Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast?

[bbchien]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

Second generation. But my dad didn't admit that he flew. We found out when we opened his steamer trunk. It was not warm and fuzzy. I started to figure it out on a fishing trip 15 years ago, when he held heading and altitude - precisely.

 

[hindsight2020]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

1st generation.

 

[35 AoA]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

Sort of 3rd generation. Grandfather on my mom's side was a bush pilot in AK and MX during the 20's, later went on to fly in the AAF and later retired from the USAF. Old man was a Navy patrol pilot from late 50's-late 70's.

 

[bnt83]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

I had the privilege to teach my Dad how to fly.

As my dad ages, it seems like I do a bit of that too.

 

[N801BH]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

First generation.....

My dad used to take all of us kids to Watson Island a few times a year. That is where heli's flew and Chalks Airline is/was based with their seaplanes, and the Goodyear blimp was there too.. I could not get enough.. That and watching Skyking while sitting in front of the TV back in the 60's did it for me.... I have three other brothers and none got the bug, infact they are terrified of aviation... So, there was 6 in the Haas family, including mom and dad , and only I fly...

 

[asechrest]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

1st generation, as far as I know. I don't know of any family members who are pilots.

I've had a general fascination with airplanes for sometime. My parents got me a discovery flight senior year of high school, but I went on to college and didn't pursue it at that time. In college I can remember reading Code One Magazine for hours in the library.

Once I hit 30, I walked into a flight school and the rest is history. My parent's didn't have a say in it since I was older, but they're generally supportive. I think my Mom is terrified that I go up in those "old little planes."

 

[kyleb]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

Third Generation.

I'm the first pilot in the line, but both of my Grandfathers and my Father worked at the Bell plant/later Lockheed plant in Marietta GA for most of their adult lives.

 

[simtech]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

First Gen here.

 

[JimG.]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

Second generation. But my dad didn't admit that he flew. We found out when we opened his steamer trunk. It was not warm and fuzzy. I started to figure it out on a fishing trip 15 years ago, when he held heading and altitude - precisely.

That reminded me that I was second-generation, but married (my previous administration) into a third-generation.

My ex-wife's grandfather helped build the Spirit of St. Louis, and was a flight instructor during World War II.

I used to let him fly left seat in my 172 whenever they came to visit.

40 years after World War II, he had not forgotten a thing. It was a real treat to fly with him

 

[retailguy]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

1st generation. I grew up in Northern Wisconsin. As a small boy (about 7) we would drive by the EAA convention and I'd ask "can we go?", "can we go?"... The reply was - "Normal people don't fly".

It took me almost 40 years, but I am no longer "normal".

Both of my parents hate the idea and neither will ever fly with me.

 

[frfly172]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

1st gen. When I entered the Air Force I was assigned as a loadmaster ,so did a lot of time as air crew. Started flying after leaving the service and have never looked back.

 

[JimG.]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

1st generation. I grew up in Northern Wisconsin. As a small boy (about 7) we would drive by the EAA convention and I'd ask "can we go?", "can we go?"... The reply was - "Normal people don't fly".

It took me almost 40 years, but I am no longer "normal".

Both of my parents hate the idea and neither will ever fly with me.

The greatest compliment I ever received from my dad was the Thanksgiving morning when he asked me if I would take him up in “our” bonanza And let him fly.

It had been a couple of years since he had flown and wanted me along for safety sake

 

[Geico266]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

First generation.

Uncle flew a P-47 in the war, and he gave me a ride in a 170 when I was 10. I've been hooked ever since, but it took 48 years to become a pilot.

 

[Hobobiker]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

1st Gen here...

 

[Everskyward]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

So how many people here have kids that are either interested or not? Seems like that would be the bigger question for the future. I can't answer that being child free.

 

[LJS1993]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

Though I'm not a pilot I do have a deep interest in aviation and possibly trying to attain a PPL later. With that said not a single person in my lineage has had an interest in aviation or actually flying a plane. However most of my family seems to feel that I could, with training, pilot an aircraft and feel I should "go for it". On the other side my friends, though not family, think I'm crazy for even thinking of flying in a small aircraft.

 

[Bob Noel]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

So how many people here have kids that are either interested or not? Seems like that would be the bigger question for the future. I can't answer that being child free.

Well, I also don't have children. My worrywart sister would not tolerate even a hint of me taking my nephew flying.

