Losing interest - thinking of selling

TexasAviation

TexasAviation

Pre-takeoff checklist
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TexasAviation
I got my PPL five years ago and bought a Cherokee three years ago. I've flown religiously, once or twice a week, and absolutely loved it ... until recently.

Since the start of the year, I've only flown a handful of times. Tonight is a great example. Beautiful weather. Perfect night for flying. But I'm sitting here on the ground feeling "meh" about flying when a year ago there was 100% chance I'd be up in my plane.

I guess I'm just getting bored with it. Never thought I'd say that.

Have y'all ever gone through a phase like that? I've got the plane, the time, the money ... just not the interest. It's bizarre.

If I don't start flying more, I'll want to sell my plane. Doesn't make any financial sense (and isn't good for the plane) to let it sit so long between flights. Makes more sense to rent from the local flying club than to own if this is my new norm. But I also don't want to sell and then regret it when the flying bug bites me again.
 
Nothing wrong with changing hobbies. If you don't want to fly for fun, don't fly.
 
Do you have a mission at all other than get in the air? I could see how just flying in the local area in the same plane on a regular basis could get old. Maybe plan out a bunch of regularly spaced flying trips and put them on the calendar. Go to OSH, Sun n Fun, AOPA/POA events. Fly to the Bahamas. Go to Key West. Fly to California. Try to hit all 48 lower states. Get your IR so you can get more utility out of the plane.

If none of that sounds inspiring then maybe selling makes sense or maybe it's just a phase??
 
Lowflynjack said:
I know you said you're in NC, but for those in Texas, I have a Facebook page called Texas Fly-Ins, where I keep a pretty good list of fly-ins. If the weather holds out, we'll be at Critter's Lodge this weekend. This is one fly-in where I go to relax, hang out with old friends, drink under the wing at night, and get away from everything. It's hard to get a good cell phone signal out there and that's how I like it.
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Assuming that you are in Texas, @Lowflynjack Facebook page might be interesting for you...
 
TexasAviation said:
I got my PPL five years ago and bought a Cherokee three years ago. I've flown religiously, once or twice a week, and absolutely loved it ... until recently.

Since the start of the year, I've only flown a handful of times. Tonight is a great example. Beautiful weather. Perfect night for flying. But I'm sitting here on the ground feeling "meh" about flying when a year ago there was 100% chance I'd be up in my plane.

I guess I'm just getting bored with it. Never thought I'd say that.

Have y'all ever gone through a phase like that? I've got the plane, the time, the money ... just not the interest. It's bizarre.

If I don't start flying more, I'll want to sell my plane. Doesn't make any financial sense (and isn't good for the plane) to let it sit so long between flights. Makes more sense to rent from the local flying club than to own if this is my new norm. But I also don't want to sell and then regret it when the flying bug bites me again.
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What part of Texas are you based in? I live near Austin. We'll be flying to Critter's Lodge Fly-In this weekend. I grew up flying, but like you, I hit what I'll call a slump. I would go fly, but not as often as I used to. Then a few years ago I got invited to a fly-in and fell in love with another part of aviation. We fly in on Friday and setup our tents, then if the weather is good, we'll stay until Sunday morning. I get to camp next to a runway, surrounded by tall pine trees. There is good food, and we bring plenty of beer for late night discussions sitting under the stars next to our planes.

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The most enjoyable flying I have done is combining flying with other activities. Flying to the islands for scuba, flying to ND and SK waterfowl and upland hunting, flying to NASCAR, visit friends, take the wife on vacation....
 
I'm in North Texas, just east of Dallas.

It's not that I can't find potential fly-ins and places to go. There are fly-ins pretty much every weekend this time of year. It's that flying in general has lost its appeal. I still like having the option of taking my own plane for regional trips, but that appeal is more about time savings than about "gee, this is really fun and exciting" like it used to be.

