Thinking about pilot's license

[CCfrom71]

Learning to fly has been on my bucket list all of my life, and I've reached a point where it might actually be feasible to pursue. I've been doing a lot of research and I know it's not cheap, but I'm starting to think more seriously about it. I've been hanging around here for a couple of days and doing a lot of reading, everyone seems helpful and positive so I thought I'd ask a couple of questions. What kind of qualities do you think make a good private pilot? What do you like most about flying? I think I have what it takes and I think my motivations are spot on but it's an expensive decision

 

[Daleandee]

Welcome! Go and get a certificate. Flying isn't hard but there are certain rules of the sky that can't be broken.

Identify what kind of flying you want to do. Have you taken a discovery flight?

Perhaps someone here that is near to you can give you a trip around the patch ...

 

[Rgbeard]

Once you get your certificate, and the chase/goal is reached, do you have something to keep you flying?

The chase for $100 (really $200) hamburgers gets old, and you’re going to find that purpose will drive your aviation.

Our purpose is to visit distant friends/family, travel to a second home, and when that’s not happening we haul blood for Flights for Life.

Some food for thought. What’s going to be your purpose?

 

[Bill]

Also, before going down the path, be sure thre are no impediments to obtaining a medical.

 

[Clip4]

Learning to fly has been on my bucket list all of my life, and I've reached a point where it might actually be feasible to pursue. I've been doing a lot of research and I know it's not cheap, but I'm starting to think more seriously about it. I've been hanging around here for a couple of days and doing a lot of reading, everyone seems helpful and positive so I thought I'd ask a couple of questions. What kind of qualities do you think make a good private pilot? What do you like most about flying? I think I have what it takes and I think my motivations are spot on but it's an expensive decision

A lot of different tastes on what people like about flying. So like going places for vacation or holiday, some use it for business, some like acrobatics, some enjoy training for higher certificates, just like sight seeing…..

As an instructor, the people that make the best students have two traits. 1. They study basic aerodynamic principles then apply them in the airplane. 2. They learn the visual cues for flying. 3. They learn the concept of aeronautical decision making and make a lot of decisions from there understanding of #1 and what the perceive.

 

[AlphaMike]

Our purpose is to visit distant friends/family, travel to a second home, and when that’s not happening we haul blood for Flights for Life.

I didn't want to hijack this thread.... then, I though.. this is POA, someone's got to hijack this thread, why not me?

Flights for Life, I was all about joining! I don't mind volunteering my time, airplane, fuel, ect. But,,, I'm not going to write Flight for Life a check for $40! It's just the principle of it. You need $40 for me to volunteer? I haven't completely ruled out joining, I probably will at some point, but this was a little off putting! Maybe its just me but it seems strange to charge people $40 to volunteer.

Rant over, hopefully only a minor hijack and back to topic.

 

[PaulS]

I didn't want to hijack this thread.... then, I though.. this is POA, someone's got to hijack this thread, why not me?

Flights for Life, I was all about joining! I don't mind volunteering my time, airplane, fuel, ect. But,,, I'm not going to wright Flight for Life a check for $40! It's just the principle of it. You need $40 for me to volunteer? I haven't completely ruled out joining, I probably will at some point, but this was a little off putting! Maybe its just me but it seems strange to charge people $40 to volunteer.

Rant over, hopefully only a minor hijack and back to topic.

Angel Flight, if they're in your area, same for PALS. I don't blame you, I wouldn't pay that fee either.

 

[Rgbeard]

Since it doesn’t serve Michigan there’s no point anyway.

The $40 goes a small way towards the administration, which is a very real cost.

 

[PaulS]

OP, do it now or you'll regret it later.

 

[Morgan3820]

Try and find a flying club in your area. Alternatively, seek out a local active EAA chapter. These people have answers that you seek.

 

[Gary Ward]

Learning to fly has been on my bucket list all of my life, and I've reached a point where it might actually be feasible to pursue. I've been doing a lot of research and I know it's not cheap, but I'm starting to think more seriously about it. I've been hanging around here for a couple of days and doing a lot of reading, everyone seems helpful and positive so I thought I'd ask a couple of questions. What kind of qualities do you think make a good private pilot? What do you like most about flying? I think I have what it takes and I think my motivations are spot on but it's an expensive decision

Go for it!

Like said go take a discovery flight somewhere. I did when I was 55 years old. 16 months later I had my certificate.

I didn't have to have a need to fly, I just knew I wanted that privelidge to fly. So far I have not volunteered or have done any flying other than just for fun and learning.
7 years later I own a little 172 and fly 3-5 days a week just for fun. almost 1100 hrs in that 172 and I am not tired of it yet!