 

[asechrest]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

So how many people here have kids that are either interested or not? Seems like that would be the bigger question for the future. I can't answer that being child free.

I have stepkids, 7 and 10. But since I'm newly minted, we haven't done much flying. I took them each up with my instructor once when I was training. Since then I've tried to talk it up. They now ask when we're going flying. That's as far as I've gotten so far. It was a long wait for them because my training took so long, so I think they gave up on it for a time.

I'm tempted not to get myself too worked up over it, and let them enjoy it in whatever way they desire. Because like all aviation nuts I'd really enjoy them falling in love with aviation, and would be disappointed if I built up too much emotion about it and they ended up being completely uninterested.

 

[N801BH]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

So how many people here have kids that are either interested or not? Seems like that would be the bigger question for the future. I can't answer that being child free.

No kids here either... My ex and I both agreed 35 years ago not to bring kids into this *ucked up world..

Best decision I ever made...

 

[DaleB]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

Grandpa Roscoe was a mechanic for TWA for a while... truck mechanic, not aircraft mechanic. Dad and I flew R/C models. As far as I know I'm the first one in the family to have a pilot's license. A cousin flew all over Alaska while he was stationed up there, but oddly enough his name doesn't appear in the airman database.

 

[DaleB]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

No kids here either... My ex and I both agreed 35 years ago not to bring kids into this *ucked up world..

Gotcha covered, buddy. We had five and raised them to leave it better than when they found it.

 

[cessna182b]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

First Generation.

An uncle was a pilot and took me up once (not my first flight). He lived a long way from me so I seldom saw him.

My father was given a ride by his cousin's husband long before I was born. This guy scared him to death with wild aerobatics - and he never set foot in an airplane again. However, he had no objection to my flying as a passenger (even paid for it a couple of times). He didn't live to see me start flying lessons at age 22 (as soon as I was gainfully employed).

Growing up just off the runway of a busy NAS definitely made an impression on me.

Dave

 

[EvilEagle]

First generation, we went to church with a guy who was a CFI.

Now I'm (I guess) 2nd generation since my step dad got his license a couple of years ago?

 

[Fearless Tower]

Third Generation. My grandfather (dad's dad) started the war at NAA assembling B-25s and by the end of the war was a USAAF pilot flying some of the same planes he built.

My dad has been flying since he was 16 and now me. I have two girls (6 and 2.5). So we'll see if we make it to the fourth generation.

 

[JimG.]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

So how many people here have kids that are either interested or not? Seems like that would be the bigger question for the future. I can't answer that being child free.

All 3 kids like flying… natural for kids who grew up in an airplane, but none of them had it in their bellies

 

[Everskyward]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

All 3 kids like flying… natural for kids who grew up in an airplane, but none of them had it in their bellies

Just wondering because I know a lot of pilots who have kids. It seems like less than half are interested. Some take lessons and might even get their private but I think only a very small percentage pursue it further in life. Of course it could be that things your parents do aren't cool after you get to a certain age.

 

[N801BH]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

Gotcha covered, buddy. We had five and raised them to leave it better than when they found it.

Kool... Hope they are all out of the house and not living in the basement suffering from the "failure to launch" disease.....

Ps.. Tell them to get good jobs that pay 6 figures a year so they can fund my upcoming retirement , SS payments and Medicare costs.....

Oh yeah.. I want a free Obama phone and food stamps too..

 

[DaleB]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

Kool... Hope they are all out of the house and not living in the basement suffering from the "failure to launch" disease.....

Ps.. Tell them to get good jobs that pay 6 figures a year so they can fund my upcoming retirement , SS payments and Medicare costs.....

Oh yeah.. I want a free Obama phone and food stamps too..

Sorry, all conservatives... you're on your own.

 

[N801BH]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

Sorry, all conservatives... you're on your own.

..........

 

[Bill Watson]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

First gen... But grew up surrounded by model airplanes. My father and his best friend were aviation buffs and passed it on thru modeling.

His friend, an influential political type, was offered free flying lessons at one point. He instead offered them to me and I got 20 hours in before college.

After I finished building an RV, I discovered this same man had spent part of the war teaching Rosie the Riveters how to rivet bomber parts. I wish we had a chance to rivet together before he passed.

