Why do we fly GA?

My primary use for a GA airplane is

  • Traveling

    Votes: 62 48.4%

  • Fun & sightseeing, just to be up there flying.

    Votes: 99 77.3%

  • Sport (aerobatics)

    Votes: 7 5.5%

  • Showing off, buzzing my friends homes

    Votes: 8 6.3%

  • Business

    Votes: 16 12.5%

  • Other

    Votes: 11 8.6%
  • Total voters
    128
John Baker

John Baker

Final Approach
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Oct 4, 2008
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Display name:
John Baker
A question on another thread raised a question in my mind. We all know that owning and flying GA is a whole lot more expensive than flying cattle cars, so why do we do it?

In a past life I lived on my sailboat for twelve years while I built my little picture framing business. People who live on sailboats tend to read a lot, I was no exception. Anyway, I was reading a story about a couple that did a lot of cruise sailing all over the world.

The author gave several tips about enjoying cruising.

Never have a schedule.

Never agree to meet anyone at any particular time at any port.
In other words never set yourself up for getthereitis.

It's about being out there sailing, not traveling to a destination. What if, while out in the middle of the ocean, you decided to go somewhere else instead? Having agreed to meet friends or family would certainly dash that idea. (The article was written long before the existence of satellite phones or GPS as a common tool for civilians.

So, why do we fly?

-John
 
I know I am going to get some flack for this... but I want to fly for the same reason I like to drive. To take me somewhere.

The more I fly, the more I enjoy it, but the reason for entering GA, was to expand the radius of locations my Wife and I can explore in a weekend.

It's a means to an end. And enjoyable means, but a means none the less.
 
It gives me another travel option. Sometimes it makes sense. Sometimes it doesn't.
 
I chose fun and sightseeing since that's what I do now. But, I am working on my IR and hope to use this for both personal and business travel relatively soon.

John
 
i mainly fly for Sport but its not aerobatics
 
My philosophy for travel and life in general: Never much been one for the destination. The journey and all those little places in between is where the important things in life are at. The destination is just an excuse to go in one direction instead of the other and it's not really important if you ever get there.

Never seen an airliner go anywhere interesting or low enough to enjoy the scenery or change destinations even before departure much less inflight. Don't particularly care to get gang raped and robbed by a bunch of freaks wearing blue gloves either...

A nice side effect is that if I do decide to go somewhere, I can outrun those 500mph airliners door to door in a <100mph airplane most of the time...and that's assuming the 500mph airplanes will go there..which they don't and if they did, they'd likely crash and kill everyone onboard in the attempt.

The day rentals turned too much like the airlines I quit flying. It's been a while. I'll fly again when I build my own airplane so can do what I want without someone snotting on me about nonsense rental rules and silly mindgames.
 
Mafoo said:
I know I am going to get some flack for this... but I want to fly for the same reason I like to drive. To take me somewhere.

The more I fly, the more I enjoy it, but the reason for entering GA, was to expand the radius of locations my Wife and I can explore in a weekend.

It's a means to an end. And enjoyable means, but a means none the less.
Click to expand...
Mafoo pretty much hit the nail on the head for me. My wife and I want to travel, and this will assist greatly in that. What was once weekend trips will become day trips, and long drives will be shortened to a few hours in the air.

I also really enjoy the feeling once the wheels leave the ground. Nothing else matters anymore. Not the house, the dogs & cats, work...it just fades away. The only things I think about are related to flying - and that is a wonderful escape from my "grounded" life.
 
I fly for fun. Yes, I do fly to get places, but so far all those destinations have been within driving range, just taking more time. Flying saves time, when flying is an option. My IR simply expands the range of weather conditions that are possible for the flight. A few weeks ago was a classic example. A layer of clouds on the west side of the state that would have forced a scud run down the Columbia River Gorge were a non-issue. Filed, came over the Cascades and down through the layer to get home. I've still cancelled a trip due to weather and much of the year flying in a bugsmasher isn't an option due to our marvelous ice machine in this part of the world. But, when conditions permit, flying is faster and more fun. When conditions don't permit flying, we drive.

For those who think getting their IR will allow them to go anytime, think again. It will expand your reasons to cancel a flight, just as much as it will expand your options for making the flight. Be safe up there.
 
Combination for me. Sometimes just for fun. Usually to get somewhere. Have a son up in Charlotte and it's much more relaxing to fly up there then drive.
 
Going nowhere and meeting cool people along the way.
 
I fly because I have too much money and needed something that would go through it really fast.
 
DavidWhite said:
Going nowhere and meeting cool people along the way.
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this pretty much sums it up for me. I fly a Taylorcraft and am rebuilding a Pietenpol. Neither of which get anywhere very fast at all. I've spent hours just cruising around checking out the local fields and what not with out going anywhere at all.

I was always told if you have to be somewhere, drive.
 
We're insane? Recessive gene?
 
I'm surprised my reason hasn't been mentioned before: I originally started GA as the first step towards an airline pilot career, and all this is required for my degree. Luckily, I've decided not to go the airline route, so now it's shifting towards flying for fun and spreading my love of aviation.
 
Husband detests the "blue handed bandits" (commercial airliners) he did it because his grandfather got him into the addiction. Not sure why else for him. For me I got into it because I didn't want to just be a passenger in the plane. But we fly to get places. Just got back from Florida (the rest of the guests for the wedding had to drive - 17 hours; we did it in 6.5hours) Never would've drove that far and no commercial airliner got us down there easily (had to have flown to Chicago then to Orlando then to Jacksonville - blech!)
 
