How did you become interested in Aviation?

RyanB

RyanB

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So I know the stories for a few of you, but most I do not. I thought it might be a topic to learn more about each other.

What intrigued you to get involved with aviation? I think most of us have just had the flying bug since conception, but was there a distinct time in the past that you either took a ride with someone or visited an airport open house event, that sparked the desire?

I was one of those weird kids (still kind of am) who loved flying for as long as I can remember. I can’t quite pin-point an exact moment, it’s just always been there. Went to the annual open house events every year and took rides and that initially sparked a greater interest to take lessons when I turned 16. Soloed about a month and a half after beginning lessons and received my chic magnet certification at 17. I feel blessed and fortunate to have been and continue to pursue this passion since an early age.
 
I had been looking up at the sky since I could remember..... military said my eyes were not good enough to fly. I proved them wrong. No is not in my vocabulary when it comes to doing things.
 
I was fascinated by flying and all things aviation since I was a toddler. I took a discovery flight when I was 15, but never thought I could afford to fly. Over the years, I got close to starting lessons but never followed through.

In 2001, I took a ride on CAF’s B-17 Sentimental Journey. After the flight, I told the pilot (Jim Kimmel) that I had always wanted to be a pilot and that this flight was probably what I needed to make me do it. He grabbed me by the shoulders and said “what are you waiting for - get off your butt and start flying!” Two days later I was back at the airport taking my first lesson. Seventeen years later I am a CFI and ready to bring others into the life.

I was back in California last week volunteering with the Salinas Airshow (11 years doing it, can’t give it up just because we moved to Florida) and Sentimental Journey flew in. And Jim Kimmel was flying it. I had to grab a moment of his time, tell him that story and thank him. A little thing that made a huge difference.
 
Aviation is easy. It’s in my DNA. I’m a third generation Arizona aviator.

Explaining how the sea called me, is the tough one knowing that I grew up in the desert and I haven’t found anyone in my family tree who went to sea in the last 200 years
 
I grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, during and after World War II. Jacksonville then was a great time and place to be for naturally curious and inquisitive kids. With Jacksonville NAS, Mayport NAS, Green Cove Springs NAS, and Cecil Field NAS in close proximity, there were airplanes everywhere, and I got hooked early building balsa "stick models" of F4U Corsairs, P-51 Mustangs, and even B-25 Mitchells. I hung out at Herlong Field (KHEG) watching GA airplanes landing and taking off for hours and listening to war stories in the FBO's office. When I enlisted in the Air Force after high school and got stationed at Vandenberg AFB, I joined the aero club and learned to fly. I got my private certificate fifty-four years ago on 9/11/1964 at Hill AFB in Utah. I was 22.
 
Ryanb said:
What intrigued you to get involved with aviation?
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Went to a family day at an Air Force base in the mid/late 60s. I can still feel the roar of the F-4s and Thunderbirds Super Sabre. Later, after 2nd solo sign off, realized turning wrenches vs stick jockeying was where I wanted to be.
 
Dreamed of flying at a young age. Joined the Navy and worked on planes because I knew I could never fly in the military because of vision.

My Navy years allowed me to work on the A-4, T-2, P-3 aircraft, 4 years active and 10 reserve. Deployed mainly on West PAC deployments. Went to collage and got my BSME when I was 30. Entered the work force, bought a house and started pilot training. Bought my first and only plane 2 years after earning my PPL.

I will never work as a commercial pilot but have enjoyed the hobby for almost 25 years. I have flown from the Biloxi, MS to Juneau to Chicago to Knoxville, Elko, NV, Ketchikan and back to Juneau as my work has moved me around the country.

I feel fortunate my dream as a young boy became reality....:)
 
Loved airplanes since I was a little kid, which isn’t unusual of course.

I just never grew out of it!
 
I've described it on here before. Applied to and was accepted to the Air Force Academy with the intention to fly. Girlfriend talked me out of it.

Girlfriend long since gone... [Don't get me wrong, she was a very nice girl]

years later had the means to earn a PPL certificate and now own.
 
R/C model boats with my Dad led to R/C planes, then Dad gave me a copy of Richard Bach's Biplane.. and that's all she wrote.
 