 

[N918KT]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

I believe that I am a first generation student pilot and also first generation hoping to have a career related to aviation in my immediate family. I have a cousin that I have not seen in person for a very very long time who works as an aircraft mechanic or aircraft maintenance scheduler in Taiwan for EVA Air. I also have a step grandfather who attempted to learn to fly back in the early 1990s IIRC, but dropped out before solo. It was before I met my step grandfather.

 

[JimG.]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

Just wondering because I know a lot of pilots who have kids. It seems like less than half are interested. Some take lessons and might even get their private but I think only a very small percentage pursue it further in life. Of course it could be that things your parents do aren't cool after you get to a certain age.

I never understood the lack of passion. There was no question I was going to fly my entire childhood.

Got my private when I was 21 years old, which was the 1st opportunity I had


They all loved to go somewhere, and my son enjoyed sitting up front and hand flying, but never really pushed me to pay for lessons.

He even had a buddy in high school who got his private before he got his driver's license, but didn't really want to do it himself.

Flying to me is one of those things that you should love to do before you learn to do

 

[Everskyward]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

I never understood the lack of passion. There was no question I was going to fly my entire childhood.

Got my private when I was 21 years old, which was the 1st opportunity I had


They all loved to go somewhere, and my son enjoyed sitting up front and hand flying, but never really pushed me to pay for lessons.

He even had a buddy in high school who got his private before he got his driver's license, but didn't really want to do it himself.

Flying to me is one of those things that you should love to do before you learn to do

I definitely agree that it's not something you should do because your parents want you to or your spouse wants you to...

 

[Skylane81E]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

Guess you would call me a second, one grandfather flew before I was born but always was telling stories from his WWII marine aviation experience and building models and the like. Other grandfather wasn't a pilot but designed jet engines for a local company working on things from the DC-10 to (we suspect based on secrecy of the project and timing) the F-117, but died before I was born. However neither of my parents were much into it.

 

[Rigged4Flight]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

First generation. Dad was an aviation metalsmith in the Navy. When I told him I wanted to fly he made a point of bringing home melted pieces of crashed planes for the next 8 years until he retired.

 

[Mason]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

Uncle Art flew a P-38 in the Pacific and took me for my first ride, in his J-3. He also had a Stinson Voyager.

2nd generation.

I took my two sons for many burger runs which they enjoyed, but they never got bit by the flying bug.

 

[35 AoA]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

The greatest compliment I ever received from my dad was the Thanksgiving morning when he asked me if I would take him up in “our” bonanza And let him fly.

Reminds me of a flight a number of years back with my old man. I grew up flying with him in the family Bonanza, then flying from the right seat as a teenager through summers when I was home from college. Logged many many hours in that thing throughout that time, and in all those years, he never let me take off or land the thing. I never asked, but he also never offered. Flash forward a number of years........home on leave visiting, and we take the old bird out for a spin. I'm at that point a newly (night ) carrier qualified Hornet pilot and nearing 30. Shortly after takeoff from KEUG, I take the controls and we have a fantastically leisurely VFR flight up to KPDX to visit family up there. In hindsight, probably my favorite flight in memory. As we start talking to approach, I get ready to throw the yoke back over to him as we normally would. All of a sudden, he's like "hey, why don't you land it?" Kind of like dad giving you the keys to the Porsche on your 16th bday or something. So I brought it around for a, if I do say, pretty impressive carrier style approach turn. Everything is looking awesome until about 30 ft, and then I realize I haven't flared to land in probably 3 years or more. I make my best effort, somehow forget to release the throttle friction lock, and proceed to bounce the thing half way down RWY 28R, finally coming to an ego bruising halt. He just sits there laughing, turns to me, and says something like "stick to jets kid" (old man spent his career flying big radials and then later turboprops in the service). We had a good laugh at my expense, but that was a really memorable flight. Maybe next time he will let me take off

 

[Captain]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

Grandfather was a pilot in WWII. Got thrown out of Army after war for doing loop w/ student. (Grandmother says after war they were looking for reasons to axe people).

Became farmer. My dad hated farming and became an engineer. I hated engineering and became a pilot...and I hate loops. Go figure.

 

[denverpilot]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

First gen idiot here.

 

[Jim_R]

Re: Did you come from an aviation family or are you a 1st generation pilot/enthusiast

Dad was a pilot. Grew up near an airport, in a house that had aviation magazines scattered around. Always wanted to learn to fly...too bad it didn't happen until 15 years after Dad passed.