So I passed by PPL Theory some months back (after 3 months of study!), but because I work full-time (have to pay for this here hobby somehow!) and live in Melbourne (where the weather is cr** most every day I have spare) I have yet to do my long NAV. FWIW, my short NAV to YLTV was some time in the dim, distant past, long, long ago... ie. the end of last year.

Just wondering if anyone has any ideas or advice about how to best prep for a long solo NAV that may or may not happen without getting overly wound up about it.

1. Perhaps I should stop reading the ATSB Incident Reports (aka Horror Stories) relating to student pilots on Long Solo NAVs? eg.
www.atsb.gov.au/publications/occurrence-...viation/ab-2019-010/
www.atsb.gov.au/publications/occurrence-...viation/ab-2018-067/
www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigati...15/aair/ao-2015-105/

2. My bookings are for an 8:00am start (to miss the traffic.. both landside and airside!), but the GAFs and GPWT charts aren't valid the night before. Maybe I should be getting up an hour earlier to complete my planning?

3. Recognising that adequate sleep the night before is really important, maybe I shouldn't be getting up an hour earlier to complete my planning?

4. I do find it hard to brain-swap between an office job and the cockpit. Maybe I'm not flying enough? (I still have to work)

How does everyone else manage a day job and flying? My instructor (and the school) keep telling me I'll be fine and not to stress about it, but as a low (~80) hours student, I feel like I need about 1,000 hours before I'll actually be any good at this.

Thanks,
Cameron

Just go for it you will be fine if your instructor believes in you then stop worrying the first step is the big one in self belief

you'll be fine and might surprise yourself

it feels so good when you complete your first nav

Cheers

I'm in a similar situation. I've found it useful to do practice drills of everything except the flight - i.e. go to bed on time, get up early, download GPWT, calculate wind correction, fuel, weight & balance, look up airfields, prepare flightboard etc etc. That helps to streamline these procedures and reduce stress, and also to keep it fresher in memory when not actually flying. And even when the weather is total rubbish you'll be happy to have done some pilot practice.

Well said Stu

Thanks! I'll give that a try.

FWIW, it's been nearly 5 months (eek!) now in limbo and my long nav still hasn't happened. Not only has Melbourne's winter weather been horrible, but it seems I pushed so hard to complete my PPL that I developed General Anxiety Disorder which resulted in medication and grounding and DAMEs and CASA (word of warning to others: don't do that - it isn't worth it). Fortunately I'm through that now and crossing fingers that my solo check this Thursday goes well and it will finally happen someday soon.

It's finally happened!!!!! Yesterday I completed my PPL long solo nav (YMMB-YWBL-YHML-YMMB) - 4.2hrs in the air after first attempting it 8 months and 22 days ago.

My head-space challenges were HUGE: as the delays and attempts mounted (I lost count after 5) the mountain only got bigger. I got so very, very, very close to giving up entirely, right until the morning of the flight, but finally now I can move on.

Groundhog Day sucks.