How did you become interested in Aviation?

[Mtns2Skies]

I have no aviation in my family, but for my 10th birthday I got Microsoft Flight Simulator X. It was all over from there. I spent a huge, huge majority of my childhood flying FSX and around when I was 13 or 14 my dad asked if I wanted to try it for real. Well, the shy side of me took over and I initially said no but he convinced me to give it a try and well, it's all history from there.

It's also worth noting that when I was 12 or 13 I had decided I wanted to own an airplane. At the time it was a Maule M5 (due to the Maule M7 in FSX) and through the years that plane changed probably a hundred times, those of you that have been around PoA as long as me can attest to my AADD (Airplane ADD). Every week I'd decide I'd want a different airplane, anything from a Citabria to a Navajo and everything in between. It wasn't until mid college that I was dead-set on a Skywagon, and that turned out pretty well. Not too far off from that Maule I wanted in the beginning either .

 

[edo2000]

I always loved airplanes and got my first GA ride at 10 yrs old in a Cherokee Six with a family friend. Growing up in small-town Alaska, GA airplanes were everywhere, but I wasn't really thinking of learning to fly. Then my twin brother got his PPL at 16 and convinced me that we needed to be partners on our own airplane. We both had summer jobs in commercial fishing and worked in the family business, so we had some money. We bought a used Citabria(7KCAB) together and I got my PPL at 17 (1979), did all my training and flying for the first few years in that Citabria. My brother and I were partners on many different aircraft(...C310, C185, Scout floatplane, several others..). Both of us have been active pilots our entire lives. I worked as an instructor and had some commercial flying jobs in my 20's and 30's in Alaska but didn't seriously pursue it as a career. Moved to New Mexico a few years back, and sold my 1/2 of the C185 and told myself it would be more practical to not own/fly an aircraft. That lasted about 6 months...

 

[Bill Watson]

I have no aviation in my family, but for my 10th birthday I got Microsoft Flight Simulator X. It was all over from there. I spent a huge, huge majority of my childhood flying FSX and around when I was 13 or 14 my dad asked if I wanted to try it for real. Well, the shy side of me took over and I initially said no but he convinced me to give it a try and well, it's all history from there.

It's also worth noting that when I was 12 or 13 I had decided I wanted to own an airplane. At the time it was a Maule M5 (due to the Maule M7 in FSX) and through the years that plane changed probably a hundred times, those of you that have been around PoA as long as me can attest to my AADD (Airplane ADD). Every week I'd decide I'd want a different airplane, anything from a Citabria to a Navajo and everything in between. It wasn't until mid college that I was dead-set on a Skywagon, and that turned out pretty well. Not too far off from that Maule I wanted in the beginning either .

There was a Maule in FSX!! Didn’t know that. Bought the darn thing and never really played with it much. I just went and bought an MX7. Of course my first MSFS exposure was back in 82-83 when one used cursor keys to move a cursor around a monochrome low res screen.

I was much more interested in writing scoring Progams for soaring meets.

I like your taste in aircraft!



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[1RTK1]

Circa 1967. Of course, I can thank my old man who flew for the US Army. Below was his steed (Comanche 180) which took us often to the Bahamas, Sanibel Island and the frequent runs between Huntsville and Shreveport. Later years he had a Mooney Super 21, C-310 and a Yankee. He taught me to fly when I was 16 in that Yankee. We traveled in style and as you can see, he also taught me the importance of the Second Amendment lol...

BTW, he likes my Cherokee as the color schemes are very similar of the period with the old flying Piper indians

Good times



View attachment 68020

Awesome picture, wish more travelers dressed like that and packed heat

 

[Hang 4]

Got a ride in a 172 when I was 10, think as part of cub scouts. Read a National Geographic article about sailplanes and noted that you could solo at 14 or so.. got my attention. Told parents I wanted to do that, they mentioned that it wasn't going to happen.