I'm also super excited about a new business venture I'm launching. That's what I think about when I wake up in the morning. Not aviation. It's definitely a change in interest as opposed to a lack of destinations and things to do, if that makes sense.
 
I have been flying for about 32 years now, owned my own plane for 29 of those years, some years I have flown a lot, some not a lot. Life ebs and flows. I agree with previous post's fly-in's, camping trips, or try getting a new rating. I am going for my IFR now that I am retired plan on traveling more in the plane.
 
Heck that looks like fun may have to show up for a day or two...I have been in the same rut...more from having a fatal accident in my Arrow that killed two...gut punch for sure...but need to have some fun and just got our Warrior out of annual.
 
Why did you get your pilots license?? What’s different now??? Serious questions. Not being an a$$
 
Warlock said:
Heck that looks like fun may have to show up for a day or two...I have been in the same rut...more from having a fatal accident in my Arrow that killed two...gut punch for sure...but need to have some fun and just got our Warrior out of annual.
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Send me a message if you do or find me when you're there. I'll be camping near a silver Cessna 170 or my Little Toot. Either way, won't be hard to find me!
 
Lowflynjack said:
That's funny, I was just replying. Sometimes it takes finding something new in aviation to rekindle the spirit.
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This!

TexasAviation said:
I got my PPL five years ago and bought a Cherokee three years ago. I've flown religiously, once or twice a week, and absolutely loved it ... until recently.

Since the start of the year, I've only flown a handful of times. Tonight is a great example. Beautiful weather. Perfect night for flying. But I'm sitting here on the ground feeling "meh" about flying when a year ago there was 100% chance I'd be up in my plane.

I guess I'm just getting bored with it. Never thought I'd say that.

Have y'all ever gone through a phase like that? I've got the plane, the time, the money ... just not the interest. It's bizarre.

If I don't start flying more, I'll want to sell my plane. Doesn't make any financial sense (and isn't good for the plane) to let it sit so long between flights. Makes more sense to rent from the local flying club than to own if this is my new norm. But I also don't want to sell and then regret it when the flying bug bites me again.
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The Cherokee is a great airplane. But if you are bored, you need to try another of the many, many aspects of aviation.

Go find someone who will let you experience some backcountry tailwheel flying - totally different flying and a lot of fun. Get involved with EAA and fly some Young Eagles. Plan and do a long cross country to go see some place or something you always wanted to, but its just too far to drive. PM 6PC, fly up and see how a stealth Grumman compares to the Cherokee - he might even let you operate the chemtrail dispenser or the carb ice maker.

The neat thing about aviation is you can experience aspects of it entirely on your own, and revel in the solitude. Or you can do stuff with others in small or large groups. There's a lot of active PoAers in Texas it seems, so there's a mechanism to connect.
 
Yeah - it happens; Cherokee, Cessna, are not airplanes that are a thrill, in and of themselves, not after a while; adding an IR can make them more fun, during the learning phase. And/or get some time in something else, aerobatic, sailplanes, etc.

I flew 182s for quite a while, and found them to be sluggish pigs with crappy vis; then I got some time in a SF-260 and that turned the thrill back on. Or, if you have reason to travel, get the IR, and the challenges of that mission will transcend the basic aspects of a Cherokee.
 
For me, I love flying. I got where I wasn't flying as much because when I did, I was always going to the same places and flying locally for the most part. I met a friend who had also had a Cessna 140 and he challenged me to try new places. It started off with a couple of us and grew to a pretty good group. We would hit all of the Texas Fly-Ins, then we decided to try Blakesburg, IA for the Antique Airplane Association fly-in, then EAA called and invited me to Oshkosh... lots of fun. Throw in an aerobatic biplane or some air-to-air photos and I'm always having fun!
 
