Bought A Logbook Today

[livitup]

This might not seem like much of an aviation milestone to most of you, but for me it's a big deal...

Aviation has been in my blood since I was born. My dad was a Pilot Captain in the USAF, and after leaving the military had a 20+ year career with the FAA (on the airport side, not the licensing or aircraft side, so put down your pitchforks! ). While he never pursued his own PP license (he said he flew enough in the military for a lifetime), he still instilled a love of aviation in me.

I've lusted at the skies for decades, but either financial or nervous spouse issues have kept me grounded. So I've been a habitual ground-bound student - I've read PPSEL textbooks, watched video training, lurked in forums, and flown the heck out of FSX, anything cheap to keep me feeling connected to flight, but never took to the skies. But thank God for Groupon, I snagged a cheap discovery flight at a local airport, with her blessing. Expecting the usual response, I said (half joking) "you know if I get a logbook, the hour would count towards my PPSEL..." In response, I got a resigned "Go ahead..."

Hardly believing my ears, I asked her if she realized what she was agreeing to. We have the cash, but her steadfast belief that single-engine planes are just barely airborne death traps had led me to stop asking years ago.

Long story short, she agreed that she was finally comfortable with the idea, and gave me her blessing to go for it and chase the dream. So this morning I ordered a logbook from Amazon, so that when I go for the discovery flight, it will be my first logged instructional hour.

Can you tell I'm a little excited?

I just wanted to post this to get it off my chest, and as a bit of an introduction, since I'll probably start participating here a bit more.

 

[wabower]

Glad to hear you finally got the green light. Welcome aboard.

PS: Any chance you could help find about a million or so more just like you?

This might not seem like much of an aviation milestone to most of you, but for me it's a big deal...

Aviation has been in my blood since I was born. My dad was a Pilot Captain in the USAF, and after leaving the military had a 20+ year career with the FAA (on the airport side, not the licensing or aircraft side, so put down your pitchforks! ). While he never pursued his own PP license (he said he flew enough in the military for a lifetime), he still instilled a love of aviation in me.

I've lusted at the skies for decades, but either financial or nervous spouse issues have kept me grounded. So I've been a habitual ground-bound student - I've read PPSEL textbooks, watched video training, lurked in forums, and flown the heck out of FSX, anything cheap to keep me feeling connected to flight, but never took to the skies. But thank God for Groupon, I snagged a cheap discovery flight at a local airport, with her blessing. Expecting the usual response, I said (half joking) "you know if I get a logbook, the hour would count towards my PPSEL..." In response, I got a resigned "Go ahead..."

Hardly believing my ears, I asked her if she realized what she was agreeing to. We have the cash, but her steadfast belief that single-engine planes are just barely airborne death traps had led me to stop asking years ago.

Long story short, she agreed that she was finally comfortable with the idea, and gave me her blessing to go for it and chase the dream. So this morning I ordered a logbook from Amazon, so that when I go for the discovery flight, it will be my first logged instructional hour.

Can you tell I'm a little excited?

I just wanted to post this to get it off my chest, and as a bit of an introduction, since I'll probably start participating here a bit more.

 

[LDJones]

Let the fun begin! I took a couple on a discovery flight today. He'd done one a year ago and he wanted her to experience it, too. She was absolutely giddy during and after the flight....wants to pursue her license. I think they both will now.

Good luck!

 

[N801BH]

Welcome to the dark side.....

Aviation is an addiction that lasts a lifetime and the Betty Ford clinic cannot cure our itch for flight..

Blueskies, and tailwinds on all your flights.

 

[denverpilot]

Glad to hear you finally got the green light. Welcome aboard.

PS: Any chance you could help find about a million or so more just like you?

Amen. If you can only find 500,000 we'd accept that too.

Welcome aboard.

 

[janikpilot]

Amen. If you can only find 500,000 we'd accept that too.

Welcome aboard.

Many people don't realize it, but there is a vast number of people out there like him. Imagine how many people have thought about getting their PPL, but have been deferred away or even scared away due to the costs or lack of any idea how to start. The stories always start with "I've wanted to be a pilot for a while, but haven't been able to because of _______" just like this one did. It is the job of all pilots to spread their passion by getting people interested and involved, without annoying those that are not interested.

As for the OP, I congratulate you!

 

[livitup]

First, thanks to all for the congratulations and good wishes! I'm still peeling myself off the ceiling.

