Does anyone see a practical use or purpose of a pilots license?

N918KT

N918KT

Line Up and Wait
Joined
Jan 13, 2013
Messages
720
Location
Philadelphia, PA
Display Name
Display name:
KT
Hey guys. Just wondering, does anyone plan on using their sport or private pilots license other than for fun or recreation? Is there really a practical use for a pilots license? Last weekend, I almost wanted to call my CFI up and return to sport pilot flight training. But then it hit me. If I ever gotten my sport license, I never really intended to use it for other than fun or recreation. I am trying to see what would be a practical value of getting a sport pilot license. I work at a GA airport right now, so would it be possible for me to use it to further my aviation career like for example, understanding the issues that aviation faces as a whole?
 
Last edited:
is fun and recreation not a practical purpose?

what is the practical purpose of ball games, fishing, skiing, golf, car racing, or anything else we do for fun ?
 
I would quibble with the suggestion that "fun" and "practical" are mutually exclusive. Lots of folks use the PPL for things they consider practical. You can see examples right here in the Flight Following forums. Just look at the recent "what plane for my mission" threads.
 
I use my PP cert for business travel. Pretty easy call, an hour flight versus a 3 hour drive. Of course not all businesses are okay with flying yourself.

Of course use of the sport cert for furtherance of business is prohibited.
 
Depends on where your life is taking you. A Sport Pilot cert is pretty much useless for anything other than, well, sport pilot flying and possibly sport pilot instructing. A PPL, on the other hand, can lead to instructing, instrument flying and instructing, commercial and airline flying. If you want to do those things, a certificate is more than useful, it's necessary.
 
A Sport License is pretty much for recreational purposes. Its to have fun with, take a friend or family member up for a flight and just have fun. A Private Pilot License is similar but has more privileges, such as allowing you to carry more passengers like flying you and your family from point A to point B, I would say thats a practical purpose, basically using it as a mode of transportation. It's also a building block for higher licenses such as Commercial and ATP.
 
Last edited:
Is there any practical use for a drivers license?
 
Practical purpose? I live inside Texas.

It takes eleven hours to drive to Amarillo. Three or less by air. Depends on what you fly...

Eleven hours or three. Take your pick. :idea::blueplane:
 
Thanks for the quick replies so far everyone. I already know that sport pilots can only fly for fun and recreation and not for business purposes. I do not intend to use a sport license directly for business or work purposes.

I guess what I am trying to figure out is if there is any value of a pilots license. Is there anything you could take away from getting a license and using it for other things in your life?

Yes, I do want to do flight training again eventually but I want to find a good useful reason to do it.
 
N918KT said:
If I ever gotten my sport license, I never really intended to use it for other than fun or recreation.
Click to expand...

Thats really all its intended for anyway, thats a good reason to have it! :)
 
James331 said:
Is there any practical use for a drivers license?
Click to expand...

It gets me to the airport!

And the truck carries much more gear than I can throw on the back of my bicycle. Can't imagine starting an XC flight of several hours' duration all hot, sweaty and tired from pedaling out to the airport.
 
N918KT said:
Hey guys. Just wondering, does anyone plan on using their sport or private pilots license other than for fun or recreation? Is there really a practical use for a pilots license? Last weekend, I almost wanted to call my CFI up and return to sport pilot flight training. But then it hit me. If I ever gotten my sport license, I never really intended to use it for other than fun or recreation. I am trying to see what would be a practical value of getting a sport pilot license. I work at a GA airport right now, so would it be possible for me to use it to further my aviation career like for example, understanding the issues that aviation faces as a whole?
Click to expand...

You have come across the dillemas everyone faces after solo. Once you have soloed you have managed the challenge of flight, you are now done with that phase, you now have claim to the title "Pilot", up and down alive on your own is the only cost to entry. Then there is the question if even earning the title is worth it.