Fast forward to high school, senior year french teacher says "who wants to build a hang glider?". This was in 1975, and Popular Mechanics had an article with plans. Me and 5 classmates all started, only two finished. We flew off of ski hills and managed to not kill ourselves. I stopped for a few years and re-started in 85 when the gliders actually had decent thermal and glide performance. Started flying competitions and got OK at it. Have multiple >50 mile flights. Last year, I decided to take a PP course in anticipation of a period where HG might be too physical, but sailplanes might be OK. Ended up buying a Cherokee and really enjoy flying it. Still very much into Hang Gliding and went to a competition 1 week after getting my PP Cert. Now planning to get IFR in the spring.

 

[BigBadLou]

How did you become interested in Aviation?

I was born. That's how it started. *shrug*
Ever since I can remember, I would be making fighter jet noises and claim I was doing a negative 4G pushover inverted with a Mig-28.
So it seems that we aren't that far apart.

I have always thought that every man (at least every real man) was born to fly, ride motorcycles, shoot a .44 Magnum and smoke cigars. Boy was I wrong. I am glad i grew up in the last good generation who knows what a hatchet is for. (it has multiple uses btw)

So yeah, I think I might have been born with cap'n epaulets on my pink slimy shoulders.

 

[redtail]

Small kid: I wanted to be an astronaut and fly the Space Shuttle. I learned all about Sally Ride, and had Shuttle posters on the wall.
There was no defining moment. It was always there. My parents'll say, oh yeah, we could tell real early.
I dressed up as Amelia Earhart for a kids' Halloween party once. (All the other girls came as princesses.)

I have a dozen hours or more of shuttle mission tapes I recorded on VHS from the NASA channel. Eight years ago, I took a seven hour tour of the NASA facility while my wife, son and other family members did Disney, lol.
Picked up this book just before the Shuttle program ended. You would love it! I think you can still find it on Amazon.

The tour of the NASA facility which includes trips out to the launch pad, was well worth it!

 

[OkieFlyer]

Can't really blame it on one thing, but I'd say the first thing that got me looking at airplanes was my older brother loved putting together little airplane models. Most of them were military jets. Once completed, he would hang them from the ceiling of our bedroom. Then when he was gone, I would unhang them and play with them. Then after I broke them, I would get a few lashes with dad's belt.

The next thing that got me interested was Top Gun. Absolutely loved the F-14. I was a little kid in the 80s, so that movie was just amazing to me.

In my early teens, my cousin had a computer game called Aces of the Pacific. I fell in love with war birds playing that. Particularly the Corsair.

Around the same time, my great uncle from Colorado came down in his own airplane. I think it was a Piper model. He let me take the controls for a minute or two, and I was in awe.

I always stayed interested in military aviation, but never was around GA at all other than that one ride with my uncle. Flying in the military never seemed like a viable option for me, commercial aviation never appealed me at all, and I never really figured I'd have the fundage to own a plane, so it was always just something of a fantasy.

About 7 years ago, my wife bought me a gift certificate for a discovery flight from a fund raising auction. I took it, and it was awesome. I started poking around at a nearby flight school, and found out it wasn't terribly expensive to learn to fly, but again, I dismissed it as a frivolous and an unnecessary financial hardship on my family.

My wife MADE me go back, and the rest is history.

 

[Bill Watson]

About 7 years ago, my wife bought me a gift certificate for a discovery flight from a fund raising auction. I took it, and it was awesome. I started poking around at a nearby flight school, and found out it wasn't terribly expensive to learn to fly, but again, I dismissed it as a frivolous and an unnecessary financial hardship on my family.

My wife MADE me go back, and the rest is history.

Funny how one’s spouse often plays a key role.

I was flying long before I met my life mate but when we met, I had stopped flying. Why? In part because I worked in Manhattan and flying was too expensive, but also because I had been kicked out of the glider club where I had been introduced to the magic of soaring (on my first badge attempt I made 2 circles at the landing pattern IP in an effort to save the flight. That was against the rules and I was kicked out).

