Longest student pilot ... ever?

[Carolinaflyer]

Passed my ppl check ride this week! Started training in 1983 at the age of 17 with my dad as my instructor. Got about halfway thru before I got distracted and quit. Pretty sure a girl was involved. Anywho, fast forward 35 yrs and I decided to get back to it.
Training was a blast, but it sure seemed a lot harder to absorb and retain the material now than it did back in the day.

 

[benyflyguy]

Congrats. Better late then never!!! Enjoy!!

 

[EppyGA]

Started training in 1970, stopped in 1972 due to lack of $$$$$. Started again in February of 2008 and passed my ride in December.

 

[frfly172]

Congrats,it was a long road,now go enjoy..

 

[NHWannabe]

Congrats!

 

[eman1200]

congrats!

 

[midlifeflyer]

Thats what I call Perseverance (with a capital "p")! Congratulations!

 

[Frankster]

Congratulations on the check ride! I stopped training when the economy tanked in 2008 to tend to business (Rental Property), and didn’t restart. Getting back into flying now and reading stories like yours gives me the needed boost, Thanks!

 

[Kenny Phillips]

Started in 1976, a girl that hated flying got in the way, finished in 1997.

 

[midlifeflyer]

...and, BTW, welcome to our happy but sometimes dysfunctional home.

So, where in Carolina is @Carolinaflyer based?

 

[Stingray Don]

I started my flight training on a sim at the age of 5.

 

[TheBoatDude]

Passed my ppl check ride this week! Started training in 1983 at the age of 17 with my dad as my instructor. Got about halfway thru before I got distracted and quit. Pretty sure a girl was involved. Anywho, fast forward 35 yrs and I decided to get back to it.
Training was a blast, but it sure seemed a lot harder to absorb and retain the material now than it did back in the day.

OK, I don’t feel so bad taking 5 mos off, now . Good for you!

 

[Carolinaflyer]

...and, BTW, welcome to our happy but sometimes dysfunctional home.

So, where in Carolina is @Carolinaflyer based?

Did my training out of Monroe, KEQY. I live in Charlotte.

 

[TreeTopFlyer83]

Did my training out of Monroe, KEQY. I live in Charlotte.

How did you like Monroe? Nice little airport with plenty of options as far as planes and instructors go. Their chief flight instructor, Jim Efird is extremely busy and requires booking your slot a month in advance at the moment. I talked with the owner of Aerowood Aviation at the airshow they had a few weeks back, seem like good people.

 

[Carolinaflyer]

How did you like Monroe? Nice little airport with plenty of options as far as planes and instructors go. Their chief flight instructor, Jim Efird is extremely busy and requires booking your slot a month in advance at the moment. I talked with the owner of Aerowood Aviation at the airshow they had a few weeks back, seem like good people.

I recommend Aerowood highly. Plenty of A/C to choose from, from Champs to Cirrus to light twin including 7 or 8 172’s. The school seems to be run very well and has a good selection of instructors. The airport is a nice facility also. I have no negative comments at all.

 

[weilke]

Congrats.

When I flew gliders, we had a guy in the club who started flight training at 17 but washed out and ended up spending WW2 in the infantry. At age 65 the bug bit him and he clawed his way through glider training. It's never too late.

 

[deadeye99]

I started and soloed in 1978 at 16 years old. Will be finishing up soon in my own 182. And enjoying the journey this time.

 

[Carolinaflyer]

I started and soloed in 1978 at 16 years old. Will be finishing up soon in my own 182. And enjoying the journey this time.

The biggest difference for me this time around is that I’m acutely aware of my own mortality! At 17 I practiced stalls solo without a second thought. And my home field was a 1700’ grass strip on an island, no problem. Fast forward 35 yrs and stalls garner a little more of my attention and I’m glad my home strip is paved and looooong.