At this point we have to evaluate if it is worth the expense to us? Are we getting our money's worth either in time, transportation, or pure enjoyment? IIRC the statistic is about 2/3rds of starts never complete and a bunch more get their rating, fly some, realize what they used as their justification to continue to the rating isn't materializing into reality, or just too cost burdensome, and quit flying shortly thereafter. Some come back decades later when their financial situation allows.
 
Last edited:
N918KT said:
Thanks for the quick replies so far everyone. I already know that sport pilots can only fly for fun and recreation and not for business purposes. I do not intend to use a sport license directly for business or work purposes.

I guess what I am trying to figure out is if there is any value of a pilots license. Is there anything you could take away from getting a license and using it for other things in your life?

Yes, I do want to do flight training again eventually but I want to find a good useful reason to do it.
Click to expand...

It lets me live where the job takes me (I'm an engineer, manufacturing medical devices), yet still easily get back to visit family. If it's an 8-hour drive, we need to take a day or two off work for a quick visit, and return home tired; or it's a 2-hour flight after work Friday evening, coming home sometime Sunday, with a longer visit and still feeling good when we get back.

A weekend away is sometimes the best thing to do for stress reduction, too. With a plane, my options for weekend are increased at least 10-fold compared to driving. A 2-1/2 hour flight will take me well over 300 sm, which is generally 400 sm driving distance. Options abound! Have a 3-day weekend? Go even further to someplace special. Rest, relax and get back feeling good, not stressed from fighting traffic and watching out for police radar all day in the car.

It can be therapeutic simply taking a 30-minute joy ride after work. Being in the air takes your mind off all of those work things you're doing, because you must focus to fly. Then you get to sightsee and enjoy the experience, eventually coming back to earth feeling better.

It's practical to me.
 
kgruber said:
Ahh.....Because you want to?
Click to expand...

Well that's just it, he doesn't really feel he wants to right now, but he still has it out there like a dangling participle, an incomplete chapter in his book.

Don't worry you can come back an finish that chapter whenever you want, it doesn't really matter if you never want to finish it either.
 
Thanks for the advice everyone. Yes, my desire to get my ticket is still out there, and with me focusing on my new job, I had to put it on the back burner for now. At this time in my life I think the only condition I would return to flight training is if getting the ticket would serve any kind of purpose to help me further my non-flying aviation career. I guess that was why I was considering it for a little moment before.
 
It seems like you don't have any motivation to do it. Save your money and do something else.
 
N918KT said:
Thanks for the advice everyone. Yes, my desire to get my ticket is still out there, and with me focusing on my new job, I had to put it on the back burner for now. At this time in my life I think the only condition I would return to flight training is if getting the ticket would serve any kind of purpose to help me further my non-flying aviation career. I guess that was why I was considering it for a little moment before.
Click to expand...

Well ok, let's take that into consideration, where do you foresee being able to use flying in your future non flight duty aviation career? There are plenty of ancillary potentials. I used to use my plane running around the SoCal basin chasing parts and giving customers a ride to or from their airport while working as a mechanic.

If you have a desire to fly still, but just can't really justify the expense right now, that's completely understandable, it's bloody expensive. There is no reason that you can't shelf the flying for right now, it sits and simmers quite well. You may actually benefit even more in waiting as the Third Class Medical rule revision will allow you to seek a Private Pilot certificate without a medical. With that you can fly much less expensive planes.

Here's a 5 year plan for you, and you'll be in a good position to execute given your career choice. If you really want to fly and be able to justify the cost, you can either increase your income or reduce your cost until you cross the threshold of justification. Working at airports, you have the ability to negotiate a free spot in a hangar, fuel discounts, and so on. When I had my Travelair and worked at a repair station, my costs of ownership and even operations were highly subsidized, all I ever paid for was parts, and I even got stuff out of the back hanger from him, plus I got all the fuel we ever drained from a plane to work on.