I recall sitting down with my boss at one point and trying to negotiate a pay raise because I couldn’t afford to fly gliders. As you can imagine, that wasn’t a successful approach but I’ll always remember him telling me that I needed was a spouse with a 2nd income. Hmmm....

While dating my future spouse I was continually looking at the sky and talking about cloud formations with a certain amount of sadness. She kept asking me what that was all about and I started telling her about flying and soaring in particular. I told her that I had reached a point where I wanted to soar cross country but could only do so if I owned my own sailplane. “Well if that’s what you need, let’s go buy one!”

We did, she handled crew duties and here we are 38 years later.





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[LongRoadBob]

My father was a pilot, so... as a kid I flew with him, he had a 172. Grew up with it. Which I consider really a plus, since as a kid you think dad is like a god, so it's safe. So I have this innate feeling that it is safe as long as one flies well I loved airplanes, built models, flew with dad as passenger, etc. up until I was 12 or so when parents divorced. After that we only had a few small flights when I visited him. But I wanted to fly and just didn't have the money for lessons as a young man, or even middle aged man. The dream eventually just became a "pipe dream", and when I finally did have resources enough I had forgotten about that dream. Then it hit me one day.

Dad passed away before I started pilot training. I regret that very much. Wish I could have talked with him about all kinds of aspects of flying. Also asked him more about his experiences.

But how HE got into it. I understood was he just had THE bug from when he was just a kid. His father had no ties to aviation, so it was just as with many of you guys, it just was something he burned for, and he got his pilot training in...what I thought was "the Naval Air Force" but I'm not 100% sure. He became a private pilot after that when I was born. He didn't talk about his training ever with me.

 

[kgruber]

My father wasn't a pilot............but flew the airlines extensively as a pro photographer worldwide. I went along on this flight in 1955 @FrankfortAirport.

 

[Eric Gleason]

Love all these stories, and particularly the photos.

My dad few skydivers when I was a toddler in the 70s. His dad was a corporate exec and private pilot, and my father used his GI Bill to pay for a bunch of his flight training. When I was little, we'd spend every weekend at the drop zone, and I was totally smitten. It's an affliction that would never leave me. I learned to fly gliders at that airport when I was 13-14, and continued that until I was old enough to pursue powered lessons in high school, getting my rating just after graduation. Finished my glider rating in college, thanks to a student glider club that made it insanely cheap, and re-joined CAP as an adult to keep flying. This year, I finally joined a club so I can fly more recreationally and take the family, and just started working on the instrument rating (again), hoping to finish up by next spring at the latest.

 

[Bill Watson]

My father was a pilot, so... as a kid I flew with him, he had a 172. Grew up with it. Which I consider really a plus, since as a kid you think dad is like a god, so it's safe. So I have this innate feeling that it is safe as long as one flies well I loved airplanes, built models, flew with dad as passenger, etc. up until I was 12 or so when parents divorced. After that we only had a few small flights when I visited him. But I wanted to fly and just didn't have the money for lessons as a young man, or even middle aged man. The dream eventually just became a "pipe dream", and when I finally did have resources enough I had forgotten about that dream. Then it hit me one day.

Dad passed away before I started pilot training. I regret that very much. Wish I could have talked with him about all kinds of aspects of flying. Also asked him more about his experiences.

But how HE got into it. I understood was he just had THE bug from when he was just a kid. His father had no ties to aviation, so it was just as with many of you guys, it just was something he burned for, and he got his pilot training in...what I thought was "the Naval Air Force" but I'm not 100% sure. He became a private pilot after that when I was born. He didn't talk about his training ever with me.

As I mentioned earlier my Dad was into modeling and I did have a chance to share my flying with him before he passed but I missed the chance to share my RV10 build with him and that would have truly been a joy.

