What is a pilots license for?

"Don't annoy the crazy person, you're just jealous the voices talk to me!" ...until you fly out of ATC's airspace.

I don't know much about flying ultralights but I'm sure you still get some sort of flight training or at least you should. I've met some at EAA meetings that didn't. Those worry me. Heck even with hanggliding I've taken some lessons. You are correct that the smaller you go and least likely you are to play with the big boys, the cheaper it gets. It still comes down to if you are only able to delegate a certain amount of cash to a sport, which would you like to do.
 
Tristar said:
"Don't annoy the crazy person, you're just jealous the voices talk to me!" ...until you fly out of ATC's airspace.

I don't know much about flying ultralights but I'm sure you still get some sort of flight training or at least you should. I've met some at EAA meetings that didn't. Those worry me. Heck even with hanggliding I've taken some lessons. You are correct that the smaller you go and least likely you are to play with the big boys, the cheaper it gets. It still comes down to if you are only able to delegate a certain amount of cash to a sport, which would you like to do.
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Me and a buddy got Quicksilvers when we were 16, the 'How to Fly' manual was in the back of the assembly manual. When you can hear and see the wing in its Pre stall signs, it makes things very simple.
 
docmirror said:
I gotta boat too. All I do on that is cruise out to the middle of the lake and swim and drink.
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Heh. I love to fly, the family loves the boat. Luckily I can do both, but yeah, it's hard to beat a nice sunny hot afternoon on the lake tied up with a bunch of other families. It's like a mini-vacation.
 
remember who you're asking. very biased crowd here. Go on a boating forum, and 100% will say get the boat.

my advice is go up a few times and get a few lessons under your belt. To be honest, I was initially a little disappointed with the practicality of the airplane. Don't get me wrong, I love my plane and flying is something I look forward to doing every time. I'm just thinking that someone who doesn't really love flying may be disappointed.
 
I've done both. and still have my pilot cert. Growing up we didn't have a boat, but we had airplanes, so I'm probably biased toward flying.
As for meeting and hanging out with folks, flying can be very similar to boating.
most times on any given weekend there's some sort of fly-in within 2 hours of here, and 3 or 4 of them are weekenders. Coupled with the fact that trips which require at least 3-4 days off work to drive, can be done in a weekend if you fly.
 
For some a pilots certificate and a plane is a tax write off for a business.

Mine was built with a little help from my wife and kids. It is personally owned, paid for and not used for business.

Look up registration numbers next time you are sitting at the airport and see just how many are personally owned. Then watch how many "business" planes have family going or coming from a vacation. Talk to some corporate pilots and see how many "real" business trips vs family vacations those planes go on. Part of the reason American made goods cost a fortune.
 
RV10flyer said:
For some a pilots certificate and a plane is a tax write off for a business.

Mine was built with a little help from my wife and kids. It is personally owned, paid for and not used for business.

Look up registration numbers next time you are sitting at the airport and see just how many are personally owned. Then watch how many "business" planes have family going or coming from a vacation. Talk to some corporate pilots and see how many "real" business trips vs family vacations those planes go on. Part of the reason American made goods cost a fortune.
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You think that's unique to America?:rofl::rofl::rofl:
 
You can fly to a lot of different places and rent a boat. Like fly down to Florida in the winter and rent a boat,no hassles .
 
I got my certificate to fly and that's what I'm doing. All $45k worth. It's been an adventure. I typed about it somewhere on this forum I'm sure but my IR husband, friend (CFI/Instructor) and I took the club Cherokee Six down to Jacksonville September 2012. Sure it cost $2k to do it but we got down there in 6.5 hours. (In laws drove and it took them 17 hours and an overnight stay - suckers!) That is why I got my certificate. To see the country...how many people have seen the Smokey/Applachian mountains from 8k ft? I have 100 pictures of it. It was totally worth the $2k to do it too! I hope to fly up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan after my IR (For my *reward*) that's normally a drive that takes 9 hours. I can fly up there in 2 hours or so (KTDZ - KPLN) that is worth everything I spent on training.
 
Henning said:
You may have the certificate for life, but a medical condition can invalidate its usefulness. .
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THAT is when you get the boat! Fly when you are young and healthy, save the putting around the lake for the sunset years.
 
paflyer said:
THAT is when you get the boat! Fly when you are young and healthy, save the putting around the lake for the sunset years.
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:confused: You assume putting around on a lake why? You assume the a person not in condition to fly to be in condition for boating why?
 
Henning said:
:confused: You assume putting around on a lake why? You assume the a person not in condition to fly to be in condition for boating why?
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The last I heard, the FBA (Federal Boating Administration) doesn't ground folks because they were diagnosed with ADD when they were 4 years old.
 
Thanks everyone for the info. I'm going to have to think on this a little more. I wish I had a little more money to spend every month and maybe I could do this. But with so little to spend, I'm not sure I could get the wife to go along with this. We are supposed to be setting this money aside for the family to use.

It sounds like some of you use your license to fly for business, that sounds like pretty good justification especially if your business is paying for the flying. I wish I could do that.

Somebody mentioned ultralights, I'm not sure I could go up in one of those although I have no doubt I could probably fly more with one of those.

