Looking for advise on getting back into flying

Unit74

Unit74

Final Approach
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Unit74
I have an SEL Inst rating I earned in 2001. Due to many aspects of life, I have not flown at all in the past 10 years. I have 120 hours total in the books. 60 is PIC and about 20 cross country.

I am confident I could manage the plane after a few hours in the air, but where I am completely rusty is on my knowledge. I thought about completing sporty's PPl and Instrument courses before even walking into an FBO to talk with CFI.

I'd like to get back flying VFR comfortably only before trying to tackle the IFR currency.


With all that said, what do you folks think is the best way to get back in the saddle?

Thanks a bunch!
 
Go get your medical.

Go talk to CFI.

If you like CFI, start flying.

You ain't as rusty as you think.
 
You have an instrument rating and only 20xc hours? How did you do that? Or is that the time since your rating. Confused.
 
Just go to the airport and fly, don't even need a medical yet(unless you get your flight review signed off in one flight) but I'd just go fly first.
 
What would I do? Getting current does not require a written examine, I'd merely be talking with a CFI for an hour or so.

I think I would find a CFI that would be giving the flight review. I'd tell him my situation, and as he flies with me to get my flight skills current, I'd discuss what he considers important in the verbal part of the flight review. It may be as I start talking about it, the essential information would start coming back.

Probably it will take three hours or so to get comfortable flying again, and in that time I'd know what I need to review.

And of course, if you think there is any chance you may not get a medical, then consider sport pilot.
 
I was on a VA learning program at KCRQ. As soon as I had my PPL, the next day I was with a CFII. I did almost no pleasure flying until after my instrument check ride. I would estimate I made 4-6 post Inst check ride flights before I was deployed with the Marine Corps, then I basically stopped flying because I didn't have the money to fly.
 
Welcome to the board. Go get a new medical,find a CFI or flight school ,do some studying on airspace. Have fun
 
Unit74 said:
I was on a VA learning program at KCRQ. As soon as I had my PPL, the next day I was with a CFII. I did almost no pleasure flying until after my instrument check ride. I would estimate I made 4-6 post Inst check ride flights before I was deployed with the Marine Corps, then I basically stopped flying because I didn't have the money to fly.
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First off, welcome to PoA! We love to fly, we love to talk, so we love to talk about flying. Heh.

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Where are you? Odds are, we have some active members in here who are near you, and it can sometimes help to have a pilot mentor as you re-engage. Also, of course, you may get some excellent specific recommendations for particular CFIs and facilities.

Best, Spike.
 
SCCutler said:
First off, welcome to PoA! We love to fly, we love to talk, so we love to talk about flying. Heh.

---

Where are you? Odds are, we have some active members in here who are near you, and it can sometimes help to have a pilot mentor as you re-engage. Also, of course, you may get some excellent specific recommendations for particular CFIs and facilities.

Best, Spike.
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I am near Conway, Ar. I have looking for a club or partnership but also very much interested in buying my own plane. I've got about 40k in cash so I am weighting the options at this point.
 
I am in the process of working my way back after 20+ years. About 115 hours when I quit (wife, kids, house same old story). I have been using flying as my motivation to keep losing weight (down 72lbs). Just got my medical with help from Dr. Bruce a few weeks ago.

Started studying the regs and airspace changes months ago. Called some CFI's and started flying with one about a month ago have @3.5 hours in. Here are my observations:

Lesson one: Just flying a little bit. Getting the feel for the plane again. First landing was ugly but I got it on the ground. I was hoping it would be more like riding a bike but found a lot of the things that I "just did" before I had to think about.

Lesson two: Slow flight, Stalls, Steep turns, Crosswind landings (gusting to 20). Airwork was OK but the landings were ugly had my hands full and the instructor was helping more.

Lesson three: Perfect flying day. Pattern work, foggles, landings were fair. Instructor wants more of a full stall than I was used to and the tendency was to balloon a bit when I did that. But overall a great day and feeling more confident.

Next lesson will be a little x-country into controlled airspace and radio work. I did not have a lot of controlled airspace work the first time around so this will be good learning experience looking forward to it as well as learning the GPS as they just were not in many planes when I flew before.

I suspect it will be 10 or so hours before I get signed off (I am basing this on nothing but gut feel). It may be longer and I am OK with that it takes what it takes.

