When does it all click?
Posted by Ill-Delay-2007@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 48 comments
I am instrument rated, moving into commercial, climbing the ladder. I am looking at my peers and at all the CFIs who all seem to have the answers, yet I feel like I am just lost.
It’s hardcore imposter syndrome and I was wondering when did everything start to make sense to you? Am I wrong for feeling this way? Are all my hours of studying enough? Do I need to do more?
s2soviet@reddit
The day it clicks is the day I’ll never step onto an aircraft again.
downbadAndsad@reddit
why 😂 i dont get the joke
s2soviet@reddit
It’s not a joke. The day It “clicks”, and I think that I know enough, that’s when you shouldn’t fly anymore.
bythebeardz@reddit
I’m 1100 hours in now as a CFII/CFII, and I still feel like an imposter some days but I’d say that’s a good thing. Keep putting yourself in rooms with smart people, just try not to compare yourself to them. When it stuff starts to click for you one day, you’ll look back and the hard work will be worth it. Until then just keep your head down and study as often as you can. For me, it started to “click” after I had all my ratings and was about 500 hours into instructing.
SnooHesitations1718@reddit
Twin
Yotafanboi77@reddit
Depends on the person, but study to like you life depends on it b/c it does. Then study some more, use ms flight simulator spend time understanding the devil is in the details. The more time you invest the quicker and larger are the returns on your efforts.
dcl415@reddit
For me the first click came in the float rating, and the second click, the most important, the I got this was around 6 months in to my first airline job. Just to notice I never instructed and I started flying dash 8s at 400 hours total time
ysfi__@reddit
for me, it will never click, aviation is an industry where you need to keep learning, you just need to know what you're doing right now, think 2 steps ahead of what you're going to fly, not 5 years ahead, dont overwhelm yourself, focus on the right now and make plans for the later.
it will all click once you retire i feel like!
csquiddy@reddit
I’m a CFI and can promise you that we do not have all the answers. Your peers know even less (except maybe any CFI/CFI-I students… they need to be pretty sharp). The only thing I can really say is that imposter syndrome is real. Just make sure you aren’t burning yourself out and you will see results. You’re learning to fly an airplane! That’s not an easy task so the fact that it’s feeling overwhelming is normal.
Ill-Delay-2007@reddit (OP)
I definitely feel burn out. I’m sure it’s normal, but it’s kinda sad. Sometimes I feel dread that I have a flight scheduled. I use to not be like this and I’d be running at any opportunity to be in the sky, but now I just look at the plane and feel some sort of way against it.
csquiddy@reddit
How many days a week do you fly? If you really need a little break and don’t have your written exam done, purchase a ground school course (Kings, Sporty’s, etc.) and work on that. You will likely not make progress feeling this way so a short break from the air may not hurt. But discuss your feelings with your CFI because they know you better than a stranger on the internet. I promise it’s worth it in the end. I wanted to quit so many times and even paused training for over a year. Your feelings aren’t original (in a good way! lol) so be honest with the people who can help you. I’ve had students who were “one step forward, five steps backwards”. I thought I tried everything with them. They’d take a week or two off for vacation or something and come back like a completely different pilot. Stay motivated and determined. You got this!
Ill-Delay-2007@reddit (OP)
I usually fly 3-5 times a week. I’m in ground class 5 days a week. The school I’m enrolled with have strenuous attendance policies. It’s one of American Airlines partner schools and American wants us finished from PVT to CFII in 17 months.
csquiddy@reddit
Oh I did AACA too in SD. I graduated last spring. I’m assuming you’re at SC OK by the timeline. Reach out to your mentor (contact the AA team if you don’t have one yet) and make friends. Those are your people for the next year and you’ll be in touch with them forever. Study hard but remember have fun too. It’s a lot of hard work but it’s an amazing opportunity so take advantage of it and all the resources they offer. DM me if you have any questions!
hmitchb@reddit
I have my CFI checkride Monday and I feel like I’m ready but the same time I question if I am even worthy of where I am.
gray191411@reddit
It "clicks" at each phase of your training life, but then you reach a new level and you suddenly might feel lost. That's normal and part of learning any new skill, taking it to more advanced levels, etc. By the time you become a CFI or get more than 50 hours in a type, things begin to become more natural.
Federal_Departure387@reddit
u dont realize how.much u know until u meet others who dont know
Federal_Departure387@reddit
i have 500 hrs abd ifr and commercial. seems pretty clicked in right now. took 200 hrs to start feeling comfortable.
doyouevenfly@reddit
About a year and half of constant flying. Been about the same for all my type ratings. Didn’t do a lot of ifr flying so it didn’t click really till I was constantly doing it in the sim and at the regionals.
Still learn new things even now. Some new. Some forgotten.
Ill-Delay-2007@reddit (OP)
I‘m sitting around 80 PIC and only 11 solo. Like 140 total or so. I’ll have to tally up my logbook total soon.
saml01@reddit
How much solo pic time do you have?
AssetZulu@reddit
July 17 2025. Not much longer to go lad
whiteclaw211@reddit
I’ve learned that a lot of people act like they know everything. If you listen to them often, you find that they are wrong sometimes, but would never admit they’re wrong!
DatSexyDude@reddit
I’ve been flying jets for four years at 3 airlines and it still hasn’t clicked. Will update soon.
