Anybody out there a pilot?

[TargaDave]

One more expired VFR private pilot. Tomohawks, 152's, 172's. 25 hours solo time in a standard 3-axis ultralight (owned an Ultralight Flight Phantom for a few brief months many moons ago). About 10 hrs dual time in gliders and 4 hours jumping off a 200 ft hill in hang gliders.

Most memorable experience; dead stick landings in my high drag (think wires all over the place) ultralight. No smooth 8:1 glide ratio here. You just keep stickin that nose down into what feels like a serious dive just to keep airspeed around 40 (with your butt in a sling seat). Flare too early and you bleed speed and mush-stall before you know what hit you. Never happened to me but it is the reason many licensed pilots got hurt dealing with engine failures in high drag ultralights. Very different beast. I decided to quit playing the odds when I spotted numerous stress cracks in the main aluminum spar.

 

[Lazarus]

Got my Private many years ago and didn't fly any more until a few years ago. I am current now and have been flying a Decathlon lately. Going up int a Pitts Sunday. Lots of fun. Also have a kit on order.

 

[samclem]

Also have a kit on order.

What are you planning to build?

 

[Lazarus]

Ridge Runner II

Ridge Runner Ultralight - Rocky Mountain Wings, L.L.C.

 

[Milton]

Only flew once when I was footing the bill and not getting paid. It wasn't nearly as much fun.

I disagree. IMHO, flying professionally would take [-]all[/-] most of the fun out of it. While the view is nice, work is work: flying where, when and how someone else dictates is less than optimal enjoyment. I prefer to pay my own way, and enjoy the freedom that goes with it.

I soloed in a glider, then gave up gliding. I earned a private pilot's license, then gave up flying. I enjoyed the learning more than the doing.

Going solo, or acquiring a license, is only scratching the surface of learning to fly.

Aerobatic competition, cross-country soaring, wave soaring, float flying, ski flying, instrument flying, 'warbirds', etc. ... the challenges and opportunities of aviation are virtually endless.

 

[REWahoo]

I disagree. IMHO, flying professionally would take [-]all[/-] most of the fun out of it. While the view is nice, work is work: flying where, when and how someone else dictates is less than optimal enjoyment. I prefer to pay my own way, and enjoy the freedom that goes with it.

Have you done both?

 

[Calgary_Girl]

That's great that you fly. I've always been scared of heights so I'm jealous.

 

[scrinch]

Yet another "retired" VFR private pilot here. I got my license in the early-mid '80's when I was single and newly employed. Then I got a wife, house, kids, more responsibility at work (can I use those words here?) and flying dropped down too low on the priority list to maintain currency. I also read the fine print on my life insurance policy. It wouldn't pay out if I died as pilot in command of a private plane. So I moved on to cheaper and less time-consuming hobbies.

 

[Milton]

Have you done both?

The great majority of my flying has been recreational, but I have also hopped sightseeing flights, towed gliders, and done a little flight instructing.

 

[REWahoo]

Never worked for an airline.

Nor have I, all my professional flying was in the military. That's the basis for my "not as much fun" comment, since nothing I could afford to fly as a private pilot could measure up to what I was paid to fly in the military.

 

[Rustic23]

ReWahoo - I concur!

 

[samclem]

But what about the freedom that comes from being VFR? You've got to admit, there's not much of that flying in the military (at least in the fixed-wing world). Just flying about-- climb when you want, go where you want, see what you want, land where you want. No flight plan, no schedule--and nobody on the ATC freq telling you where to go and how fast to go there.

It's kinda like being ERed.

 

[REWahoo]

It's kinda like being ERed.

True. However, I would compare it to being ER'd and having to drive an old VW bug after driving almost nothing other than sports cars or luxury sedans. For me the big step down in equipment wasn't offset by the freedoms you mention.

And when you throw in the fact I had to pay to rent the bug, well....

