At 50, should I become a new pilot?

[Henning]

Very good explaination sir......

As a former racer of MX, hydros, karts, cars and dirt track stuff I can vouch for the need to 'push the envelope' . In my case I get to do both, that is maintain a small level of comfort and safety and explore the "other side'. That involves flying my homebuilt experimental with a NASCAR V-8 stuffed up front.... Yee haa..... You only live once and I am trying to get my moneys worth.

Ben.
www.haaspowerair.com

So when you gonna buy a tank of nitro to burn in it?

 

[ActiveAir]

I don't know, if you think you're old at 50, then maybe you are.

I'm about to turn 50 and I; snowboard, snowski, wakeboard, wake surf, windsurf, scuba, play basketball w/college kids, ride a Yamaha WR450 dirt bike, got my PPC two and 1/2 years ago, have my own HP/complex plane and am looking at picking up an aerobatic plane. I'm about to do a Skip Barber racing school at Laguna Seca. Sold my Laveycraft NuEra 24 (high performance custom boat) for a Malibu wakeboat, because the family (including me) loves the water sports. I jump the wake!

Am I doing something wrong? Sheesh. 50 doesn't mean anything other than maybe more Advil. 50 means, I've got the time and money to play, and the understanding that I'm not immortal. Never been able to do so much and have so much fun and even include the more expensive hobbies.

I might slow down when I'm 80. Maybe. I say you should definitely go fly, unless you just feel so uncertain of your abilities at 50. Have fun - I know you will.

Pic. below was 5 months ago.

 

[PittsDriver]

That involves flying my homebuilt experimental with a NASCAR V-8 stuffed up front.... Yee haa..... You only live once and I am trying to get my moneys worth.

Since I'm only living once, I'd like for it to be an extended stay. The track record of people ending up in the hurt locker in auto V-8 equipped aircraft (like the Steward 51 Mustang) is enough to make me stick with something tame like aerobatic competition in an AEIO-540 equipped bird. Maybe it's just that there are builders that do it without the engineering knowledge to pull it off but I'm told it often doesn't end well. And, truth be told, it sounds funny too when you do a low pass and what I hear is the sound of a cigarette boat blowing by me.

 

[silver-eagle]

Nah, you're an old man at 50. Might as well just give up, trade in the scooter for a Crown Vic which you will only drive on occasion to go to the barbershop. You can spend the rest of your time watching crap on TV, take Viagra to get the occasional nookie, foreswear alcohol, tobacco, salt and trans fats and chase kids off your lawn.



The above is written entirely in jest, just to let those know who are somewhat refractory to my own particular brand of quirky humor.

Crap. Shoot me now!
.
If I knew it was going to be so much fun, I'd have skipped the marriage and gone right to flying (see, at the time I couldn't have afforded both). I started at 36 and have been flying for 20 years.
If you're concerned about whether you'll really like it, take a cheap intro flight (I recommend doing so in different aircraft). Decide if you like it, which plane you like, then DO IT! Twice to three or four times a week for a couple of months and you'll soon have the certificate.
you're guaranteed a few hours every month just to stay current to rent. $100 hamburgers are FUN!!!!

 

[N801BH]

Since I'm only living once, I'd like for it to be an extended stay. The track record of people ending up in the hurt locker in auto V-8 equipped aircraft (like the Steward 51 Mustang) is enough to make me stick with something tame like aerobatic competition in an AEIO-540 equipped bird. Maybe it's just that there are builders that do it without the engineering knowledge to pull it off but I'm told it often doesn't end well. And, truth be told, it sounds funny too when you do a low pass and what I hear is the sound of a cigarette boat blowing by me.

Statistically you might be incorrect.. I can name a dozen or more aerobatic pilots who are dead from flying and off hand I cannot name even one person who died while flying a auto engine conversion....
On second thought maybe Mr Wittman went down,, but is was not a auto engine failure..


Ben.

 

[steingar]

Statistically you might be incorrect.. I can name a dozen or more aerobatic pilots who are dead from flying and off hand I cannot name even one person who died while flying a auto engine conversion....
On second thought maybe Mr Wittman went down,, but is was not a auto engine failure..


Ben.

In his excellent analysis, Ron Wattanja noticed an uptick in build and maintenance induced crashes in experimental aircraft powered by auto conversions. Makes sense, that's a lot of equipment (cooling, prop reduction) to stuff under a cowling, and lots of stuff to break.

 

[N801BH]

In his excellent analysis, Ron Wattanja noticed an uptick in build and maintenance induced crashes in experimental aircraft powered by auto conversions. Makes sense, that's a lot of equipment (cooling, prop reduction) to stuff under a cowling, and lots of stuff to break.

I agree, Ron wrote an excellent article using correct and accurate data. Flying aerobatics exposes a pilot to greater chances of peril then flying a auto engine conversion though, that is the point I am making to refute the other posters comment. IMHO.

Ben.

 

[Michael1222]

Paul,

I'm glad you asked this question. I was about to ask the same question. I am 55 now, at 16, I took the ground training but I didn't have the money to continue for the flight lessons. I have lived, regretting that decision, all of these years. Thanks to everyone here for the positive responses.