My Dad was a dentist but not by choice. At heart he was an engineer and craftsman. But growing up, black, in the 30s he was told repeatedly that engineering wasn’t an option though he clearly displayed some talent. So he was ‘given away’ by his Kentucky family to a couple in the north who had a dental practice. His college was paid for with the understanding that he would become a dentist and join the practice, which he did after serving as a dentist in the segregated Army.

But his love for engineering and related crafts never left him. I grew up watching a scratch built TV and listening to homemade hifi components. He built a fair amount of furniture but found the best expression of his interests in models. RC in the 50s was very much built from scratch and flew in balsa stick airframes. He was never much of a flyer but very much an electrical experimenter and fine builder. When my brother and I started flying, he was our builder and his RC buddy our instructor.

After I got my license for SEL and gliders I was able to take him on a flight up the Hudson and take him to a glider competition. He was certainly proud and I was perhaps even prouder.

After he passed I began to build an RV10 and I don’t think there was a moment when he wasn’t beside me in the shop. When it was time to build a panel I thought I would farm it out but decided to DIY because I know my Dad would and could.

I was able to share my joy of flight but missed the chance to share his joy in the building.



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[mumblecanfly]

It started with a toy at grandma & grandpa's house.

View attachment 67960

Had attitude issues even then.

You resembled your dog

 

[jsstevens]

As I mentioned earlier my Dad was into modeling and I did have a chance to share my flying with him before he passed but I missed the chance to share my RV10 build with him and that would have truly been a joy.

My Dad was a dentist but not by choice. At heart he was an engineer and craftsman. But growing up, black, in the 30s he was told repeatedly that engineering wasn’t an option though he clearly displayed some talent. So he was ‘given away’ by his Kentucky family to a couple in the north who had a dental practice. His college was paid for with the understanding that he would become a dentist and join the practice, which he did after serving as a dentist in the segregated Army.

But his love for engineering and related crafts never left him. I grew up watching a scratch built TV and listening to homemade hifi components. He built a fair amount of furniture but found the best expression of his interests in models. RC in the 50s was very much built from scratch and flew in balsa stick airframes. He was never much of a flyer but very much an electrical experimenter and fine builder. When my brother and I started flying, he was our builder and his RC buddy our instructor.

After I got my license for SEL and gliders I was able to take him on a flight up the Hudson and take him to a glider competition. He was certainly proud and I was perhaps even prouder.

After he passed I began to build an RV10 and I don’t think there was a moment when he wasn’t beside me in the shop. When it was time to build a panel I thought I would farm it out but decided to DIY because I know my Dad would and could.

I was able to share my joy of flight but missed the chance to share his joy in the building.



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What a wonderful story! I did get to take my dad flying a few times. He soloed in a Piper Cub during the early 1950s but quit after that. He helped me build my very first flying model airplane, but after that mainly enjoyed watching.

John

 

[LongRoadBob]

As I mentioned earlier my Dad was into modeling and I did have a chance to share my flying with him before he passed but I missed the chance to share my RV10 build with him and that would have truly been a joy.

My Dad was a dentist but not by choice. At heart he was an engineer and craftsman. But growing up, black, in the 30s he was told repeatedly that engineering wasn’t an option though he clearly displayed some talent. So he was ‘given away’ by his Kentucky family to a couple in the north who had a dental practice. His college was paid for with the understanding that he would become a dentist and join the practice, which he did after serving as a dentist in the segregated Army.

But his love for engineering and related crafts never left him. I grew up watching a scratch built TV and listening to homemade hifi components. He built a fair amount of furniture but found the best expression of his interests in models. RC in the 50s was very much built from scratch and flew in balsa stick airframes. He was never much of a flyer but very much an electrical experimenter and fine builder. When my brother and I started flying, he was our builder and his RC buddy our instructor.

