Responsibilities and flying

U

Unregistered

Guest
I am an 18 year old with my ppl. I love flying and hope to become a corporate or airline pilot when I am older. I am a senior in high school, and we all know about the social life of being in high school. does anyone think it is irresponsible of me to have fun with friends like drinking and marijuana in a safe environment. I haven't done any of it for almost a year while pursuing my license, but I still would like to have a little bit of fun in high school since it is my last year, and I plan on not doing any of it in college. It would just be nice to hear what others think.
 
Unregistered said:
I am an 18 year old with my ppl. I love flying and hope to become a corporate or airline pilot when I am older. I am a senior in high school, and we all know about the social life of being in high school. does anyone think it is irresponsible of me to have fun with friends like drinking and marijuana in a safe environment. I haven't done any of it for almost a year while pursuing my license, but I still would like to have a little bit of fun in high school since it is my last year, and I plan on not doing any of it in college. It would just be nice to hear what others think.
Click to expand...

Assuming your questions are serious, consider this. Both of those activities, at your age, at least in most places, are illegal. If you get caught doing that, you can pretty much kiss any meaningful employment in the aviation industry goodbye. That is not to say it CAN"T happen, but why destroy your chances for a little short term gratification?
 
Both activities put your hard won PPL at risk. And possibly future career jobs in and out of aviation.

If you're serious about listening to us, I would avoid those activities. It's okay to remain friends with those characters who imbibe, but when the alcohol and cannabis make an appearance, bid your friends a good evening and promptly leave the premises.

It is very possible to have plenty of fun in the high school environment without jeopardizing your license and future career.
 
Just say no. It only takes a minute to put something on your record that could take the rest of your life to clean up. Be the designated driver if you want to still hang out with those friends.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Both activities put your hard won PPL at risk. And possibly future career jobs in and out of aviation.

If you're serious about listening to us, I would avoid those activities. It's okay to remain friends with those characters who imbibe, but when the alcohol and cannabis make an appearance, bid your friends a good evening and promptly leave the premises.

It is very possible to have plenty of fun in the high school environment without jeopardizing your license and future career.
Click to expand...

Too sensible. He sounds like he may do something immature and stupid then come back and whine about it after being caught. Plenty to do without hanging around a bunch of losers.
 
What can Doc Bruce do?

In the words of the famous (or is that the INfamous) Ron White:

"You can't fix stupid."
 
Greg Bockelman said:
What can Doc Bruce do?

In the words of the famous (or is that the INfamous) Ron White:

"You can't fix stupid."
Click to expand...

Well, maybe, in 4 or so years when he tries to figure out how he's going to renew his medical, Doc can tell him not to quit his day job.
 
Hey OP,

Never, I mean never, ask questions like that on a forum.

If you're going to do something illegal, don't get caught.

And lastly, LOL.
 
Are you serious? OF COURSE you should avoid illegal behavior especially drugs.

Like we tell our motorcycle training students (I am a motorcycle instructor) "What's more important to you: The image, and short term pleasure you get from alcohol and drugs, or your life (and/or in your case your career)?

Get your high from aviation.
 
Last edited:
Since you had to ask the answer is no. Now there might be some folks that live on clean street and cross the tracks for a fix. And live long upstanding lives. But if you have to ask that ain't you, and you should do what Nancy says and just say no.
 
I gotta think everyone here is putting you on.

Raise of hands everyone here that never tried um er... uh never had a drink before age 21

I mean I didn't. It would be wrong. I was straight and narrow. I did the 3 B's
Books, Bible, Bedtime.

I never once went to a party dressed as a woman and got so drunk that I had to walk home and in the morning called the police because I thought my car had been stolen since I didn't recall any of the evening's festivities or the 6 mile walk back to my apartment afterwards.

That would just be weird
 
Yeah but did you ask if you should behave that way?
SixPapaCharlie said:
I gotta think everyone here is putting you on.

Raise of hands everyone here that never tried um er... uh never had a drink before age 21

I mean I didn't. It would be wrong. I was straight and narrow. I did the 3 B's
Books, Bible, Bedtime.

I never once went to a party dressed as a woman and got so drunk that I had to walk home and in the morning called the police because I thought my car had been stolen since I didn't recall any of the evening's festivities or the 6 mile walk back to my apartment afterwards.

That would just be weird
Click to expand...
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I gotta think everyone here is putting you on.

Raise of hands everyone here that never tried um er... uh never had a drink before age 21

I mean I didn't. It would be wrong. I was straight and narrow. I did the 3 B's
Books, Bible, Bedtime.

I never once went to a party dressed as a woman and got so drunk that I had to walk home and in the morning called the police because I thought my car had been stolen since I didn't recall any of the evening's festivities or the 6 mile walk back to my apartment afterwards.

That would just be weird
Click to expand...
Part of the difference is he already has his certificate. Being young and stupid without thinking about your future is all part of being...young and stupid. But being young and stupid when you already have your PP and want to fly for a career is just...stupid.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I gotta think everyone here is putting you on.