 

[Rustic23]

I flew for 20 years. I would say over 80% of my flying was VFR. In a three hour mission in the F-111 the climb out was IFR, about 5 min, then cancel and hit the deck. 2.5 hours of low level at 480K + to the bombing range, and recover IFR to base, another 5 to 10 min. As a Forward Air Controller, almost all VFR, except for those days where we practiced instruments, or actual instruments. In Germany we gave 2nd Lt.s an aircraft and told them to plan their own mission and come back two hours later. In the air to air realm, sure it is somewhat controlled, but here, take these two air craft and see which one of you can shoot down the other. There are not many civilian pilots that get to shoot rockets, strafe, drop bombs or fly formation.

I'm not knocking civilian flying. There are somethings I would like to try, Gliders, Ultra-Light float plane, Helicopter, hot air balloon to name a few. Just not willing to pay for them.

 

[sailor]

I also read the fine print on my life insurance policy. It wouldn't pay out if I died as pilot in command of a private plane. So I moved on to cheaper and less time-consuming hobbies.

When I shopped around term life, I ended up with AIG, because flying rider was significantly cheaper than competition.

sailor (part owner of Pacer PA-20, also flying gliders)

 

[JPatrick]

Dual rated with commercial and instructors ticket.
Have not flown in years and not eager to return.
Maybe it was me, or maybe it was reality, but the BS factor associated with flying seemingly increased by 25 to 50% every year until I finally had my fill.

 

[Milton]

Nor have I, all my professional flying was in the military. That's the basis for my "not as much fun" comment, since nothing I could afford to fly as a private pilot could measure up to what I was paid to fly in the military.

Keep an open mind. A single-hole Pitts is fairly inexpensive, and much more fun than any military aircraft.

 

[REWahoo]

Keep an open mind. A single-hole Pitts is fairly inexpensive, and much more fun than any military aircraft.

Could be. For comparison, what types of military aircraft have you flown?

 

[Milton]

Could be. For comparison, what types of military aircraft have you flown?

Stearman, Tiger Moth, T6. Nothing post-1945!

For comparison, what types of civil aircraft have you flown?

 

[REWahoo]

For comparison, what types of civil aircraft have you flown?

Only the Cessna 172, everything else was military: T29, T37, T38, T39 and KC135.

 

[Rustic23]

T-37, T-6, T-38, O-2, OV-10, F-100, F-105, T-39, F-111

Cessna 172 and 150

 

[Milton]

Only the Cessna 172, everything else was military: T29, T37, T38, T39 and KC135.

Well if you're judging by Cessnas, I don't wonder that you were disappointed. You need to get out more!

I've never flown any of the military airplanes you've listed, but with the exception of the T38, they don't sound particularly fun.

You would have no difficulty pegging your fun meter with a Pitts or various other single-seat aerobatic homebuilts: most of which can be bought and sold for relatively low amounts of money.

 

[ziggy29]

When I shopped around term life, I ended up with AIG, because flying rider was significantly cheaper than competition.

A lot of insurers don't really understand the overall risk in insuring private pilots.

Many of them just ding you for the extra risk of covering you in case of a GA-related accident. What many fail to take into account is that because of the medical requirements for renewing your pilot license, most pilots I know are much more conscious of maintaining good health than the population at large. They love to fly, and if they think they are one medical condition away from being able to fly (or having restrictions placed on them), they are more likely to take precautions to reduce their risk of developing that condition.

 

[REWahoo]

Well if you're judging by Cessnas, I don't wonder that you were disappointed. You need to get out more!

Keep an open mind. If you haven't flown supersonic or passed gas (JP4) at 35,000 feet, you need to get out more!

All kidding and "less filling, tastes great" quibbling aside, I'm fully aware that fun is relative and not everyone finds it in the same places...or planes.

 

[Milton]

Sensible.

If there is one thing that I have seen many times in aviation, it is the unconscious desire of pilots to put each other down: "You're not a real pilot unless you [insert one of the following] fly floats / fly aerobatics / fly instruments / fly helicopters / fly turbines / fly jets / fly > 25 hours a month / hold an ATPL / own your own aircraft / etc." [the list is almost endless].

There is room enough in the skies for all tastes.