PlaneShenaniganz@reddit
We’re all just a bunch of hairless fuck monkeys barely who evolved to live outside of caves. Flying is a complex skill. Give yourself some time and patience. The imposter syndrome never totally goes away btw.
NuttPunch@reddit
It clicks once you start having to learn the next thing. You realize you are so busy learning the next thing that the previous thing was easy by comparison. You now no longer have the time to even worry about it “clicking” you just do it.
aftcg@reddit
I've been flying my whole life, middle of my 121 career, rip around in my Baron because I can. I took a new CFI for a rip around the patch a few months ago. He told me a few things clicked that flight for him - even though he spent half the flight in the tail cone. Then he started asking questions about stuff I've long forgotten. He's now my co pilot when I go under the hood or want the extra eyes in the clouds. Things are re-clicking for me! It's a great cycle.
Mispelled-This@reddit
Don’t compare your insides to everyone else’s outsides. We’re all imposters.
phliar@reddit
That's excellent! I'm going to steal that line.
manlilipad@reddit
Same
aftcg@reddit
Same
burnheartmusic@reddit
We all get that feeling g, but you should be pretty good with your knowledge base by now
random_alt-acc@reddit
I definitely struggled/struggle with that on a regular basis. Honestly it just clicks at some undefinable point. Just keep doing the right things (study, practice, work with others, etc.) and trust the process! It’ll also come and go as you continue to add certs and different experiences.
phliar@reddit
They might have all the answers, but are they the correct answers?
(Everyone needs to study more, and do more. Relax, fly more.)
manlilipad@reddit
This!!
I’m ALWAYS learning new things, even when I think I know it for certain. OP imposter syndrome isn’t absurd and your hours of studying aren’t for nothing. In my personal experience, stay away from the people who claim they know everything and think they are all that. Humility in this job goes a long way. As a check airman recently told me “you’re always learning, even when you don’t want to” lol.
assinyourpants@reddit
A wise man knows what he doesn’t know. Poignant .
SciencesAndFarts@reddit
The pilots who scare me are the ones who think they have nothing left to learn, whether that's the 600 hour CFI or the guy in the left seat with 15000 TT. Swagger isn't the same as competence. Focus on being the most competent pilot you can be and let those other guys be.
I have 1200 TT, 500 turbine, and literally just today I went "Wait, why did it do that?" And my captain, who has a LOT more time both in total and in our jet went "... I'm not sure." It clicks in stages, and then it un-clicks, and then it clicks even better. Never stop learning, never stop being curious, and that will lead you down the best path.
N0t_N4dr0j@reddit
I can assure you they don’t have all the answers. I’m a 1000hour CFI with a 100% pass rate and I’m STLL finding out things I don’t know or knew incorrectly. Aviation is about always learning.
Lazypilot306@reddit
The more you are up there on your own and you have to make the calls the more it makes sense.
oh_helloghost@reddit
I had a definite boost in confidence once I got into instructing. But holy hell, every time I walk down the bridge now and open the door to the jet I feel that imposter syndrome kicking in.
Maybe today is the day the guy from TC with the high vis jacket is gonna tell me I’m a dumbass and that I need to give my license back… idk man, hasn’t happened yet.
Use your imposter syndrome and turn it into effort. You can never know everything, but you can always strive to improve.
Pilotryand@reddit
Totally normal to feel that way — it does click, just at different times for everyone. I’ve trained thousands of pilots, written two books on checkride prep, and even I’ve seen people with 1,500+ hours still feel lost. If you ever want structured help or guidance as you move into commercial, I’d be happy to support you.
ilikeplanesandF1@reddit
When does it ALL click? Never. We're pilots, we're constantly learning every single day. Always looking to the next rating, endorsement, or challenge, and the information & skills that come with it. Keep studying, keep learning, keep flying, and remember to have fun along the way.
Kemerd@reddit
What are you looking to click? If you want to be full circle, get your A&P
Go_Loud762@reddit
I got my PPL in January 1988. Been flying professionally since 2004.
I'll let you know when it all clicks for me.
usmcmech@reddit
I’ve been doing this for 30 years and I still keep trying new things and learning. So for me I’m always feeling like a beginner.
350smooth@reddit
It clicked for me during CFI training. Reading the books myself and making lesson plans cooked in the knowledge.
noghri87@reddit
Every new rating or certificate I felt like something new clicked. When I moved to the right seat for CFI, my instructor used the Socratic method to make me critique myself and then teach my way through my mistakes. That really helped, but I flew today with another (brand new instructor) and they pointed out a couple things to me.
You’ll always be learning something new. Just don’t ever believe you know it all, learn something everyday, and you’ll be just fine. You got this!
WolfBane1225@reddit
It all comes with time, fly more, study more. It’s common to think you’re not qualified for the position you’re in (I’m instructing right now and I’m the same way) but if you look back at how you were even a few months ago you’ll notice the improvement.
Have faith in yourself and keep your nose to the grindstone and you’ll end up where you want to be.
rFlyingTower@reddit
This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:
I am instrument rated, moving into commercial, climbing the ladder. I am looking at my peers and at all the CFIs who all seem to have the answers, yet I feel like I am just lost.
It’s hardcore imposter syndrome and I was wondering when did everything start to make sense to you? Am I wrong for feeling this way? Are all my hours of studying enough? Do I need to do more?
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