Like to keep the oil companies in the green,love 100 dollar hamburgs,love to have fun,fun,fun. Did use my lic for a short time doing charter work. It's all about what makes you happy.
I get a $23.00 discount on my Boat Insurance for having a license...whatever it takes
I have never flown for any reason other than the love of it
One practical use of a pilots license is to use it to scrape frost off of courtesy car windshields.
And I used one to open a locked door once.
It seems like you don't have any motivation to do it. Save your money and do something else.
Amen.Here's a practical reason: a pilot certificate coupled with a large stash of cash almost guarantees you'll pick up chicks!
I didn't mean that statement to come off as snide at all. But I think the OP should try to spend money on something else or even save it. It seems he is trying to justify getting a license that he doesn't really want or need. Better to keep the 8-10K and save it for something else.Not sure that's a fair statement. Lack of motivation and lack of justification are two different things.
I started training around the turn of the century (how's that for sounding like an old-timer?), but after losing my third instructor to the regionals I paused long enough to wonder how I was going to support this when the training was over. Wasn't a motivation issue, I just couldn't justify sticking with it while trying to start a life with the new wife.
Now, I have better means, the same lovely wife that loves to travel, a son that wants to fly in the military, and another that just loves to ride in planes. The calculus changed, and I'm close enough to my ticket that I can smell it.
I think the OP is just trying to find a way to turn a "want to" into a "need to".
I didn't mean that statement to come off as snide at all. But I think the OP should try to spend money on something else or even save it. It seems he is trying to justify getting a license that he doesn't really want or need. Better to keep the 8-10K and save it for something else.
For many years I held the title of "World's Coolest Uncle"...does that count as a practical use of a pilot certificate?
What is your "other" aviation work you mentioned? If you are an airport manager, or aspiring to be one, having a PPL with IR would add greatly to your understanding of "both sides" of the airport, and help you know what needs to be done to keep the airport useful for its users. If you are an A&P or a wanna be, the PPL would also be a real asset. I don't make my living flying, but the PPL/IR has been a real asset in my job. Very practical.
Well I do work at a GA airport right now in airport ops. I was talking with my other college aviation friend the other day and he stated exactly what you said. Having knowledge and experience in airport ops is like speaking one "language" but with a pilots license of any sort, I could speak another "language" in aviation and have expertise on both sides. That is what I hope to gain out of flying, using it to understand all the issues that aviation faces as a whole.
Of course, I always wanted to fly since I was in high school, because I love flying too and love this industry. So I guess there is both a want and need in my reasons to fly.
I'm addicted to airplanes and flying. If it's not practical who cares.
I have never flown for any reason other than the love of it
Thanks for the responses everyone, and Maciej, thanks for your offer to take me up. Maybe one day I could go up flying with you.