Many people don't realize it, but there is a vast number of people out there like him. Imagine how many people have thought about getting their PPL, but have been deferred away or even scared away due to the costs or lack of any idea how to start.

There is a lot of truth in this.

I live 10 miles from a small airport. The FBO has no web presence, the only information I could find online was a cell phone number for a guy who apparently is a CFI and does instruction. I think they rent planes, but I don't know.

I will probably end up training at one of two places: a regional airport 45 minutes away, with a dozen commercial flights a day (mostly turbo props, a few RJs), some charter business, and 2 FBOs with decent websites, or a small airport 20 minutes away which happens to have the remote campus of a fairly large flight school with operations at two other "executive" airports in the region.

There are literally 20 airports within a 45 minute drive. I couldn't find any useful information about operations at those airports on the Internet.

Like it or not, the days of driving to a dozen airports and finding a CFI you "mesh" with are gone. When I want to buy a TV, a car, or just about anything else, I'll spend time researching online, choose a model, find the cheapest price, and then go buy it.

I encourage everyone to pretend for 30 minutes that they have never flown before, and try to figure out how and where to get started. The how is probably not so hard to find (at least from a legal/requirements perspective), but the where (and the practical aspects of the how) is damn near impossible. (Cheaters who live in a major metropolitan area are not invited to play). Toss in the fact that it's intimidating to go into someone else's house, where you have no knowledge of the landscape, and you're afraid of looking like a dork. Are you excited to start, or scared?

Give every CFI a free website and some help building some pages with basic information on their equipment, costs per hour, etc. and build a directory of CFIs searchable by airport served, and I bet there would be a lot of new interest. I know there are some directories that purport to do this, but frankly they all suck. I tried to do this research myself and roughly 2/3 of the links I could find through Airnav.com or Google were dead links!

A 20 year old today has never not had access to the Internet. I'm somewhat north of that demographic, but I work in IT, so I consider myself roughly on par with them.

 

[N801BH]

......access to the Internet..

What is this ( internet) thing you speak of ?..

Ah, never mind, it must be that thingie the volleyball players have to hit the ball over...

Ps..Good idea on the CFI web presence pages..

 

[GCA319]

Welcome and be warned. Aviation is like a gang, once you are jumped in, it can be very, very hard to get out and even if you do, you will be scarred

 

[jspilot]

This might not seem like much of an aviation milestone to most of you, but for me it's a big deal...

Aviation has been in my blood since I was born. My dad was a Pilot Captain in the USAF, and after leaving the military had a 20+ year career with the FAA (on the airport side, not the licensing or aircraft side, so put down your pitchforks! ). While he never pursued his own PP license (he said he flew enough in the military for a lifetime), he still instilled a love of aviation in me.

I've lusted at the skies for decades, but either financial or nervous spouse issues have kept me grounded. So I've been a habitual ground-bound student - I've read PPSEL textbooks, watched video training, lurked in forums, and flown the heck out of FSX, anything cheap to keep me feeling connected to flight, but never took to the skies. But thank God for Groupon, I snagged a cheap discovery flight at a local airport, with her blessing. Expecting the usual response, I said (half joking) "you know if I get a logbook, the hour would count towards my PPSEL..." In response, I got a resigned "Go ahead..."

Hardly believing my ears, I asked her if she realized what she was agreeing to. We have the cash, but her steadfast belief that single-engine planes are just barely airborne death traps had led me to stop asking years ago.

Long story short, she agreed that she was finally comfortable with the idea, and gave me her blessing to go for it and chase the dream. So this morning I ordered a logbook from Amazon, so that when I go for the discovery flight, it will be my first logged instructional hour.

Can you tell I'm a little excited?

I just wanted to post this to get it off my chest, and as a bit of an introduction, since I'll probably start participating here a bit more.

Your excitement is contagious! Enjoy the journey, it's an awesome one!

 

[marcoseddi]

That's the first step I felt the same way also when i ordered my log book a few weeks ago.

 

[N801BH]

That's the first step I felt the same way also when i ordered my log book a few weeks ago.

Got another one...

Just pull up a chair and repeat after me... "Hi, my name is Marc and I am a aviationaholic.

 

[marcoseddi]

Got another one...

Just pull up a chair and repeat after me... "Hi, my name is Marc and I am a aviationaholic.

Haha you know it!

 

[DaleB]

Can you tell I'm a little excited?

Welcome to POA.

That excitement thing... I've been told by some people here that it goes away eventually, but I don't know. Maybe it does for some people, but for others...