After I got my license for SEL and gliders I was able to take him on a flight up the Hudson and take him to a glider competition. He was certainly proud and I was perhaps even prouder.

After he passed I began to build an RV10 and I don’t think there was a moment when he wasn’t beside me in the shop. When it was time to build a panel I thought I would farm it out but decided to DIY because I know my Dad would and could.

I was able to share my joy of flight but missed the chance to share his joy in the building.



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That is great you got to have that together! Like I say, wish I had realized I could start on my pilots license while he was still alive. As to models, god...they used to be so much better

When I started flying with a Piper PA-28 I found exactly one plastic model, and it's ok, but...same when I went over to the C172.
They don't design those models like they used to and can't find any other "decent sized" model to make. Oh well.

I can still remember being a little kid and my dad and me making a balsa wood airplane, cutting out the balsa, crepe paper covering, using "dope" to shrink it in place, etc.

I think my dad knew how much I liked airplanes. But really regret not asking him more about it all. He probably thought I wasn't interested in flying, but I always was. I feel lucky that I had that with him though.

 

[Mooney Fan]

Circa 1967. Of course, I can thank my old man who flew for the US Army. Below was his steed (Comanche 180) which took us often to the Bahamas, Sanibel Island and the frequent runs between Huntsville and Shreveport. Later years he had a Mooney Super 21, C-310 and a Yankee. He taught me to fly when I was 16 in that Yankee. We traveled in style and as you can see, he also taught me the importance of the Second Amendment lol...

BTW, he likes my Cherokee as the color schemes are very similar of the period with the old flying Piper indians

Good times



View attachment 68020

I thought I would add to this thread with a little more about my mentor.... Dad... Some of you might remember my post from a year ago when I took Dad on this last flight. Thought I would copy paste here,

https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/taking-my-mentor-dad-for-a-flight-today.106490/
----------------
This is going to be a great day.

In his prime, my Dad was my CFI when I was 16, bumping along in his AA1 Yankee. He is prior Army Reserve where he flew L-19 Bird Dogs, Beavers and the C-45 (Beech-18)

Today he's 83 with a prosthetic and in poor health. He used to own planes his whole life, Yankee, Mooney's, Comanche and his favorite a 1967 C-310.

My brother will join us for the memorable flight. My step-mom says Dad has been like a little kid the past few days since I called him to see if he wanted to take a ride. I am very happy I started flying again after the 14 year absence for days just like this

The best part was when he asked, "You're going to let me fly right?" He said "I'll keep us straight and level"

Yea, Dad....... Your airplane

-MF
-------------------------

The day was epic. It started with the walk of course on the ramp. Our plane for the day was tied down just three spots down from the car. I turned around and Dad was stopped at a beautiful blue Cirrus. I went over and he asked 'what is this?" I told him about the plane and he was amazed that a fixed gear plane like that could cruise ~185kts. He was even more amazed it rented for $250 or so wet.

As we got him all set-up in the plane he commented on how you just can't beat the smell of a well worn airplane.

We departed to the south for the Cumberland river and as I climbed through 1500' I told him, Your airplane Dad, he said OK, grabbed the yoke and continued our climb up to 3500', I controlled the power for him as he was getting adjusted to the feel of flying again. Gentle S turns leading to a nice 30 degree 360 where he held altitude within 100'. He then asked if I was OK with him performing a departure stall which he did very well at. I dialed up Springfield TN on the Garmin and briefed him on how to NAV using the box. He put us on a 45 for the left downwind to Rwy 22. Turned us base and at that point I took over and we did a couple touch and goes then he flew us back to Tune. We followed with an awesome lunch at Arnold's, a renown Meat and Three on 8th Ave in Nashville.

The flight was like old times.

-MF

 

[redtail]

Can't really blame it on one thing, but I'd say the first thing that got me looking at airplanes was my older brother loved putting together little airplane models. Most of them were military jets. Once completed, he would hang them from the ceiling of our bedroom. Then when he was gone, I would unhang them and play with them. Then after I broke them, I would get a few lashes with dad's belt.