TexasAviation said:
If I don't start flying more, I'll want to sell my plane. Doesn't make any financial sense (and isn't good for the plane) to let it sit so long between flights. Makes more sense to rent from the local flying club than to own if this is my new norm. But I also don't want to sell and then regret it when the flying bug bites me again.
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I've got a theory that aviation is more enjoyable when it's shared. To be candid, I don't really like flying solo that much even though I like flying, although a good destination would make a difference. Oh, and formation doesn't count as solo.
 
Boring holes in the sky can get really boring after a bit. If that’s all you think flying is all about, then perhaps it’s time to move on to another thing, like your new venture.

I love the challenge of accomplishing a perfect flight from prep to tie down, the ability to just enjoy the view from above or, for example, flying to a certain meeting in KY this weekend, all of them are worth it to me. If you not for you, move on:)

Cheers
 
I agree try a new challenge, something to learn. Tailwheel is awesome and there is something to be said about knowing every time you are on the ground if you aren’t being a pilot you will end up in the weeds... I’m still new to TW and I’m not sure you ever want it to go away but every entry into the pattern I realize it is only my rudder work that will keep this thing from looping every landing. So I like that added “stress”honestly and many other ways than TW to challenge yourself. I do find the learning phase of any skill is the most fun time of it...

Interests do change though, at same time don’t be in a rush to decide...once out its harder to get back in if it was just an ebb in interest...
 
X3 Skier said:
I love the challenge of accomplishing a perfect flight from prep to tie down.
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This part of your quote reminded me of an old instructor I had. He was a great guy and I even wrote a story about him. He once told me, "If you ever have a perfect flight, nothing you could have done better, give me back the keys to my hangar and don't fly my plane again." His point was, there is no perfect flight. There is always something we could have done better. It's always a good goal though!

If I'm doing touch-n-goes and get one so perfect I think I couldn't do any better, I make it a full stop and put the plane away. Odds are I'm going to go skipping down the runway on the next one if I keep going.
 
Don't fret OP, I went through a similar emotional slump wrt flying earlier this year, as my projections of long distance family trips, which had fueled my multi-year long search for a Lance, have all but fizzled with the kid's highly restricting gradeschool schedule, and the wife chomping at the bit to enter the workforce and currently going back to school to finish off her BSN. So yeah, boring solo holes locally in an Arrow got to the point where it started to annoy me. That's when I had to take a step back and reassess.

I almost exit stage, but the wife of all people walked me off the ledge (smart woman). So for me, I'm going back to acro! And I'm def going experimental. It allows me to re-kindle my passion for the kind of flying I got into aviation for in the first place. Problem is, I still have a family and they want to partake. So selling the Arrow and getting the 2-seater EAB acro cruiser would be taken as virtue signaling I no longer want them in my hobby, and the wife has already put me on notice on that front. She would love to do the empty nester thing which the 2-seater could accommodate, but the kid is still at that age where family trips are important to her (aka not a self-important teenager yet), so I'm at a corner.

So it looks like I may have to own two airplanes for a while....darn. :devil::devil:

BL, it sounds like the Cherokee got you bored. I get it, I've owned two now. They are as utilitarian as they get, and when you have a mission for it they are awesome at doing this flying thing on a budget. But otherwise, yeah it gets stale. My recommendation? Get rid of it, and get a different plane. You don't have a family mission I take it? Go EAB brother. STOL, acro, tailwheel, anything but low roll rate spam can. It will be something engaging to look forward to. That's what I would do if I was in your shoes with no pax mission. Or you could walk away. No right or wrong answer. I of course encourage you to stay in the game. Good luck!
 
TexasAviation said:
I got my PPL five years ago and bought a Cherokee three years ago. I've flown religiously, once or twice a week, and absolutely loved it ... until recently.

Since the start of the year, I've only flown a handful of times. Tonight is a great example. Beautiful weather. Perfect night for flying. But I'm sitting here on the ground feeling "meh" about flying when a year ago there was 100% chance I'd be up in my plane.

I guess I'm just getting bored with it. Never thought I'd say that.