You're less than a year behind me. I started flying last winter and got my license July 10th of this year. A few months ago I joined an EAA chapter... there are old guys (even I think they're old guys) at the meetings who see somebody's stubby-winged plywood race plane spitting flames out the exhaust as it taxis, and you'd think they were watching a pole dancer. These people are still plenty excited about flying, and so am I. So are a lot of us.

Point is... you're going to get addicted. Just learn to deal with it. And when it's time to try to get your wife to fly with you, PM me and let me tell you about the first time my wife flew with me. Mine felt the same way... before that day she had refused to even come down and watch me do touch & gos. I think she was convinced she'd have to watch me die in a crumpled pile of flaming aluminum.

 

[DogDaddy]

Welcome to the group.
And yes, getting a log book IS a significant step in your pilot journey. I am happy for you!
When you go for your discovery flight, see if your wife can come to the airport, even if she does not fly. She can get acquainted with the flight school, the planes, the staff there, maybe some of the other wives....maybe that will take some of the mystery and fear away. Both of you will find that aviation is a real brotherhood.
If your wife does come on the flight with you, perhaps the instructor will fly over your house or some other landmark for your wife to enjoy seeing. If she does not come on the flight maybe you can take a photo of your house from the air, to show your wife later.
Keep her involved in your training in some way. As you do your ground school (bookwork) maybe she can give you quizzes. If you use any of the "kits" that have videos to watch, invite her to watch them with you.
Imagine what it will be like, when, after you finally get your certificate, you take your wife on your first passenger-carrying flight as a licensed pilot. Perhaps you'll fly to some airport that has a restaurant. On the way there you can fly a scenic route (I'm in Florida so I take people along the coast.) And then on your return flight you can show her the sunset from the air. You can take her on flights to visit relatives for holidays or family events. If you tell her about all these possibilities, perhaps she'll become more and more interested over time. Some couples consider the plane to be just another family car, only faster.

 

[Davecat]

Too funny Livitup!

I felt like I was reading details about my life. First post here. I have been an armchair pilot for years. I have read and read. I peruse sectionals before bedtime, dreaming of the day. FSX as often as I can on-line via VATSIM. I even joined AOPA. Discovery flight this past Feb at DWH in a PA-28. Did another discovery flight several weeks ago in a C172 for comparison. I think I prefer low winger. Hooked. Tired of looking up at the sky all the time. I want to look down!! Logbook came with each Discovery Flight.

My wife finally just said, "Do it!" I think I was driving her crazy. I even have a pair of binoculars handy to spot the low flyers out of DWH in my backyard. I often have one sided converstions with ATC when driving, mowing the lawn, at the dinner table. Do you think I have the bug?

Time to choose a school, step up and commit!

Some of my reads:

ASA Pilot Manual "Ground School"
Flying Carpet
Stick and Rudder
Say Again Please
Flight of Passage
Controlling Pilot Error: Situation Awareness
Making Perfect Landings in Airplanes
Logging Flight Time
The Student Pilot Flight Manual

 

[denverpilot]

My wife finally just said, "Do it!" I think I was driving her crazy. I even have a pair of binoculars handy to spot the low flyers out of DWH in my backyard. I often have one sided converstions with ATC when driving, mowing the lawn, at the dinner table. Do you think I have the bug?

Heh. Yup.

You in the Woodlands or north of Hooks? Nice little airport. Folks used to live near there.

 

[zaitcev]

Hardly believing my ears, I asked her if she realized what she was agreeing to. We have the cash, but her steadfast belief that single-engine planes are just barely airborne death traps had led me to stop asking years ago.

I think it is true that aviation is somewhat more dangerous than today's driving. It could be compared with riding a motorcycle. However, while motorcyclist largely entrusts his life to a driver of Ram 2500 truck who's eating a burger while changing lanes, pilot has a great degree of control over his own safety, IMHO. This is the key difference that you might try to convey to your wife.

 

[pikespeakmtnman]

I think it is true that aviation is somewhat more dangerous than today's driving. It could be compared with riding a motorcycle. However, while motorcyclist largely entrusts his life to a driver of Ram 2500 truck who's eating a burger while changing lanes, pilot has a great degree of control over his own safety, IMHO. This is the key difference that you might try to convey to your wife.

I must be a lucky one then...my girlfriend not only doesn't mind my motorcycle or my future flying...she actually enjoys coming with me at least as much as I enjoy having her along. She likely won't pursue piloting herself, but she'd never in a million years tell me not do it myself, no matter the reason.