The next thing that got me interested was Top Gun. Absolutely loved the F-14. I was a little kid in the 80s, so that movie was just amazing to me.

In my early teens, my cousin had a computer game called Aces of the Pacific. I fell in love with war birds playing that. Particularly the Corsair.

Around the same time, my great uncle from Colorado came down in his own airplane. I think it was a Piper model. He let me take the controls for a minute or two, and I was in awe.

I always stayed interested in military aviation, but never was around GA at all other than that one ride with my uncle. Flying in the military never seemed like a viable option for me, commercial aviation never appealed me at all, and I never really figured I'd have the fundage to own a plane, so it was always just something of a fantasy.

About 7 years ago, my wife bought me a gift certificate for a discovery flight from a fund raising auction. I took it, and it was awesome. I started poking around at a nearby flight school, and found out it wasn't terribly expensive to learn to fly, but again, I dismissed it as a frivolous and an unnecessary financial hardship on my family.

My wife MADE me go back, and the rest is history.

2003 "Thunder over the Boardwalk", Atlantic City airshow. On vacation with the family, I was caught off guard and had no idea the Tomcat would be there for the weekend show. So the next day, I ran out to a video/camera store and rented a VHS-C camcorder. Recorded some incredible footage of an amazing performance over the beach. When he lit the burners and started banking and turning left and right, it was one of the most incredible things I'd ever seen at an airshow! That was the only time I've ever seen one in flight. I still have the tapes, but need to get an adapter to play them.

I was crazy about Top Gun also, (saw it in the theater when it came out). Used to play Fleet Defender by Microprose (along with Falcon and a bunch of others). Now we're on the brink of having a true "Study Sim" version of the F-14A/B (DCS World) in a couple of months. This is going to be a blast in VR.

http://heatblur.com/
https://stormbirds.blog/2018/10/07/dcs-f-14-by-heatblur-fully-revealed/

 

[Bill Watson]

Mooney Fan, looks like your Dad never stopped flying in high style. A real good looking man there.

Thanks for sharing!


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[Kenny Phillips]

Grew up down the road from the airport (KAKR), and my father worked for Goodyear Zeppelin/Aircraft/Aerospace, located at the airport. We called the Goodyear Airdock the "blimp garage". Got to fly in tiny planes long before I got to fly in jets.

 

[woodchucker]

Grew up down the road from the airport (KAKR), and my father worked for Goodyear Zeppelin/Aircraft/Aerospace, located at the airport. We called the Goodyear Airdock the "blimp garage". Got to fly in tiny planes long before I got to fly in jets.

My mom, myself and one of my sisters were all born in the same hospital in Akron. My grandma used to work for Goodyear also, starting back during WWII sometime.

 

[mumblecanfly]

“Well if that’s what you need, let’s go buy one!”

We did, she handled crew duties and here we are 38 years later.

Great love story!

 

[35 AoA]

Cool stories guys!

For me, my grandfather flew in the AK bush in the 1920's, AAF in the 30's and 40's, and retired from the USAF in the 1960's. He died a few years later, and well before I was born........but all the stories from my mom and grandmother were part of it. My father was a retired Naval Aviator, so he was probably most responsible for giving me the bug. I was flying his plane from the right seat by a pretty early age. If we went on a trip, you better believe we went to some Naval Air Station to watch jets flying around and get lunch at the o-club (back when they were actually open outside of Wed/Fri nights). I'll say my interest in aviation was pretty narrow as a kid, as in grey pointy nosed military jets exclusively. To a large extent, that is still my true interest, though over the years (and after flying a decent amount of GA when I started out) that has expanded.