Raise of hands everyone here that never tried um er... uh never had a drink before age 21
Click to expand...
I'd raise my hand, but I was also of legal age before it was raised to 21... So were many others around here...

And tyvm for reminding me I'm old.
 
Matthew said:
Part of the difference is he already has his certificate. Being young and stupid without thinking about your future is all part of being...young and stupid. But being young and stupid when you already have your PP and want to fly for a career is just...stupid.
Click to expand...

Agree. Similar to instructors running afoul of 61.53.

OP?? You still out there?... What say you to the responses?
 
I live in one of the two states where marijuana is legal. However, it's still not legal, even here, for people under 18. And THC is detectable in your system for 2-3 weeks after you use it -- so if something goes pear-shaped while you're flying and you end up getting investigated by the FAA, you could still be in deep trouble even if you haven't been high in days.

Remember, too, that the FAA is a federal agency, and doesn't care one whit what the good citizens of Colorado and Washington think should be legal. As long as you're answering to them, you need to consider yourself governed by federal drug laws, regardless of what state you're in.

So keep off the grass. Seriously.

If you want to drink with your buds, remember that it's not the drinking that gets people into trouble: it's doing it in stupid places with stupid people, and combining it with other stupid activities, like driving. It can't be overstated: if you're going to indulge, make sure you are in a safe place with safe people you can trust. Do not drive or leave your safe place until you are sober. (You can get a keychain breathalyzer to check this.) Do not fly for 24 hours after your last drink - personally, I ground myself for at least 36 hours, just for the extra margin.

It's good that you're already cultivating the good habits you'll need to protect your entire flying career. You sound like a great kid with very sound judgment. Remember that you're aiming higher than a lot of your friends are right now, and that means that you're also choosing a higher standard of self-discipline. It's not always fun, but the rewards will be more worth it than you can imagine right now.
 
Unregistered said:
I am an 18 year old with my ppl...snip.... I haven't done any of it for almost a year while pursuing my license, ...snip.
Click to expand...


Interesting choice of words. Haven't done any of what? Underage drinking, use a controlled substance, both, or neither?




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
I'm curious - what sort of answer did you expect to get?
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I gotta think everyone here is putting you on.

Raise of hands everyone here that never tried um er... uh never had a drink before age 21

I mean I didn't. It would be wrong. I was straight and narrow. I did the 3 B's
Books, Bible, Bedtime.

I never once went to a party dressed as a woman and got so drunk that I had to walk home and in the morning called the police because I thought my car had been stolen since I didn't recall any of the evening's festivities or the 6 mile walk back to my apartment afterwards.

That would just be weird
Click to expand...

And I never dropped acid with my friends and then drove to biker bar to shoot pool.

That would be stupid.
 
Unregistered said:
I am an 18 year old with my ppl. I love flying and hope to become a corporate or airline pilot when I am older. I am a senior in high school, and we all know about the social life of being in high school. does anyone think it is irresponsible of me to have fun with friends like drinking and marijuana in a safe environment. I haven't done any of it for almost a year while pursuing my license, but I still would like to have a little bit of fun in high school since it is my last year, and I plan on not doing any of it in college. It would just be nice to hear what others think.
Click to expand...

I always wanted to have it all and never have any bad consequences either. I was never that lucky. Maybe you will be.

Somehow I always wound up paying something for all the bad stuff I did. Sometimes it was just a little, sometimes it was a lot. But in my case, it was never nothing.
 
alfadog said:
And I never dropped acid with my friends and then drove to biker bar to shoot pool.

That would be stupid.
Click to expand...

I never did that either. That would be real stupid. And I never ever took mushrooms and went rollerblading on the unfinished monorail track in Las Colinas with Colby and Nick and then went to downtown Dallas and got drunk at Lizard Lounge and fell down the stairs and broke my ankle and then almost hook up with a heavy set chick even thought I couldn't walk.

That would be so freaking dumb. I just read books and studied programming.

dont get caught
 
Unregistered said:
I am an 18 year old with my ppl. I love flying and hope to become a corporate or airline pilot when I am older. I am a senior in high school, and we all know about the social life of being in high school. does anyone think it is irresponsible of me to have fun with friends like drinking and marijuana in a safe environment. I haven't done any of it for almost a year while pursuing my license, but I still would like to have a little bit of fun in high school since it is my last year, and I plan on not doing any of it in college. It would just be nice to hear what others think.
Click to expand...

Depending where you are, drinking may be illegal based on your age. Flying is Federal, pot is illegal.

Not showing much maturity or responsibility with your question.
 
When I started high school, my Dad basically said "Do whatever you want. Have fun, but don't get caught doing something you shouldn't be doing. Because if I have to get involved (ie, bail) you're going to regret it. Notice I didn't say not to do things you shouldn't be doing, I said don't get caught. Though, obviously, not doing them in the first place drastically reduces the risk of getting caught. So don't take the risks if you're not prepared for the consequences."

