11 / 20

Learning to fly naturally induces stress in a student pilot because he is lacking experience. What are the manifestations of this type of stress?

1. Nervousness and channelised attention.
2. Being rough at the controls.
3. Drink much more alcohol and smoke more than usual.
4. Airsickness, lack of sleep.

  • A
    1, 2 and 3.
  • B
    1, 2 and 4.
  • C
    1 and 2.
  • D
    3 and 4.

(1) "Nervousness and channelised attention" Correct. Any pilot, irrespective of age, may experience mental blocks, confusion, nervousness and channelised attention when under stress.

(2) "Being rough at the controls" Correct. When a student begins flight training, they often struggle to emotionally and physically relax, one of the reasons behind this is the lack of confidence. Some common student pilot errors include holding the controls too firmly. Too tight of a grip on the controls prevents the pilot from feeling the airplane, shifting winds and the necessary control inputs required to obtain a certain attitude.

(3) "Smoke and Drink much more alcohol than usual" Incorrect. This is a manifestation of excessive stress => typically not the case of a student pilot.

(4) "Airsickness, lack of sleep." Incorrect. In this case, we are asked about naturally induced stress, and not extreme cases. Excessive stress may lead to sickness but usually student pilots get airsick because their body is not used to the aircraft's movements during flight, which is more a physiological problem rather than a psychological one. Lack of sleep can be correct. For example, if the student is nervous because of a demanding flight/exam flight the following day, she/he may not sleep well the night before.

Your Notes (not visible to others)



This question has appeared on the real examination, you can find the related countries below.