These are all things you can negotiate as "raises" quite easily as they don't cost the boss anything to give you. When you get to this point where you are making enough money that you can afford to ask for perks for raises, still have a good chunk of money left over and the medical issue is rectified, you can turn back and revisit this chapter. At that point, go get some aerobatic training and see if you like that, I have a feeling you will. If you do, buy yourself a Citabria or similar and pick up your training again.
 
My ticket is worth it to me. I love flying more than about any other activity. It is my relaxation and is cheap therapy after a long week or bad day at work. I love old airplanes and taildraggers like some guys like Harleys or muscle cars? Are those really practical aside from the enjoyment they provide? I fly virtually ever weekend weather allows. In the summer, I frequently fly in the evening after work.

I do use my plane for quick day trips I would otherwise not be able to make. I even make occasional longer trips. I even get to fly myself for work from time to time.

Yes, it is worth the effort and expense, at least to me. Even my wife knows regardless how bad my day or week may have been, I'm always in a better mood after flying for even just a few minutes.


Jim R
Collierville, TN

N7155H--1946 Piper J-3 Cub
N3368K--1946 Globe GC-1B Swift
N4WJ--1994 Van's RV-4
 
Last edited:
I think "practicality" means something different to everyone. I suspect the ones you are looking for, aren't there. Many of us have been faced with the same decision. I looked for a long time for things I could use to justify flying. In the end, I just want to fly because it's really fun. Sure, now I can fly the family to places quicker, but my time is worthless, so that doesn't really count as practical. It's just more convenient, some of the time. Bottom line is, you just have to decide if it's worth it to you, or not. It is worth the expense to me, and I'm lucky to have a wife that agrees, but as a single income, middle class family, we do have to be careful how much we spend, or we'll reach a point where it's no longer worth it. I would say that if not itching to get in the air, then now probably isn't the time for you to get into it. If you really have the bug, then as Henning said, let it simmer for awhile and if you can't shake it, go for it. The bug burrowed deep inside me, so I didn't have much choice. I had to fly.
 
Aside from what's mentioned as far as just general use for recreation and business travel there's also the aspect of just having done it. The joy of learning and using a skill, creating memories you'll(hopefully) have when you're old and feeble.

My dad passed away about a year ago mostly due to complications from Alzheimer's disease. He tended to only remember things that were important to him. Me, my mother, etc. We talked about flying a lot... he didn't know any of the details anymore but he remembered he used to fly and that he "sure had a lot of fun in that airplane".

In the end that's the best most of us can say when we're near the end. I have thought about this a lot in the past few years and I personally want to be able to say things like that at the end. Not "I made a lot of practical financial decisions".
 
cowman said:
Aside from what's mentioned as far as just general use for recreation and business travel there's also the aspect of just having done it. The joy of learning and using a skill, creating memories you'll(hopefully) have when you're old and feeble.

My dad passed away about a year ago mostly due to complications from Alzheimer's disease. He tended to only remember things that were important to him. Me, my mother, etc. We talked about flying a lot... he didn't know any of the details anymore but he remembered he used to fly and that he "sure had a lot of fun in that airplane".

In the end that's the best most of us can say when we're near the end. I have thought about this a lot in the past few years and I personally want to be able to say things like that at the end. Not "I made a lot of practical financial decisions".
Click to expand...

The only thing you take with you from this life is your experiences and your thoughts.
 
For me, I live on Long Island. Anywhere I would like to go off of Long Island is a nightmare to drive. If I wanted to get to Bridgeport CT which straight line is about 30 NM, it would take me minimum 2 hours by car. I can be there in 45 minutes from arriving at the airport, preflight, all the way to exiting the FBO in Bridgeport.
 
Whether you want to fly for a profession or for fun, don't bother to get the ticket unless you have a sincere love for being in the air. I didn't get mine until the age of 42 (last August). Basically my wife got fed up with me spending $$$ on sim stuff and RC flying, as well as dragging her to air shows or special events or air museums. There is absolutely no "practical" purpose for having my license. Maybe you can find a practical use for it, but again, unless you have a love for being in the air I don't see the point.
 