Have y'all ever gone through a phase like that? I've got the plane, the time, the money ... just not the interest. It's bizarre.

If I don't start flying more, I'll want to sell my plane. Doesn't make any financial sense (and isn't good for the plane) to let it sit so long between flights. Makes more sense to rent from the local flying club than to own if this is my new norm. But I also don't want to sell and then regret it when the flying bug bites me again.
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Curious...what is the most enjoyable experience you have had in aviation not counting 1st solo, passing your checkride and buying your first plane?

RyanShort1 said:
I've got a theory that aviation is more enjoyable when it's shared. To be candid, I don't really like flying solo that much even though I like flying, although a good destination would make a difference. Oh, and formation doesn't count as solo.
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Agreed!!! @TexasAviation - how often do you fly with others in the plane?

I am a few years behind you. It wasn't long after getting signed off that I found two things I enjoy the most. First, taking up a single passenger on a nice evening and letting them experience flying. I do not mean instructing, just giving them the experience. And the other one is a real trip. A trip is a mission, something you accomplish. I have done so few and each has been so enjoyable. My belief is that 90% of the enjoyment is learning/experiencing something new.

Why not hang onto the plane at least another 6 months to a year. It could just be a quick phase and just think in a year (or perhaps shorter) that new business venture might not be 1st on your mind again or you might want it off your mind for an hour or two.

If there is nothing else good about flying, there is always this: When you are up there your mind is on flying and not usually much else. For some people a good book does this...but they haven't tried flying :)
 
TexasAviation said:
I'm also super excited about a new business venture I'm launching. That's what I think about when I wake up in the morning. Not aviation. It's definitely a change in interest as opposed to a lack of destinations and things to do, if that makes sense.
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Makes total sense. If flying won't further this new business venture then yeah, might be time to sell the plane. If it might further the business then definitely keep the plane. But if you do sell right now, you'll be selling near the top of the market since demand is so high. Hopefully if your new business venture becomes stable some time down the road and you want to get back into flying then if you're lucky demand for piston singles will have settled down.
 
If your feeling meh about flying, what type of flying? Just go up around the pattern? Go somewhere for dinner, or s breakfast flight. Find a random airport to just fly to.
 
Add some purpose to your flying. Have you done Pilots N Paws trips before?
 
TexasAviation said:
I got my PPL five years ago and bought a Cherokee three years ago. I've flown religiously, once or twice a week, and absolutely loved it ... until recently.

Since the start of the year, I've only flown a handful of times. Tonight is a great example. Beautiful weather. Perfect night for flying. But I'm sitting here on the ground feeling "meh" about flying when a year ago there was 100% chance I'd be up in my plane.

I guess I'm just getting bored with it. Never thought I'd say that.

Have y'all ever gone through a phase like that? I've got the plane, the time, the money ... just not the interest. It's bizarre.

If I don't start flying more, I'll want to sell my plane. Doesn't make any financial sense (and isn't good for the plane) to let it sit so long between flights. Makes more sense to rent from the local flying club than to own if this is my new norm. But I also don't want to sell and then regret it when the flying bug bites me again.
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Well when I started flying I bought a 172... It was a good plane but I got bored real fast. I sold it and bought a Decathlon. I got my tailwheel signoff and did some aerobatic training. Guess what??? I was having fun again. I sold that a year later and bought my first biplane, it was a 540 powered Skybolt. Now I was having more fun than ever. Over the years I have changed lots of airplanes but always keep a Biplane in the hangar. I have a bunch of stuff to fly and my J-3 Cub gets flown the most. It is fun, cheap to fly and you don't need anywhere to go.
I wouldn't enjoy a Cherokee in Texas. It is like a oven in the summer....
Buy a fun plane and you will be interested in flying again. Fly over to Brenham and I will show you around. if the weather is good I may get you up in the Stearman.... If that don't put a smile on your face maybe it is time to quit :D
 
TexasAviation said:
Makes more sense to rent from the local flying club than to own if this is my new norm.
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Oh BTW, what's the rental situation like where you are? If you have access to a wide variety of really nice planes then that's also another point towards selling yours. Or maybe putting it on leaseback for a while.
 