 

[livitup]

Guess what came in the mail today...

Lots of blank pages... I guess I need to start filling them up!

First discovery ride / CFI checkout is Monday.

Edited to add: to those who are curious or offered suggestions... my wife will be coming to the airport with me, but will not be taking the flight with me. I'm not sure if she is going to hang around, or go shopping, but she will be there when I land. That's about as far as she is willing to go right now. I hope she gets more comfortable with it over time. We will take baby steps.

 

[N801BH]

Guess what came in the mail today...

Lots of blank pages... I guess I need to start filling them up!

First discovery ride / CFI checkout is Monday.

Edited to add: to those who are curious or offered suggestions... my wife will be coming to the airport with me, but will not be taking the flight with me. I'm not sure if she is going to hang around, or go shopping, but she will be there when I land. That's about as far as she is willing to go right now. I hope she gets more comfortable with it over time. We will take baby steps.

Pick a clear, smooth day and have her ride along and you and the instructor and her go get breakfast /lunch dinner somewhere...

That will usually set the hook..

 

[redtail]

Congrats! Enjoy the challenge of learning and fulfilling your dream! I took my first discovery flight in 1998 (after dreaming about it from birth!) and passed my checkride in 1999.

MSFS and X-plane were my only outlet for years. Then one day I said to my wife, "It's either now or never" and she said, go for it (or something like that).

She came to the airport with me but stayed in the flight school until I got back. Later, she took a flight on one of my lessons and enjoyed it!

I'll say this, becoming a pilot was a childhood dream that I couldn't achieve until I was 32. However, it was and is the greatest thing that I've ever done for myself! I've enjoyed every moment of it, including the challenges and setbacks in the learning process. You WILL have those moments, trust me.

I feel very fortunate to have been able to live a small portion of my dream because so many people never get the chance, for one reason or another.

Good luck!

 

[DogDaddy]

livitup, you'll start to feel proud of yourself as that logbook fills up. You'll start with 1 hour then 2...you'll feel proud when you get into the double digits. After your checkride you'll feel like a seasoned veteran when you get into the triple digits.
But it all starts with a blank logbook. We all started that way.

 

[denverpilot]

Lots of blank pages... I guess I need to start filling them up!

Perfect. Have fun writing those first numbers in there.

There's no reason to go to work every day if you can't use the proceeds to go do something you want to do. Enjoy it.

I feel very fortunate to have been able to live a small portion of my dream because so many people never get the chance, for one reason or another.

Amen to that.

 

[Silvaire]

That excitement thing... I've been told by some people here that it goes away eventually, but I don't know....

It does, to an extent. Many new pilots who don't subsequently become aircraft owners will grow tired of renting the old 172 for a few hours a month going to the same local places. It's difficult to take a long cross country adventure in a rental. So there are a lot of pilots out there with 200 to 500 hours logged that just quit and haven't flown for years.

One way to avoid that is to continue with advanced training such as instrument, aerobatics, tailwheel, floatplane, glider, twin or just check out in a wide variety of different aircraft. Of course this means more expense or subsequently less flying within a specified budget but it keeps the interest level up. Another solution is to become an owner and that's not a small step, it's a big commitment but it really does open up things in a way that renting can't offer.

But even then there comes a point, I've been flying for over 40 years now, where you just don't experience that extended high for the rest of the day after making a simple one hour flight in a little Cessna like you used to.

All I can say is enjoy this time you are about to have in your training. Getting a private pilot's license, doing your first solo and later, doing your solo cross country flights is going to be one of the most exciting things you'll do in your life, something you're not ever going to forget.

 

[AuntPeggy]

Welcome!

Too funny Livitup!

I felt like I was reading details about my life. First post here. I have been an armchair pilot for years. I have read and read. I peruse sectionals before bedtime, dreaming of the day. FSX as often as I can on-line via VATSIM. I even joined AOPA. Discovery flight this past Feb at DWH in a PA-28. Did another discovery flight several weeks ago in a C172 for comparison. I think I prefer low winger. Hooked. Tired of looking up at the sky all the time. I want to look down!! Logbook came with each Discovery Flight.

My wife finally just said, "Do it!" I think I was driving her crazy. I even have a pair of binoculars handy to spot the low flyers out of DWH in my backyard. I often have one sided converstions with ATC when driving, mowing the lawn, at the dinner table. Do you think I have the bug?