I wasn't interested in aviation until 2014. I was reading a novel in which a small plane crashed and a witness quipped "He wouldn't have crashed if he did a run up." I looked up what a run up was, and went down a google rabbit hole of aviation. at the same time, and without either of us knowing what the other was thinking, my in-laws stopped by the local airport and bought a gift certificate for me for Christmas.

Since then, I have gotten my PPL and got a job as an Air Traffic Controller (just started OJT in San Juan)
 
Stan Cooper said:
I grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, during and after World War II. Jacksonville then was a great time and place to be for naturally curious and inquisitive kids. With Jacksonville NAS, Mayport NAS, Green Cove Springs NAS, and Cecil Field NAS in close proximity, there were airplanes everywhere, and I got hooked early building balsa "stick models" of F4U Corsairs, P-51 Mustangs, and even B-25 Mitchells. I hung out at Herlong Field (KHEG) watching GA airplanes landing and taking off for hours and listening to war stories in the FBO's office. When I enlisted in the Air Force after high school and got stationed at Vandenberg AFB, I joined the aero club and learned to fly. I got my private certificate fifty-four years ago on 9/11/1964 at Hill AFB in Utah. I was 22.
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I, too, was raised in Jax, but in the '60s and '70s. Haven't decided yet where I'll grow up.

My dad and two of his brothers worked at NAS Jax in the Naval Air Rework Facility. I had an aunt that worked at Cecil as an electronics technician. I recall going to air shows at the base, crawling through lots of cool planes, watching the Blues fly, etc. I built lots of model planes and flew control line models, but real planes were out of reach when I was a kid. Flying didn't become a real possibility until I was older with some disposable income and a little extra time.
 
Kinda always was, dad flew, I built models as a little kid

Alea iacta est
 
Actually grew up on Air Force bases as my dad was career Air Force, I remember seeing B-47s at McDill AFB when we were there in the mid 50s I guess, I was probably 8-9. F-100s when he was stationed at Clark AB in the PI. I think I saw the Thunderbirds there too when they flew the F-100. Had an uncle who flew C-46s over “the Hump” and retired as a Colonel. I enlisted and spent 20 years in the USAF myself, became a controller so had an air show daily. Stationed in S. Korea and learned to fly in the aero club there.
 
Loved airplanes as far back as I can remember. Grandmother was a pilot and owned a 172. Two uncles are pilots, father took lessons but never completed (but loves aviation). Grandmother said I could name the instruments / aircraft components by age 4. We’d go to the Biplane fly-in at Bartlesville, OK each year. She also got me hooked on practicing on MSFS with a Windows 3.1 computer when it first came out.

Built dozens of model aircraft and model rockets. Wanted to be a career pilot up until my senior year of high school or so, but decided against it for lifestyle reasons.

Did ground school at OU, finished the flying portion after graduation.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Somebody at a bar bet me $10 I wouldn’t go take a flight lesson.
 
<- That is me, if that tells you anything :)

The longer story.... Developed polio when I was 5, and was treated at the University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City. When I was released, my dad, mom, and a friend of his picked me up and took me home to Illinois in a Cessna 195. Night flight...round engine....full moon....dayum!.....totally hooked! Secondary reinforcement...attended my first EAA convention in Rockford in 1962 (8th grade, I think), got a ride in a Ford Tri-Motor (N414H...how come I can't remember anything else?) and never looked back.

Jim
 
I’m a male. Why wouldn’t I like airplanes?
 
I remember flying with my dad in Aeronca Champs at 5 years old...….Round earth / flat earth...both theories were wrong, the earth was tilted,

45 and 60 degree banked turns. LOL
 
wrapping up my junior year in college and didn’t take any summer courses. Of all people my dad (hates flying) mentions why not go and get your ppl. I loved planes. Built some RC planes. Loved to goto airshows He must have read about it in a mag about flight schools inFL that you get in in a few weeks. Did have some money saved up and he spotted some as well so I went to Phoenix East in Daytona and just about finished and got smoked out so care home and finished up kept working and flying while finished school. I’m kinda the guy that loves to keep learning so I kept taking lessons. Working on my IFR i got accepted to PA school and was unable to keep working on IFR and goto pa school full time. Flew for a few years then life got busy. And didn’t for 15-20 yrs.

Turned 40 and a buddy that flies a ton surprises me with a gift cert for the hours with CFI for a flight review. Since then bought into a small club 182, flying with family, always planning new missions, putting finishing touches on IFR, and saving for something bigger!!!
 