Here's a practical reason: a pilot certificate coupled with a large stash of cash almost guarantees you'll pick up chicks! :thumbsup:
 
N918KT said:
Thanks for the advice everyone. Yes, my desire to get my ticket is still out there, and with me focusing on my new job, I had to put it on the back burner for now. At this time in my life I think the only condition I would return to flight training is if getting the ticket would serve any kind of purpose to help me further my non-flying aviation career. I guess that was why I was considering it for a little moment before.
Click to expand...

If I understand the question correctly, you are asking if it is advantageous to get a PPL over a sport certificate. I think so. It isn't that much more effort to get a PPL, and you are much less limited with it. You can still exercise light sport privileges (and the associated medical requirements) with it.
 
No practical purpose. If you like it you can justify it. Something to be said for finishing the ticket young then shelving it, makes returning easier. Also putting the basics in your brain at a young age will make you a better pilot at any age. But yeah if you don't get off on it, don't do it.
 
No....there's nothing practical about it.....you've been talking with my wife again?:yikes::nono:
 
N918KT said:
Thanks for the advice everyone. Yes, my desire to get my ticket is still out there, and with me focusing on my new job, I had to put it on the back burner for now. At this time in my life I think the only condition I would return to flight training is if getting the ticket would serve any kind of purpose to help me further my non-flying aviation career. I guess that was why I was considering it for a little moment before.
Click to expand...

So far this year I have used my plane (C117B)

to fly from Texas to Florida twice. Once for a dive trip, and once to take the family to Disney for spring break. and a trip to Corpus Christi for work.

Last year I did five trips to Florida for diving and Sun-n-Fun.

A trip to Tennessee, and a two week trip to Glacier National Park with the family.

We have gone places and done trips with our plane that are not practical or not possible by commercial airlines or car.

-Dan
 
I get a $23.00 discount on my Boat Insurance for having a license...whatever it takes
 
I recognize this - I went through a period during student training when I had the same thoughts. It was "why am I doing all this extra?" I can think of a few things that make the private worth it to me

1) Ability to fly larger and faster aircraft. There's a C-206 in my sights right now and a CR-22 one day.
2) Step up to IFR and fly most days when I want to go. VFR just isn't practical for extended travel
3) Ability to (eventually) fly for CAP
4) Flying longer distances - wouldn't want to fly to KOSH in an Allegro.

Are those practical reasons? I dunno. They're about what I want to do so they're practical to me.

There is an LSA outfit next to the Wings club at KTTA. They used to bring students out to compare their new LSA with our beat up training, C-152s and then ask "which one do you want to fly"? Invariably they would wander over and ask someone at the club about the airplanes. I'd be sure to point that we start in the 152, but the goal (club wise) is flying the Mooney...to Disney, to the Bahamas, Oshkosh, California.

If all you want to do is fly around the airfield, maybe make a short trip, then LSA works for you. If that's all you ever do in aviation, then it's it's a loss of all of us.
 
Better question:

Does anyone see a practical use or purpose of anything?


everything is relative
 
I've only had the occasion to do it one time, but once I was stopped for going 107 mph on the freeway (the only other car on the road happened to be a cop, go figure) and when the cop said "Okay buddy, let me see your pilot's licence" I was able to pull it out!

He laughed and wrote me up for 90.
 
Mason said:
"Sunday Morning Flying is how I go to church." -

Anonymous.
Click to expand...



I actually used to make that statement ----

until I switched to flying during the week
(fewer crowds, open traffic patterns, available aircraft)
 
Sac Arrow said:
I've only had the occasion to do it one time, but once I was stopped for going 107 mph on the freeway (the only other car on the road happened to be a cop, go figure) and when the cop said "Okay buddy, let me see your pilot's licence" I was able to pull it out!

He laughed and wrote me up for 90.
Click to expand...



!!!!
:D
:D
:D


Gotta remember that one!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top