Of course none of us would ever do something we shouldn't be doing. ;) But, IF WE DID, it would likely be based on taking precautions to not get caught and/or the risks being worth the consequences.
 
Aviation and drug use are not compatible. You will have to choose. One, or the other.

Alcohol ABUSE is also incompatible with aviation, meaning illegal under-age use of any amount, any DWI or DUI, any violation of the 8-hour rule, etc. Choose wisely.

You can fly to get high, or you can just get high. Your choice.
 
Unregistered said:
...and I plan on not doing any of it in college...
Click to expand...
sure - everyone "has fun" in high school and then turns into a quaker when they go away to college :rolleyes:

Life is a game. Like any game you'll play the way you practice. In your school age years, you are practicing. You are proposing to define "fun" as something created inside your head by mood-altering chemicals of whatever stripe, as opposed to experiences of doing things and interacing with people in the surrounding world. I'd suggest you rethink your definition of "fun" to be a function of doing something.
 
Kaniki said:
I live in one of the two states where marijuana is legal. However, it's still not legal, even here, for people under 18. And THC is detectable in your system for 2-3 weeks after you use it -- so if something goes pear-shaped while you're flying and you end up getting investigated by the FAA, you could still be in deep trouble even if you haven't been high in days.

Remember, too, that the FAA is a federal agency, and doesn't care one whit what the good citizens of Colorado and Washington think should be legal. As long as you're answering to them, you need to consider yourself governed by federal drug laws, regardless of what state you're in.

So keep off the grass. Seriously.

If you want to drink with your buds, remember that it's not the drinking that gets people into trouble: it's doing it in stupid places with stupid people, and combining it with other stupid activities, like driving. It can't be overstated: if you're going to indulge, make sure you are in a safe place with safe people you can trust. Do not drive or leave your safe place until you are sober. (You can get a keychain breathalyzer to check this.) Do not fly for 24 hours after your last drink - personally, I ground myself for at least 36 hours, just for the extra margin.

It's good that you're already cultivating the good habits you'll need to protect your entire flying career. You sound like a great kid with very sound judgment. Remember that you're aiming higher than a lot of your friends are right now, and that means that you're also choosing a higher standard of self-discipline. It's not always fun, but the rewards will be more worth it than you can imagine right now.
Click to expand...

36 hours?! I certainly should be able to enjoy a glass of wine at dinner or an afternoon mojito by the pool and fly at 10am the following day. 8 hours is more than adequate for one drink. I use a 12 hour rule personally. If every pilot waited 36 hours there'd be no freight pilots!
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I never did that either. That would be real stupid. And I never ever took mushrooms and went rollerblading on the unfinished monorail track in Las Colinas with Colby and Nick and then went to downtown Dallas and got drunk at Lizard Lounge and fell down the stairs and broke my ankle and then almost hook up with a heavy set chick even thought I couldn't walk.

That would be so freaking dumb. I just read books and studied programming.

dont get caught
Click to expand...

That was very smart of you.
 
It is amazing how quickly this bunch will fall for a troll.
 
JHW said:
sure - everyone "has fun" in high school and then turns into a quaker when they go away to college :rolleyes:

Life is a game. Like any game you'll play the way you practice. In your school age years, you are practicing. You are proposing to define "fun" as something created inside your head by mood-altering chemicals of whatever stripe, as opposed to experiences of doing things and interacing with people in the surrounding world. I'd suggest you rethink your definition of "fun" to be a function of doing something.
Click to expand...

There was a time when I thought it was "fun" to take hallucinogenics and other mind-altering drugs while doing things and interacting with people in the surrounding world. I never did drugs or drank by myself. Got it out of my system a long long time ago and now I rarely have so much as a beer.

I was lucky, I never got caught nor hurt myself or another but that is pure dumb luck.
 
If it elicits one of Bryan's well-crafted and entertaining stories, the occasional troll thread may well be worth it.
 
Kaniki said:
And THC is detectable in your system for 2-3 weeks after you use it.
Click to expand...

Single use: a day in your blood, a week in your urine, not in your hair
Regular use: a week in your blood, a couple months in your urine, until the markers fall/get cut out of your hair (months).

I applaud your asking the question. Life is an onslaught of choices that curiosity and asking the question can sometimes trump living the experience.

Some facts *

* May be biased as it appears to be a pro marijuana site.

It was legal for me to drink at 18.
I've never used marijuana.
 
We can certainly debate the wisdom of laws on the drinking age and marijuana use but there's no debate as to what the consequences are if you get caught.

Is getting high and partying for a few nights in your teens worth giving up your aviation dreams and likely being stuck in a crappy desk job for the rest of your life? You can drink when you're 21 anyway... why risk getting caught now given the consequences?
 
Whatever you do, just keep the vehicles and the recording devices far away from the users.

Let's be real here folks, the only thing that makes most of us different from the young ones coming up is the lack of evidence of what we may (or may not) have done.
 
Old Thread: Hello . There have been no replies in this thread for 365 days.
Content in this thread may no longer be relevant.
Perhaps it would be better to start a new thread instead.
Back
Top