Does anyone here fly gliders instead? Is that more economical or does it cost more because you still need an airplane to pull you up in the air?
 
tom11011 said:
Thanks everyone for the info. I'm going to have to think on this a little more. I wish I had a little more money to spend every month and maybe I could do this. But with so little to spend, I'm not sure I could get the wife to go along with this. We are supposed to be setting this money aside for the family to use.

It sounds like some of you use your license to fly for business, that sounds like pretty good justification especially if your business is paying for the flying. I wish I could do that.

Somebody mentioned ultralights, I'm not sure I could go up in one of those although I have no doubt I could probably fly more with one of those.

Does anyone here fly gliders instead? Is that more economical or does it cost more because you still need an airplane to pull you up in the air?
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You are making a Wise Choise!!
 
tom11011 said:
Thanks everyone for the info. I'm going to have to think on this a little more. I wish I had a little more money to spend every month and maybe I could do this. But with so little to spend, I'm not sure I could get the wife to go along with this. We are supposed to be setting this money aside for the family to use.

It sounds like some of you use your license to fly for business, that sounds like pretty good justification especially if your business is paying for the flying. I wish I could do that.

Somebody mentioned ultralights, I'm not sure I could go up in one of those although I have no doubt I could probably fly more with one of those.

Does anyone here fly gliders instead? Is that more economical or does it cost more because you still need an airplane to pull you up in the air?
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My brother flies a LSA(Light Sport Aircraft), a Challenger II and has a ball. You would still spend 2-3X more than your savings on a good used one. That is after your flight training, which could save you a little going the LSA route. You could also kill two birds with one stone and go with an ultralight amphibious with proper training.
 
tom11011 said:
Does anyone here fly gliders instead? Is that more economical or does it cost more because you still need an airplane to pull you up in the air?
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There are a few glider pilots here (myself included). During the training gliding will be a little costly, but once you have your certificate it is much more economical. You can spend 60 bucks and fly for 3 hours, hard to beat. However, gliding is not practical at all it is more of a sport. You cant take the family to the lake or beach or wherever. You can take them for a ride, see some beautiful things, let them fly for a bit (something all of my passengers do). Also a lot of gliders are aerobatically rated, more expensive but lots of fun.

Ultimately, you get into flying because you love it. Ive been hooked since I was 15 and dont regret it a bit.
 
As Sean said flying gliders is a sport and a fairly big time suck at that. I used to fly sailplanes, now I mostly fly these. Fun, cheap thrills. When the wind is on, a 45 minute drive gets me 3-4 hours of free flying. Of course the wind hasn't been on in a couple of months. In springtime I often ditch the family at the last second depending on miniscule changing details in weather forecasts. You need to be in command of your home life, if you don't wear the pants soaring flight will not work for you. If you can handle your lady and live in the right place or are just dim enough to put up with bad weather it is a nice way to fly.
There are other things as well, you could be happy being an occasional weekend skydiver, ultralights as mentioned, balloons(if you are a morning person.) Do notice how many pilots have suggested most a boat, not that we don't want more pilots it is just that a boat will bring more joy to more people(with us loony exceptions.)
 
You can fly to go boating. This spring I am dropping an old truck at an airport near my parents place on the coast. Turning a 4hr drive into a 1 hour flight, about 2 hours total travel time.

Fly because you enjoy it. But having your pilot's license can open up some good trips.

There are some great spots on the Outer Banks of NC. But it's pretty far for a weekend drive due to the geography. (Have to take ferries to some spots). I never used to go until I started flying. Now I head out there 3-4 weekends per year.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Anymouse said:
The last I heard, the FBA (Federal Boating Administration) doesn't ground folks because they were diagnosed with ADD when they were 4 years old.
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I haven't heard of anyone losing their medical over this, what I always hear about is denials and deferrals. This is also far from the only reason old people lose their medicals. Grandpa with Alzheimer's and/or severe arthritis is no more competent or safe operating a boat than a plane, trust me, I see them all the time.
 
Henning said:
I haven't heard of anyone losing their medical over this, what I always hear about is denials and deferrals. This is also far from the only reason old people lose their medicals. Grandpa with Alzheimer's and/or severe arthritis is no more competent or safe operating a boat than a plane, trust me, I see them all the time.
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Is there a medical certification for operating a boat?. I'm not talking about racing sailboats or ocean faring ship, I'm talking about a small power boat on a lake, the kind people use to just chill out.
 
Johann said:
Is there a medical certification for operating a boat?. I'm not talking about racing sailboats or ocean faring ship, I'm talking about a small power boat on a lake, the kind people use to just chill out.
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Depends on what state you are in. A few issue a Boat Operators License like a drivers license and have the same medical requirements. In general though no, even those racing sailboats, unless you are being paid and the boat is on charter, there are no requirements for anything in the US, that's why the marine repair business is such a good business to be in. The weekend warriors are great at tearing their stuff up.
 
Why not do both? buy a Goose and have both worlds. :D
 
tom11011 said:
Well that is a real possibility, but the truth is I was curious what you can do with a license, ie what does the time and money get you.
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Well, it is sort of like buying a condom. You can spend the money, keep it in your pocket, and it doesn't do you much good. Or, you can use it on a regular basis and have more fun than the law should allow.

Your call.

Jim
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