Re: Any private pilots here?

Posted by Chris Jones on August 11, 2014 at 07:35:43 from (71.71.58.79):

In Reply to: Any private pilots here? posted by picassomcp on August 10, 2014 at 18:23:51:

I got my private pilots license in the late '80s. Flew less than 10 hours afterwards and haven't been up since the early '90s. I found it expensive and actually were was I going to go? And when I got there, there was an airport. I'd need to rent a car or something--surely I didn't go to see a pilots lounge of another airport. Is it fun, yes and no. Driving is fun and not so fun too. And at 25 cents a mile in my pickup kinda expensive too.

I guess what I'm saying is I have had many times in the last few years I've yearned to start up a Cessna, feel that wobbly feeling of it taxing steering with my feet, throttle up and the climb out is a wonderful feeling. Flying a bit and seeing the scenery is nice for a bit. Landing is fun too as a kinda skilled art.

But while up you can't swoop across the tree tops or dash across urban places, you have to see the land from normally 1,000 or 2,000 AGL (technically I believe you can get buy with 500 from people and property but try proving that when someone calls in your tail numbers). At 2,000 AGL the scenery looks pretty much the same for hours around here at 100 knots.

So, I guess what I'm saying is if your like me you might love learning to fly. Flying with an instructor you like, learning the maneuvers etc. When you get your license it's fun to take a few people up. But then fun diminished and the expense set in. I had to maintain currency requirements, certain number of night landings, biannual flight reviews, medicals, etc. But where was I to go? In planning a trip unless the point was to fly--I found it easier and quicker and more comfortable (plane is noisy, tight and an oven on the ground in the summer) from house to destination to drive not to mention a hell of a lot cheaper! Things get worse if you don't have a small airport near you where you can rent the plane. Your paying per hr while you taxi and wait your turn to takeoff and then deal with departure etc at big airports. They'll rout you all over creation when you want to land so the big boys aren't inconvenienced.

Side note: One of my special moments was taxing to the end of the runway for takeoff at a big airport and hearing ground control tell a big airliner to exit at taxiway Bravo and hold on the Cessna approaching from the left. Those taxiways are so big my instructor told me once to slow down once--your almost flying--it felt like I was crawling.

I never got instrument rated as it took a lot more hours and they aren't fun hours as you spend them wearing a hood that only allows you to see the instrument panel. Without the instrument rating, using a plane to travel means your dependent on good weather further complicating your itinerary.

Twin engine rating require time in aircraft that back then were $2 a minute engine running time. Complex aircraft, those with adjustable pitch props and retractable gear likewise meant more time in high dollar aircraft.

I did really want to fly a helicopter and actually took a 30 minute lesson including some practice hovering but talk about expensive and potentially useless (except fun)...

Anyway, I always figured I'd fly again but as costs have soared far faster than I expected I now wonder if I ever will. My final hope is perhaps in the future I'll get a 2 person ultralight and maybe get away trailering it somewhere scenic and buzzing the tree tops a bit like the video I linked to.

• Treetop flyer

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