 

[Sundance]

I spent my school years in the PNW built and flew UC, joined CAP and attended Votech joined Army 1966, CP UH1A one tour SEA flew first 7AC Aeronca Champ Kadena Aero Club, retired Airguard OKC 1989 PFE/RII 727/DC-8 retired 2008, LSA 7AC Aeronca Champ. Been a great 72 years really started at 9 years old.

 

[Crashnburn]

I was so young that I don't remember doing this, but my mother said that when I was young I would run outside whenever a jet flew over yelling "**** Plane! **** Plane" because I couldn't say Jet.

My uncle and his friend gave my older brother a plastic U-Control model of a Piper Cub for Christmas one year. It had an 0.020 glow engine in it, and for some reason it wouldn't start and run in the below freezing weather of rural KS at Christmas. When it warmed up, we built and flew U-Control planes, but it was hard to keep our ground crew interested and around (our younger brothers). I also tried Free-Flight and RC.

I worked for the FAA for about 18 months after I graduated from college. I sat in for the DPE before a co-worker's check ride but didn't get to touch the controls. I thought that if I started flyingI would spend all my free time and money at the airport, so I ended up wasting it on other things.

I sort of lost interest for a long time until the Wichita fog was so bad the airport closed, and I figured I could make it back to CA in a light plane faster than what this flight was going to take. When I looked at C-172 prices I got sticker shock. I explored Experimental Airplanes as well.

I worked for Cessna in Wichita and took some flying lessons there, but my heart wasn't in it, and my instructor wasn't anyone to write home about. The plan was I would move back to CA and take time to get my PPL here. But, life has gotten in the way, and I'm still a pre-solo student pilot.

I have FSX:SE (Flight Simulator 10: Steam Edition) on my computer. The computer is fast, and mostly handles FSX seamlessly, esp. since I put the DX 10 Scenery Fixer that moves graphics calculations from the CPU to the GPU. I know FSX isn't the same as real flying, but I remember what I read about flying, esp. taxiing on POA, and try it, and it works better than what I had been doing. Electricity is a lot less expensive than AV Gas!

I do have my FSX PPL Certificate. I can also get a FSX IFR Certificate, Commercial Certificate, and ATP Certificate. Just looking at what's available in FSX makes me realize that I've barely touched the surface or real world aviation.

I work on my Aviation Knowledge almost every workday lunch for a few minutes.

 

[redtail]

I have FSX:SE (Flight Simulator 10: Steam Edition) on my computer. The computer is fast, and mostly handles FSX seamlessly, esp. since I put the DX 10 Scenery Fixer that moves graphics calculations from the CPU to the GPU. I know FSX isn't the same as real flying, but I remember what I read about flying, esp. taxiing on POA, and try it, and it works better than what I had been doing. Electricity is a lot less expensive than AV Gas!

I do have my FSX PPL Certificate. I can also get a FSX IFR Certificate, Commercial Certificate, and ATP Certificate. Just looking at what's available in FSX makes me realize that I've barely touched the surface or real world aviation.

I work on my Aviation Knowledge almost every workday lunch for a few minutes.

Well if you want to get a little bit closer to the real thing via your PC, consider VR. A fast CPU/GPU combo (I'm running an i7-7700K overclocked @ 5Ghz and GTX 1080ti) that I built to feed my Oculus Rift CV1.

Along with Aerofly FS2, is about as realistic as you can get as far as the immersion of being IN the cockpit.
AFS2 is still in development and has a ways to go, so currently it's not as full featured as FSX/X-Plane. But in VR it is amazing!
Sooo much more immersive and natural than looking at a 2D monitor.
https://www.aerofly.com/#slide-1

 

[Crashnburn]

Thanks. That sounds amazing. I'll have to look into it.

 

[Ted]

About 7 years ago, my wife bought me a gift certificate for a discovery flight from a fund raising auction. I took it, and it was awesome. I started poking around at a nearby flight school, and found out it wasn't terribly expensive to learn to fly, but again, I dismissed it as a frivolous and an unnecessary financial hardship on my family.

