First 'mid-air' issue

[Anon]

Thankfully this is anon, as it's nothing spectacular.

I'll keep a long story short. On my last flight during a normal carb heat application the little lever gave way and refused to come back to the cold position. Believing that hot air was unavailable (later proven correct) I informed the LARS provider of the problem, who initially struggled to hear me. After several attempts I was understood and was returning to my home base (nearest at the time). I had few options if things gave up but flew over a gliding site on route out of the mountains and kept an eye out for a suitable field. I was well looked after and eventually was handed back to my home base who had cleared me in for a priority approach with the airport fire service standing by. I contacted an instructor on frequency as I am fairly low hours to check my thinking was correct ("fast" circuit as I didn't want to bring the revs down until late finals). After landing I was relieved but weeks later and despite this, in my eyes, being minor I find myself that little bit more aprehensive about getting back up there.

Has anyone else found that these minor incidents can affect their confidence?

[Irv Lee]

I think you're better off having had something that you know you dealt with and everything turned out fine. Another notch in your flying bedpost. The key with these faster circuits as you call them is to be totally aware that you must get that speed back to normal and under control by half way down final approach, there's no point in bringing the aircraft back for a carbheat cable fix and taking the undercarriage off.