but I'm looking forward to getting there.
I'd encourage anyone to jump in and do the same. I can't thank everyone at PE enough. This. Will. Be. Fun!
Best,
Marshall Arbitman
I went on the network for the first time ever, last night, after months of putting it off. Planned a VFR+Flight-Following trip from KSBA-KSBP. Found my navaids, entered my freqs. I listened to ATIS then got ready to call clearance.
And got hit with a mic fright tsunami. I don't say this to discourage anyone. As you'll see, it's just the opposite. But, for the moment, think Ralph Kramden, going "Homina-homina-homina-homina." Think Chuck Knaubloch forgetting how to make the throw to first. That kind of thing. And it came out of the blue.
See, I make Youtube videos, and blab on endlessly into a mic. I work behind the scenes in TV news. For the last 25 years I've sat in a dark, tension-filed room, wearing a headset, and either given or taken instructions, with several million viewers watching, seconds to act and, most important, even less time to communicate. There has not been a moment in my career when I and my colleagues haven't had 26 plates in the air spinning simultaneously--and each broken piece can cost millions. Or someone's reputation.
I have a dent on my frickin' left ear from a headset. And been screamed at by tyrannical executives. No one doing what I do has NOT been reamed for a mistake at least a dozen times in his/her career. everyone I know has been fired. Brutally.
None of that was going to happen here. None.
And yet. And yet. I got The Fear.
And I could not be happier I kept going. I made it out to the runway. Got clearance and, little by little it dawned on me. I was doing just what I love doing. And the controllers were, to the best of their ability, doing everything to make that possible. They obviously have a training mission, but they also just enable us to step out of, say, a rainy New York day and spend some time in California Pinot Country.
So I landed, taxi'ed to the parking, was about to shut down, when something moved me to go out again. So I called ground, didn't botch my info this time, requested pattern work and did about a half-dozen turns--which got me talking a lot to the tower and helped immeasurably. By the end I was requesting military overhead break patterns and departing to sight-see and checking back in. The two controllers who worked me made it easy.
And maybe that's the key. When I go flying with a friend I sometimes work the comms. And I'm never nervous there--I now think it's because I know I'm out doing what I love, and ATC is helping me do it.
Well, same here. It just took a few jitters to realize it.
Chris Stewart came home today from a rough day at the office and turned to PE to unwind. I'm not quite at that level of Zen yet, but I'm looking forward to getting there.
I'd encourage anyone to jump in and do the same. I can't thank everyone at PE enough. This. Will. Be. Fun!
Best,
Marshall Arbitman
