Pilot talk

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If simulator time counts, I used to work for Melpar while they were building the A7A simulators, and I got quite a few hours in those. (Nothing logged, of course, but it was fun. :-)

A few minutes at the controls of various small planes which a fried was legally flying. :-)

Enjoy, DoN.

Reply to
DoN. Nichols
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One hour short of private pilot Glider when I decided bankruptcy by aviation wasn't worth it.

Reply to
Nobody

When people ask me how much flying costs, I tell them being a crack addict is cheaper.

Reply to
Scott Moore

Me too. Got my A&P along with my BS in Aero, Maint. Mgt. from SJSU in '82.

Single & Multi Commercial Instrument Private - Gliders Ground Instructor A&P

and, even logged some rotor time.

Not current with any of them, though .. (got married, bought a house, had kids, got divorced .... )

Reply to
Malcolm Spann

DALE! YOU LUCKY DAWG!

Reply to
Jim Frogge

PP-SEL Ken

Reply to
Ken Sterling

Much more of this kinda talk and I'll have to start flying again. I just won't buy another airplane. Maybe.

michael

Reply to
michael

Just to throw in my 2 cents... I have a commercial rating (but haven't flown for years since I can't afford it.... Priorities SUCK sometimes....

James, Port Orchard, Washington, USA, Earth

Reply to
RainLover

Pappy used to say "If it flies, f**cks or floats you're better off renting it".

Reply to
Jim

I can't afford it either - have had my license for years, but haven't flown for a few - cost has about tripled since I took my training. Right now it's about $100/hr wet, but ya gotta factor in all the charts, AIM manuals, medicals, etc. I have noticed in the last 3 or 4 years, there's *very few* small planes "practicing" overhead anymore. Used to be the sky was full and everyone was enjoying themselves. It's a shame to just see the planes sitting there on the ramp or in hangars not being used.... sigh....Of course it's something I've always wanted to do - and I did - so now I can die...However, last weekend I *did* see an ultralight going overhead (slowly ), and I haven't seen any of them in the air for a while - maybe the high costs have forced an increase in sales/use of them. Ken.

Reply to
Ken Sterling

Reply to
JR NORTH

Cost can be an issue. BIG one sometimes. I found I was not using the airplane enough to justify the tiedown, insurance, and the 'little' things needing fixed annually that added up to $$$. I have been thinking recently of getting back into flying again.

This reminds me, I've been making parts and engraving panel overlays for a friend with a Glasair, and he owes me a ride. Hmm... Forget which model, cruises around 280 or so. MUST get together with him soon.

michael

Reply to
michael

I took Basic Aviation in school and Dad let me take off and fly a rented Cherokee C from our Oceanside, CA airfield to Santa Catalina Island (Catalina, Gunner) and back, but wouldn't let me land it. Does that count?

(I'm an Air Force brat who had to change his pants after finding out how expensive flying was.)

On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 19:58:54 -0700, JR NORTH calmly ranted:

- Inside every older person is a younger person wondering WTF happened. ---

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Reply to
Larry Jaques

To nobody in particular, but all of you who'd like to be up there and think it's too expensive - there are thousands of homebuilt aircraft partially finished in garages and basements. Most of these projects are languishing because the owners can't commit the time and funds to get them airborne. Yet in this group we have hundreds of folks with the time to opine at length about .... exactly the skills needed to complete those planes. Do I gotta' draw you a map? :-) When I was building, I tried without success to find a partner to share the cost and the work. Of course once the time came for free rides, I had more

*help* than I needed. ;-)

Wayne Glasair RG

Reply to
wmbjk

On Thu, 26 Aug 2004 13:54:55 GMT, wmbjk wroteBIG SNIP

I thought this was rec.crafts.metalworking. Not rec.crafts.plasticplane !!

Brian Lawson, Bothwell, Ontario.

(I was that helper you wanted, but on a Glastar. And I only ever had one short ride after completion due to it took me ten minutes to get in, and almost as long to get out, and hurt like hell. I just can't fold up like a jack-knife to get in anymore, even though the cabin is a good size. My knees only have 40% motion. But the guy I helped is

6' 4" and has loads of room)
Reply to
Brian Lawson

Landing is the hard part. I was taught that the stall warning should be on forever to save the tires. A lot of times my dad would just point on the map follow that signal and then to that and that and tell me when your there , then kick the seat back and read a paper back. Or follow highways at night.

One time the plane broke down and he rented a cream puff and within an hour all the electronics went out and we didn't even have a flash light. And no one at the airport to turn the landing lights on. He set it down at commercial airport close to home without a radio or lights.

The crop duster pilots where just as nice to me. Like disconnect all the instruments and then a half hour later pull the throttle all the way back till I was about to set it down in a strange field with power lines on both ends. He said I lived when he pushed the throttle at about 20'. Right after that I had to talk him out of going under the causeway. I think it was me saying that we should have changed the numbers with duct tape before hand that convinced him not to do it. I was all for it , cept some busy body writing down the number.

Maybe that's why the bridge broke , from the planes buzzing through it... :o)

Reply to
Sunworshipper

HOPEFULLY (and I think it is a really good bet, but that fighting goes on over in rec.aviation.homebuilt), the new Sport Pilot/ Light Sport Aircraft regulations will significantly reduce the costs of getting a license and keeping a plane in the air.

Reply to
Ken Finney

Private ticket '75, Commercial '93, IFR '95, Instructor '98, Canadian AME (Aircraft Maintenance Engineer, roughly equiv to A&P/IA)

2000. Employed full-time in a college aviation program. Own and fly a Jodel D11.

Dan

Reply to
Dan Thomas

Got my private license in '84, stopped flying for a couple years shortly afterwards because of a divorce and sudden lack of funds...then flew infrequently until 1990 or so, when my medical couldn't get renewed. Every once in a while, I still pay for an hour or two lesson, just to be flying again, usually on some bright sunny day when I happen to be driving past a little country airport somewhere. Sigh...

Regards,

Bob

Reply to
Bob Edwards

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