TommyG said:
If your feeling meh about flying, what type of flying? Just go up around the pattern? Go somewhere for dinner, or s breakfast flight. Find a random airport to just fly to.
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^^^^ THIS^^^^^
That is what I have been doing. I have a VFR sectional in my hangar where I am marking all the fields I fly too in the area. There are just so many rural airports within a 100 mile radius of home plate (KHZD) that it keeps me busy. When I want a long run, I'll do a PAWS flight or simply cover my eyes and point to a spot on the Sectional, then make the nearest airport my destination. Could be a Class B/C/D field, or some local private field where you need to call ahead to land on their freshly cut fescue runway. My last 'random' airport was 'Tucker' (M15) in middle/south TN . Just a random spot on the map.....Aviation can be like a bad drug addiction.... you can put it down but it will always pull on you... and then you'll wish you had that old stand-by Piper. Like others have said, OSH, fly-ins, PAWS flights are all ways we can use our passion for flight. Heck, pretty sure your ARROW could join the Cherokees 2 OSH. I am flying with them this year. So far, list is full at 50 planes (first ever). Formation clinics etc in prep.. Just new kind of flying

Find you an aviation spark and ignite it, but keep it burning this time
 
Early on in my flying, I knew that boring holes in the sky wasn't for me. I loved flying, but needed to have a purpose. That got me into charitable flying, which then resulted in starting Cloud Nine Rescue Flights (note: this is the wrong path for 99% of people, Pilots'n'Paws is a better option for most, or Angel Flight).

Now I'm actually at the point where I enjoy just looking out the window and counting cows. It's really fun when I go flying in a 172 with a friend now and then. That, along with sharing love of flight with my kids, is part of why we're planning on buying a Cub at some point.

You may also just be tiring of flying. If that's the case, don't feel badly about it. But you likely just need something new or different. Nothing wrong with getting bored with a Cherokee.
 
I ebb and flow in my flying. Like you OP, I get bored very easy just bebopping around. I need a reason to fly or I don’t want to. I flew yesterday just cuz and got bored after 20 min and landed.

I NEED a reason to fly these days or I’m like, meh.... whatever.
 
TexasAviation said:
I got my PPL five years ago and bought a Cherokee three years ago. I've flown religiously, once or twice a week, and absolutely loved it ... until recently.
But I also don't want to sell and then regret it when the flying bug bites me again.
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Did you ever consider getting an instrument rating? That will put some pizaz back into it..

Years ago I was in a similar situation but not from boredom, but from life getting in the way... My plane was 2500 miles away doing pattern work at a local flight school and I was hoping to go back and fly it across the US for a vacation.. The plane went in for 100 hour and at the time it made sense to the plane to the school, and to this day I regret it... Don't sell, if anything take on a partner or two.
 
I knew I would never fly just for fun. That is why I flew for a living in Alaska. Probably better than 95% of my flight time (not including flight training) was for pay. Plus I just enjoy the physical part of flying, fueling, loading/unloading, middle of winter, etc...

If it works out for me, I'll be back in Alaska later this year.

If flying for fun is no longer fun, try flying for a living and take all the fun out of flying...:lol::lol:
 
Exceptionally intelligent people often lose interest in things once they master them. They constantly need new challenges. I had an older student (30s) in my Aircraft Systems class one semester, who was getting 100% on all the assignments and exams. I asked him what he had done before he came to us, and found he had been a surgeon. He aced all the flight training, including IFR, multi and taildragger, and went to the US and got his A&P. Saw a helicopter there and did that, too. Dropped off the radar; don't know where he went after that. Maybe he's a rocket scientist by now....
 
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