Ravioli said:
I've described it on here before. Applied to and was accepted to the Air Force Academy with the intention to fly. Girlfriend talked me out of it.

Girlfriend long since gone... [Don't get me wrong, she was a very nice girl]

years later had the means to earn a PPL certificate and now own.
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Sounds like you were at a major crossroads.
 
Remember throwing balsa gliders around in the backyard at age 5-6. Spent my allowance regularly at Grants department Store in a strip mall down the street from me on 25c Northern Pacific rubber windup planes. Graduated to building Guillows stick and tissue models. First one was a Newport 28. Way over my head, but I kearned a lot. Moved on to control line and built the requisite Sterling Ringmaster with a K&B .35 on it. Then went on to RC. One day I was designing a model of an RV 6A when I made the realization that there was already a kit if it to build, just that it was full size. Decided that maybe it was time to build an airplane that I could get into for once. Took lessons after taking an aerobatic ride in a super Decathelon. Got on the intercom on the down side of a hammerhead and said, “Where do I sign up?!”

After the PPL, built the RV6A, love flying it. The “disease” continues and am currently building a Hatz Classic.
 
Always loved science. Learned about how wings fly in 3rd grade and was fascinated with flying. Built dozens of model airplanes as a kid and flew them. Was always too poor to contemplate flying, but read flying mags in high school and college. My first real job turned out to be 2 miles from a great little GA airport with rock bottom training prices. Jumped with both feet with great, crusty instructor. Fortunately my career kept up with flying costs. Can't imagine not flying now. Wife is sold on regional travel by GA. Breakfast at home, lunch in DC. Or day trip to Buffalo to see friends. Can't do that by car.
 
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Ryanb said:
I’d love to hear the story on that one!
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So my grandfather was in the fighter pipeline during WWII training in AT-6s at Merced AAF. The last week or so before graduation, his bunk mate and good friend was killed in a night landing accident. My grandfather escorted the body home to the family. Really shook him up at the time.

When he returned to Merced, they asked him if he’d rather switch to bombers. He took the offer and two things happened as a result:

1) Instead if going to fighters, he was sent to Douglas, AZ for B-25 training which is where he met my grandmother.

2) the switch delayed him being operational and the war ended before he finished training.

So, you could say if Wheezer (his friend was Robert Hutchins of the original Little Rascals) hadn’t gotten killed that night, I wouldn’t be here.
 
My 19 year old brother loved airplanes, and when he was able to save up the money for a Discovery Flight he took me (his 12 year old younger brother) along for the ride. A smooth clear night looking down at the lights of New York and northern NJ, and I was hooked. I am forever grateful to him for that night.
 
Fearless Tower said:
So my grandfather was in the fighter pipeline during WWII training in AT-6s at Merced AAF. The last week or so before graduation, his bunk mate and good friend was killed in a night landing accident. My grandfather escorted the body home to the family. Really shook him up at the time.

When he returned to Merced, they asked him if he’d rather switch to bombers. He took the offer and two things happened as a result:

1) Instead if going to fighters, he was sent to Douglas, AZ for B-25 training which is where he met my grandmother.

2) the switch delayed him being operational and the war ended before he finished training.

So, you could say if Wheezer (his friend was Robert Hutchins of the original Little Rascals) hadn’t gotten killed that night, I wouldn’t be here.
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That’s really something! Thanks for sharing!
 
When I was three my family moved near Cherry Point. The jets would always fly over and at some point we went to an airshow and I've been hooked ever since. I probably read every flight manual I could track down by the age of 13.
 
It was iterative - Native American P-51 pilot from a comic book, before first grade; sonic booms, and trying to spot the boomer in the bright summer sky; The Bridges at Toko Ri, Twelve O'clock High, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo. I can still clearly see an Albatros DIII model I built in first grade - I think it was the shape of airplanes that hooked me, the motion dictating the form, and the mystery of moving in three dimensions. . .
 
I really didn't have the burning passion to fly, but I did have the burning passion for adventure.

The thought of flying passengers from big airport to big airport in radar contact and in safe environments the entire time just bores me to death. At this point in my life the thought of flying single engine VFR only planes in icing conditions north of the artic circle in winter again sounds boring to me, but I will probably do it again.
 
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