My wife MADE me go back, and the rest is history.

Funny how one’s spouse often plays a key role.

Here's another version of that.

I was engaged when I started flying. It became obvious quickly that I wanted to own a plane. Although she liked flying fine, she quickly turned to "We can't afford this, you should just give it up." But anything she wanted in her mind we (I) could afford.

So I realized that if I got rid of her, I could afford aviation just fine.

There was a lot more to it than that, as you might expect, but she was removed from the picture.

 

[redtail]

Thanks. That sounds amazing. I'll have to look into it.

Once you try it (VR), you WILL get hooked! Although the resolution of the current VR HMDs isn't as sharp as a monitor, it's sharp enough to read the instruments.

The sense of scale is very convincing, especially with respect to ground proximity during takeoff and landing. As a pre-solo student, many will caution you on the use of flightsims because it's easy to develop bad habits. True, BUT... since you are already into them, VR will not contribute to the development of any bad habits.
If anything, VR will help you develop good habits, because while wearing the HMD, I find myself looking around and scanning outside of the cockpit just as I do in the real plane. Unlike staring at a monitor. It's a great way to keep "flying" when life gets in the way of real flying!

 

[Crashnburn]

Here's another version of that.

I was engaged when I started flying. It became obvious quickly that I wanted to own a plane. Although she liked flying fine, she quickly turned to "We can't afford this, you should just give it up." But anything she wanted in her mind we (I) could afford.

So I realized that if I got rid of her, I could afford aviation just fine.

There was a lot more to it than that, as you might expect, but she was removed from the picture.

I haven't seen much mention of AIDS (Aviation Induced Divorce Syndrome) on POA.

 

[Crashnburn]

Once you try it (VR), you WILL get hooked! Although the resolution of the current VR HMDs isn't as sharp as a monitor, it's sharp enough to read the instruments.

The sense of scale is very convincing, especially with respect to ground proximity during takeoff and landing. As a pre-solo student, many will caution you on the use of flightsims because it's easy to develop bad habits. True, BUT... since you are already into them, VR will not contribute to the development of any bad habits.
If anything, VR will help you develop good habits, because while wearing the HMD, I find myself looking around and scanning outside of the cockpit just as I do in the real plane. Unlike staring at a monitor. It's a great way to keep "flying" when life gets in the way of real flying!

Have you tried Track-IR? If so, how does VR compare?

 

[Ted]

I haven't seen much mention of AIDS (Aviation Induced Divorce Syndrome) on POA.

In my situation it more came down to helping me realize that I was making a bad decision for many reasons, and had a chance to rectify it before it became permanent.

 

[redtail]

Have you tried Track-IR? If so, how does VR compare?

Yep, first version with the reflective hat clip thing, then upgraded to the current IR LED version (4 or 5 I forget). TrackIR is incredible for what it does with a PC monitor. However, VR is in a class by itself. No comparison due to the fact that in VR, your brain is tricked into believing (and feeling) like you are actually INSIDE of the vehicle.
Everything becomes essentially REAL as far as scale.

For example. When you fly a traffic pattern with TrackIR and you clear left/right, your head movement is amplified because you still have to look straight ahead at the monitor. In VR, you actually turn your head/body the exact amount you do in the real airplane. Your situational awareness is much greater.
A blast when flying fighters in DCS World! Both props and jets.
Also, your height above the runway, water, etc. is exactly what it is in the real thing, which makes landings so much better than trying to judge height on a monitor.
No words or videos can really describe it, you just have to experience it yourself.

 

[Crashnburn]

In my situation it more came down to helping me realize that I was making a bad decision for many reasons, and had a chance to rectify it before it became permanent.

Glad it wasn't a divorce. As far as ending an engagement, I've been there, done that, twice. Third time, though was a charm, and I was looking for a job, not love when I met my now wife. A picture of a Grumman AA5 played a part, in fact.