Best thing I ever did is commit bunch of my time and money and got it done! I also got my instrument rating later in my own plane. I learned to fly in a school plane and bought my plane after I earned my certificate.

Can't tell you how worthwhile it has been.

 

[Oldmanb777]

Go take an introductory flight.

 

[Ozone]

Flying can be less expensive if you look into flying a glider. Also, if you dont have a mission in mind (as was stated above), "poking holes in the sky" is a great activity to do in a glider plane. SSA.org to find a club/glider school near you

 

[Warmi]

Once you get your certificate, and the chase/goal is reached, do you have something to keep you flying?

The chase for $100 (really $200) hamburgers gets old, and you’re going to find that purpose will drive your aviation.

Our purpose is to visit distant friends/family, travel to a second home, and when that’s not happening we haul blood for Flights for Life.

Some food for thought. What’s going to be your purpose?

It depends. Does taking a walk, enjoying warm day outside, do these things get old ?
Not to me and so is flying without any goal or purpose - it is my relaxation time and i don’t need any additional reasons or “missions” beyond that.

 

[kmacht]

Once you get your certificate, and the chase/goal is reached, do you have something to keep you flying?

The chase for $100 (really $200) hamburgers gets old, and you’re going to find that purpose will drive your aviation.

Our purpose is to visit distant friends/family, travel to a second home, and when that’s not happening we haul blood for Flights for Life.

Some food for thought. What’s going to be your purpose?

Not everyone that gets a pilots license needs to do something with it afterwards. Sometimes just reaching the goal of getting the license is enough. It’s a heavy expense to get there but spread out over time a license is on par with some other hobbies. Some people just crave learning new things and it doesn’t always have to turn into a lifetime pursuit. I have my license and built a plane but have not flown much in the past few years. I also got a motorcycle license and bought a cheap bike to tool around on but don’t consider myself a biker. I’m currently learning guitar just because it’s a new challenge, not because I have any desire to play in a band or for anyone else for that matter. Life is sometimes just about trying and experiencing different things. A hobby doesn’t always have to turn into a life long obsession. If you want to go get a pilots license go for it. You can figure out what comes next after you have it. Maybe it will be more flying but it may also be something else completely different.

 

[mandm]

Learning to fly has been on my bucket list all of my life, and I've reached a point where it might actually be feasible to pursue. I've been doing a lot of research and I know it's not cheap, but I'm starting to think more seriously about it. I've been hanging around here for a couple of days and doing a lot of reading, everyone seems helpful and positive so I thought I'd ask a couple of questions. What kind of qualities do you think make a good private pilot? What do you like most about flying? I think I have what it takes and I think my motivations are spot on but it's an expensive decision

Welcome! Don’t think of it as something that is expensive, because you can take a few lessons and before you know it you will be flying solo as a student pilot. Your first solo flying experience will probably be the best experience you have flying, so if it’s something you want to do, I would aim to take lessons to fly solo, then you can decide if you want to keep going.

What makes a good pilot, wow, tough question. Being a pilot is about always learning, knowing weather, an understanding of the engine and aerodynamics, so a pretty technical person with good math skills and an exposure to engineering. Now of course this is not a requirement and everything can be learned over time too. But I think these backgrounds will give you a stepping stone on grasping flying.

 

[Albany Tom]

Take an introductory flight. There aren't many logical reasons to fly. If you take a flight, you'll quickly figure out if you need to do it or not.

 

[RyanB]

Not everyone that gets a pilots license needs to do something with it afterwards. Sometimes just reaching the goal of getting the license is enough.

It would take a very special individual to go through all of the ropes and expense of getting a pilot certificate only to toss it in the trash after they pass their check ride. Could be a few unicorns out there, but very very few.

 

[kath]

What kind of qualities do you think make a good private pilot?

Patience. Everyone hits a "hump" in their training at some point. For me, it was landings. Be willing to just practice and get through it.
It also helps to have a level of "geekery" about aviation. And by that, I mean a willingness to fall into study of something, the way people do when they really love it, whether it's math, or metalworking, or sports, or whatever... we all know that type of person, who can't shut up about whatever thing they're into.
Even when you've got a PPL, there is more to learn. Always more to learn.

What do you like most about flying?

Gosh. Where to start. I'm a university professor, so I have the kind of job that I take home; my brain is still crunching on work-stuff even in the off-hours. But when I'm flying... all that stuff fades away. It's a time of focus. Of concentration. Of listening only to ATC, and to the instruments, and to the wind, and the view. Before I learned to fly, I sailed small boats in the lake where I went to grad school, and it was the same thing: relaxing and focusing at the same time. Magical. Primal.

I also love "the system." How we navigate. How ATC works. Airspaces. Geekery.