Time to choose a school, step up and commit!

Some of my reads:

ASA Pilot Manual "Ground School"
Flying Carpet
Stick and Rudder
Say Again Please
Flight of Passage
Controlling Pilot Error: Situation Awareness
Making Perfect Landings in Airplanes
Logging Flight Time
The Student Pilot Flight Manual

 

[airheadpenguin]

I encourage everyone to pretend for 30 minutes that they have never flown before, and try to figure out how and where to get started. The how is probably not so hard to find (at least from a legal/requirements perspective), but the where (and the practical aspects of the how) is damn near impossible. (Cheaters who live in a major metropolitan area are not invited to play). Toss in the fact that it's intimidating to go into someone else's house, where you have no knowledge of the landscape, and you're afraid of looking like a dork. Are you excited to start, or scared?

Give every CFI a free website and some help building some pages with basic information on their equipment, costs per hour, etc. and build a directory of CFIs searchable by airport served, and I bet there would be a lot of new interest. I know there are some directories that purport to do this, but frankly they all suck. I tried to do this research myself and roughly 2/3 of the links I could find through Airnav.com or Google were dead links!

I live 20 minutes from a relatively large class D airport in NH. It has 3 permanent "flight schools" on the field with websites and a number of independent CFIs lurking.

The schools fall into 2 categories:
1) Nice website, everything laid out well
2) Crappy website that leaves you calling and playing phone tag
3) No website just word of mouth

I faced much the same problem as the 20 year olds and opted for the school in #1 for my PPL. They had a lot of low time CFIs, but very nice planes which made it feel like a nicer organization. Since then I've come to know some of the other schools on the field as well as independents and am working on my instrument with someone from #2. What I learned is that the folks in #2 and #3 are still in business because they perform and have earned their reputation. The folks in #1 (with exceptions) thrive on marketing and pulling in people who don't want to come down and interview someone they're going to spend $7-10k with. The result is they have a lot of dropouts, and the students they do get through take longer than they should because of the experience of their instructors.

For the record I do pay more now per hour of instruction at place #2 but I truly believe the training itself is more efficient. When you get to picking a school ask yourself, how can they still be in business?

For the record I'd love the FAA to make CFIs searchable with at least a mailing address. I know I can lookup their credentials if I have their name but there are more CFIs walking around than you would think.

 

[drgwentzel]

This might not seem like much of an aviation milestone to most of you, but for me it's a big deal...

Well, I suggest the second step to further your immersement. Call the local Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) and knock out your medical and get your Student Pilot Certificate.


NOW you'll not only have your big toe in the water, but the whole first foot. It's about a 65 to 85 dollar investment, but that's your membership card to get your foot in the door of the club.


Remember, all journeys of great distance begin the same way...with a single step. Enjoy the journey, it's always more fun than the destination. This will be especially true once you have your license. You will plan trips with your spouse just so you can fly there.


Gene Wentzel CFI, CFII

 

[gprellwitz]

It does, to an extent. Many new pilots who don't subsequently become aircraft owners will grow tired of renting the old 172 for a few hours a month going to the same local places. It's difficult to take a long cross country adventure in a rental. So there are a lot of pilots out there with 200 to 500 hours logged that just quit and haven't flown for years.

Actually, if you find the right place, renting for long trips is quite doable. A lub is another alternative. We rent in the Chicago area, and in the 8 years or so, we've done Yellowstone and Glacier National, First Flight and Tangiers Island, Key West and he Zbahamas (numerous times), New Orleans, Hartford CT, Gastons (AR) and Sidnaw (U.P. MI) (both numerous times), Diana's farm, Put-in-Bay, numerous trips to Wings/Philadelphia, etc.

And I know Kent has taken his club plane from Madison WI out to Idaho and to Philadelphia. Jesse took rentals from MN down to Gastons, and I think that the Piper that Nick flew from NM to Sidnaw was a rental too.

That's just off the top of my head, but demonstrates that it's quite doable (and worthwhile!)

 

[airheadpenguin]

I second the notion of a club, if you can't find one start one. Chances are there are at least 2 other students around you who could split the cost of buying a 150/152/172. There's an immediate savings on the cost per hour to rent, though keep in mind that maintenance items tend to pop up with some regularity.

In my club we do about 90/tach hour including maintenance and fuel which is a significant discount over renting at the FBO. You also get a lot more freedom, I've had no problem taking the plane on trips.