The weird thing is because I need a BFR unlike the first time through my first "solo" after this long break I will be basically good to go.

Good luck!!!!
 
I just got started again myself. Someone (possibly on this board) recommended this:
http://www.aopa.org/Pilot-Resources/Getting-Back-into-Flying.aspx

Lots of information about regulatory changes in the past 14 years. If you really want to test your knowledge, you can take free sample FAA tests at exams4pilots.org. Study the sectional/TAC/enroute charts/approach plates for airports near you. All are available free online, whether at skyvector.com or airnav.com.

Also, the latest FAA Safety Briefing is dedicated to the subject:
http://www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing/2014/media/MarApr2014.pdf

Good luck and welcome back!
 
DFH65 said:
I suspect it will be 10 or so hours before I get signed off (I am basing this on nothing but gut feel). It may be longer and I am OK with that it takes what it takes.

Good luck!!!!
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Based on my personal experience after a multi decade period of inactivity, as well as comments from other friends who had done the same, a 10 hour BFR should be an expected norm. And the instructor will get you back up to speed over that period of time
 
Talked to a CFI today. He said let's go fly and see where you are.
 
rustypilots.org (Our flying club is thinking about doing a seminar to get people like you back into the air. the site was advertised in the AOPA magazine)
 
DFH65 said:
I am in the process of working my way back after 20+ years. About 115 hours when I quit (wife, kids, house same old story). I have been using flying as my motivation to keep losing weight (down 72lbs). Just got my medical with help from Dr. Bruce a few weeks ago.......
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My story was similar. Out of flying for 31 years. Wife, kids, house, gained weight (lost 130). Went to Dr. Bruce for my medical.

It will feel great when you are signed off....
 
You're on a computer obviously OP, so go get MSX flight sim and get busy.

There's no substitute for the real thing, but MSX helped me get the instrument scan and some basics back after about a six year flying hiatus.
 
Welcome, Unit74. I'm glad you found a CFI to work with you.

I am in Arkansas, also, just west of Memphis, TN. My advice is to be very careful when you decide to buy that you don't buy a lot more airplane than you need. After all, we are already "there" so we really don't need to go anywhere anyway :).
 
If you're going to spend ten hours with a CFI, you can get more than a BFR out of it. A new rating substitutes for a flight review. Any interest in gliders? That's what I did after a twenty year hiatus. At least get a tailwheel endorsement or something.
 
Lindberg said:
If you're going to spend ten hours with a CFI, you can get more than a BFR out of it. A new rating substitutes for a flight review. Any interest in gliders? That's what I did after a twenty year hiatus. At least get a tailwheel endorsement or something.
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No joke. That's an excellent idea.

My TW endorsement was less than 10 hours, so he could get one. And flying a taildragger would put him back in the saddle but good. :yes:

I can't keep up, I think he decided to buy a nose dragger.
 
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Unit74 said:
I have an SEL Inst rating I earned in 2001. Due to many aspects of life, I have not flown at all in the past 10 years. I have 120 hours total in the books. 60 is PIC and about 20 cross country.

I am confident I could manage the plane after a few hours in the air, but where I am completely rusty is on my knowledge. I thought about completing sporty's PPl and Instrument courses before even walking into an FBO to talk with CFI.

I'd like to get back flying VFR comfortably only before trying to tackle the IFR currency.


With all that said, what do you folks think is the best way to get back in the saddle?

Thanks a bunch!
Click to expand...

Unit74 said:
I was on a VA learning program at KCRQ. As soon as I had my PPL, the next day I was with a CFII. I did almost no pleasure flying until after my instrument check ride. I would estimate I made 4-6 post Inst check ride flights before I was deployed with the Marine Corps, then I basically stopped flying because I didn't have the money to fly.
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I have a similar story. Did a bunch of flying while in high school, went into the Navy and stopped due to finances. After accumulating a bunch of money during a cruise, I started again after 3 years or so. Two years later I was out of the Navy and stopped when I couldn't afford the BFR. It was about 7 years before I found a relatively inexpensive flying club.

Like others on here have said, the first step is to find a CFI. You'll need a few hours of ground and flight, but it will be almost like riding a bike. Things will come back pretty quick.

Good luck!!
 
I would take a well qualified safety pilot with me for two, three hours and see how it goes. No one here really knows your cap abilitys or experience.
 
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