I think I have what it takes and I think my motivations are spot on but it's an expensive decision

Go for it! Don't think of it as a "decision". Think of it as a "journey" -- one that you can stop and start again as you choose, one that can take you to unexpected and amazing places. Shortly after getting my instrument rating, I embarked on a 1000-mile cross-country for 10 days in a 172. At the time, I thought it was the craziest trip ever. Years later, I took a Cessna 150 on a 10,000-mile trip that lasted two months. And years after that, a year-long 15,000-mile cross-country from Alaska down all around the Lower48 (http://beetlejuiceadventure.wordpress.com). It was the kind of thing I never would have dreamt of at the beginning of the journey... Who knows -- maybe you'll discover gliders, or aerobatics, or flight instruction, or the cool restaurants at airports nearby? Only one way to find out...

All the best,

 

[Dana]

Welcome, and go for it!

What kind of qualities do you think make a good private pilot?

It depends on the kind of flying you want to do. No matter what, you need reasonable coordination and reasonable intelligence, but the skillset (and more importantly, mindset) are different for, say, an aerobatic pilot or a bush pilot or an instrument pilot or an antique pilot (antique airplane, not antique pilot! though there are some of those too).

What do you like most about flying?

For me it's about just flying around on a nice sunny day. I fly an old slow biplane, so I don't go anywhere fast, but that's not the point. I'll cruise along the beach at 500'... drop into a private grass airstrip (biplanes are almost always welcome ) and chat with the owner for awhile... do some loops and rolls... or just spend a half hour in the pattern shooting landings.

 

[Crashnburn]

I agree with everyone else. One more thing is persistence. You'll hit a bump, and persistence will get you to the other side.
My bump seems to be life. It seems every time I start lessons and make some progress, life happens. Unfortunately, I'm in a "life happens" phase right now.

Visit medical topics and learn how to get a medical consult before you take a 3rd class medical. If it's going to be a tough slog to get one, pass on the medical and fly sport pilot. There are restrictions on a sport pilot license vs. a PPL, but what the heck, you're a pilot, and you're flying.

 

[CCfrom71]

Thank you all for your thoughtful responses, I really appreciate it! I'm looking into local flight schools and maybe I'll see you up there!

 

[WDD]

Thank you all for your thoughtful responses, I really appreciate it! I'm looking into local flight schools and maybe I'll see you up there!

What area are you from / looking at flight schools? Might have some people around here that can give recommendations, etc.

I think you and I have a a few things in common. I also wanted to do it for a long time and finally hit the "go" button. For me, the turning point was when the kids left the nest.

FWIW - I was a more "mature" student (58 when I took my check ride) - but pushed through and got it done.

 

[Lndwarrior]

What I thought I would like about flying when I started, changed quite a bit during my initial flight training.

My very first flight in a single engine aircraft was in a Stearman. A friend created an elaborate charade to get me to an airport and into the plane. A total surprise. She had "airport friends", a concept I was unaware of at the time. This was no beautiful flight up the Sonoma Valley, though it started out that way.

Little did I know she had arranged for a full-on dog-fight with another aircraft! (for those in the Napa/Sonoma area this flight was out of Schellville. Crazy people flew out of there 30 years ago - and nothing has changed! %^)).

Anyway, the dogfight was the most exhilarating thing I had ever done. As soon as we landed I asked my friend how one went about learning to fly. I started flight training because I wanted that "thrill" I had experienced in that incredible dog fight.

And then, over the next eighteen months, an almost unbelievable series of events occurred. In the 18 months I was doing my flight training, 7 people I knew died in 5 separate accidents. Four of them at, or near, my home drone in three crashes. Two of the deaths occurred during aerobatic maneuvers.

I kept flying, but I was no longer looking for that thrill of aerobatics.

I began to love the challenge of learning to fly as safely as possible while still enjoying the amazing beauty of it. Thirty years later I am still enjoying the incredible beauty of flying, and the mental challenge involved with doing it safely.

(In the past 28 years since that time, no one I have known has died in an aircraft crash)

To answer about qualities that make a good pilot, the first is passion. You have to WANT to do it. It will be challenging, frustrating, and at times, scary.

Another important point is having the mental strength to "stand alone". I think this can learned because I don't know how strong I was when I started flying. What mean is you have to be able to make critical decisions on your own. At first you will be taking all direction from your flight instructor, but at some point you will transition to "this is my plane and I am responsible" attitude. I may not be able to explain this very well, but I think it's important.

Lastly, you need to enjoy learning. It may sound like a corny saying but it's critical to being a pilot. "A good pilot never stops learning."

The more I think about this, it seems like these three things are all you need to become a good pilot. Passion, some level of mental strength, and enjoying learning.