Confidence is invisible on the flight instruments, but its presence - or absence - can shape every decision a pilot makes. It’s more than just a feeling; it’s a belief in one’s ability to manage challenges, especially in the high-stakes, high-precision environment of aviation.
As a psychologist working with pilots, I’ve seen firsthand how confidence develops over time, how it can be shaken by a single event or slow erosion, and how - with the right mindset and strategies - it can be rebuilt. This isn’t just about mindset; it’s about human factors, cognitive load, identity, and resilience.
While most people associate confidence struggles with student pilots, experienced captains aren't immune. Whether you're logging your first solo or managing a technical emergency, a sudden dip in confidence can be destabilizing.
Confidence issues often emerge from a mix of psychological and operational factors. The triggers may seem small or manageable on their own—but over time, they accumulate.
- Stressful flights: Especially one with challenging weather, an unstable approach, or an unexpected go-around can leave lasting imprints. Research shows that emotionally-charged flight events are more vividly remembered, making them more likely to influence future expectations.
- Complacency: It’s counterintuitive, but becoming too comfortable can lead to “automation complacency,” where lapses or skipped checks sneak in. A minor slip, if it catches you off guard, can rattle your self-trust.
- Overthinking mistakes: While a healthy level of self-doubt can enhance vigilance and safety, excessive rumination—especially with imposter syndrome—leads to burnout. The brain gets stuck in “error-monitoring mode,” undermining performance rather than protecting it.
- Fear of judgment: Pilots often feel pressure to maintain a composed, capable image. Admitting insecurity - to peers, instructors - can feel risky. But the truth is, psychological safety (the sense that you can admit difficulty without negative consequence) is a key predictor of effective crew communication and learning.
- Organizational culture: A blame-heavy or unsupportive atmosphere can discourage open conversations about performance and mental health, which means small problems grow quietly in the background.
New pilots are in the steepest part of the learning curve. Their confidence is still externally scaffolded - by instructors, sim results, and comparisons. Because identity as a pilot is just forming, every mistake can feel like a verdict on their future.
Psych tip: Novices often rely on outcome-based confidence (“I passed the check”), but real growth comes from process-based confidence (“I handled that step better than last time”).
Advice for beginners:
- Keep a training journal - track small wins and new learning.
- Understand the normal “confidence dip” after early successes. It means your awareness is growing.
- Reframe mistakes as data - not as signs of failure.
Veterans have years of success to lean on, but ironically, that history can become a trap. A rare mistake or unfamiliar situation can feel disproportionately jarring, especially if one’s identity is tightly wound around competence.
Advice for experienced pilots:
- Normalize the psychological fallout of challenging events. Emotional processing ≠ weakness.
- Resist the urge to “brush it off.” Seek structured reflection or peer debriefs to properly integrate the experience.
- Watch for creeping avoidance behaviors - avoiding certain routes or maneuvers can signal unresolved confidence loss.
When confidence is shaken, it rarely stays at just a cognitive level. Emotional and physiological symptoms creep in:
- Panic, irritability, or emotional withdrawal
- Over-preparation masking deeper fear
- Fear of criticism or hyper-awareness of errors
- A loss of humor or joy in flying
Knowledge gaps - such as uncertainty about systems or maneuvers - compound anxiety. Even anticipating a flight after a poor previous performance can spark dread, reducing focus and increasing the risk of another shaky performance. This is how the negative loop starts.
- Identify your triggers: Is it strong crosswinds? Is it being observed? Track what throws you off center. You can only change what you know about.
- Set achievable goals: Instead of “be flawless,” aim for “follow procedures carefully” or “debrief one insight after each flight.”
- Reinforce competence: Review old flights where you handled things well. Your brain needs reminders.
- Use self-talk deliberately: Replace harsh internal dialogue with realistic, constructive affirmations. A small tip: talk to yourself as if you were another person. Instead of saying “I am …”, use “you are …”. Research shows that this is a more effective way to motivate yourself.
- Practice discomfort: Sim sessions and deliberate exposure to stressful situations (in safe conditions) build mental muscle.
- Instructors who tailor their feedback build stronger learners. Confidence grows when feedback is specific, constructive, and supportive.
- Trust-based environments encourage pilots to take ownership without fear of humiliation.
- Feedback loops (like reviewing own video recordings or flight data) allow for self-directed growth.
- Cultivate a “Just Culture”: Where feedback is honest but non-punitive, and errors are learning opportunities.
- Reduce stigma: It’s not always easy to talk about mental health in aviation, but normalizing it in peer conversations is a powerful first step.
- Encourage peer mentoring: Sometimes a quiet conversation with a respected colleague can do more than a formal checkride.
- Encourage structured debriefs - not just technical, but human-focused: “How did you feel that went? What helped you stay calm?”
We all know the phrase “get back on the horse”—but let’s be honest, it’s not great advice on its own. Not unless you first understand why something went wrong, how to learn from it, and from that how to rebuild your confidence.
That’s what this whole article is about. What I want to add is that as an experienced pilot, I can say with certainty: we all have confidence-knocking moments. The trick is turning them into growth. When we do, they often become defining points in our careers—times when we quietly earn our own little “superhero” patch.
But hearing that probably isn’t enough. You want specifics. You want to know others mess up too. I know that is what generally makes me feel better. So here goes.
During my initial flight training in South Africa, I went for my first crosswind landing practice. I missed the strip entirely and had to go-around. When I got back to the apron, the undercarriage was sprouting a proud new, tufty green, beard! My confidence took a hit. I didn’t talk about it. I just avoided crosswind landings when I could.
That quiet anxiety followed me for years. It didn’t matter much on my first type—a forgiving, high-wing and smaller aircraft. But on the A380, where you only have five degrees of bank to work with and precision matters? I had to face it.
So I overcame it. But it taught me something: a lack of confidence is often just a lack of understanding, reflection, and support. Don’t let it build - ask for help, training, look at what went wrong and turn it into a growth moment instead.
And most of all, remind yourself of everything you have already mastered. You’re capable and competent. And this is just one more thing you can conquer.
Confidence isn’t fixed. It ebbs and flows, shaped by sleep, workload, feedback, and how we talk to ourselves. The goal isn’t to always feel confident - it’s to know how to navigate through the low points.
If you're feeling wobbly, remember:
- You’re not broken. This is part of being a reflective, responsible pilot.
- Don’t wait to feel better—act your way back into confidence.
- Seek support before you need it. Confidence grows in connection, not isolation.
The work is worth doing. Your passengers, your crew, and your future self will thank you.
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