I'm kind of like either Bill Thomas or Bill Kershner said (I can't remember which one right now): "...that you can actually use an airplane to go somewhere is just a fringe benefit." or something like that. I use my airplane to travel some, but the primary reason I fly is because I love it.
 
For the fun of it.

For the joy of it.

The fact that I can use aviation to visit far-flung places is an amazing fringe benefit, but I would fly even if all I ever saw was my beautiful island...

Sent from my Nexus 7
 
Anthony said:
We're insane? Recessive gene?
Click to expand...

They're insane. Defective genes.

Neither of which get anywhere very fast at all. I've spent hours just cruising around checking out the local fields and what not with out going anywhere at all.
Click to expand...

Someone once asked me what I thought a good fast plane would be for building hours. I told them a J-3 Cub is one of the best options. They looked at me like I was crazy and muttered something about Bonanza's and Arrows and pathetically slow Cherokee's. If you're in a big frigging hurry, get the jet. If you want hours, you want to go slow. Coast to coast in a J-3 will build a lot more hours than any 200+mph go fast ever will on the same route.
 
I've used it for long distance travel, some business trips here, and there and flying for weekend fun.
 
I fly because I love the freedom and the intense relaxation I get from being airborne. I fly a simple Skyhawk for a reason. It stays airworthy 98% of the time and flying it doesn't require any effort. If the plane is grounded for some reason I get depressed. If I get stressed I head to the airport. Sometimes all I need is to be in the hangar with my airplane. My wife calls the plane my mistress. She could be right.
 
fgcason said:
My philosophy for travel and life in general: Never much been one for the destination. The journey and all those little places in between is where the important things in life are at. The destination is just an excuse to go in one direction instead of the other and it's not really important if you ever get there.
Click to expand...

:yeahthat:

I ended up in Marfa Tx on the way home from Kansas to Michigan, flew over the mouth of the Mississippi River on the way from Michigan to Tennessee and it took me 12 days to get from Michigan to Wisconsin passing through Idaho. The magenta line on a GPS is just a suggestion! :D

Barb
 
when were you in Marfa? I need to get back there one of these years...
 
At first it was because I loved it, then it became a challenge to see how far I could get, then it became a job, then I didn't want to do it, and now its just for fun/traveling.
 
VanDy said:
this pretty much sums it up for me. I fly a Taylorcraft and am rebuilding a Pietenpol. Neither of which get anywhere very fast at all. I've spent hours just cruising around checking out the local fields and what not with out going anywhere at all.

I was always told if you have to be somewhere, drive.
Click to expand...
One of these days we are going to teach you how to "Get somewhere!"
:thumbsup:
 
tonycondon said:
i mainly fly for Sport but its not aerobatics
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It's the turn and it's the landing and probably for you it's finding the thermal...that is the sport. There is nothing else like it and it's what I miss when I don't fly.
 
I originally wanted to fly for a career until I met career pilots who don't fly much for leisure. Now I fly for fun, see new places, meet other cool people at random places, and just hang around other cool aviation people. I get to do it now flying and working.
 
Mafoo said:
I know I am going to get some flack for this... but I want to fly for the same reason I like to drive. To take me somewhere.

The more I fly, the more I enjoy it, but the reason for entering GA, was to expand the radius of locations my Wife and I can explore in a weekend.

It's a means to an end. And enjoyable means, but a means none the less.
Click to expand...

You're not going to get any flack for your answer; at least not from me.

I learned to fly because I thought and still think flying is really cool, fun and challenging. Once I learned to fly, I quickly discovered, "Hey! I can really go places that are way too far to go by car and much too short to go by commercial air."

So, I fly because it's fun, BUT I quickly learned that the fun triples when I have a defined mission. For example, to fly to a vacation spot with my wife, to do a Pilot's and Paws or Angel Flight, to take a short 30 minute or 1 hour flight with my wife or friends for dinner or enjoy a weekend trip. I love taking someone flying who's never flown before on a sightseeing trip...say the NY corridor (NYC SFRA), but insert a destination for lunch, dinner or a museum.

I became a CFI and CFII just so I can fly and share my passion with a definate constructive purpose. Plus I'm flying free at that point! :D

I don't have as much fun boring holes in the sky with no clear purpose.

Gene
 
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Garthur said:
If the plane is grounded for some reason I get depressed. If I get stressed I head to the airport. Sometimes all I need is to be in the hangar with my airplane. My wife calls the plane my mistress. She could be right.
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Couldn't agree more with this statement. Being out of aviation because I'm out of country is one of the HARDEST parts of life now. I may pick up trail riding again because personal aviation just isn't possible here. Before moving here, I would often just go to the airport for a hopp after a long or difficult day. I've only got 400 hours, so I still enjoy shooting touch & go's, power off simulations at the airport, etc. On occassion, I'd realize after opening the hanger that I was just a bit too strung out to be flying. On those occasions, cleaning the windshield, checking all the fasteners, etc would do the trick ... sometimes I'd even fire her up and just taxi about a smidge.

Garthur said:
I fly because I love the freedom and the intense relaxation I get from being airborne.
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We may disagree here. I love flying because of the freedom, but I also love it because of the challenge. I really don't find flying to be relaxing. I've joked with friends that the only thing better than flying is the beer after landing (yes, I'm prepared for the off color comments about "the only thing better").

There are brief moments of sheer pleasure on a sunny fall day, when the plane is trimmed just right, the engine humming along and the view out the window is something like Chicago lake front or the Gulf Coast, but usually I don't really relax. As the prop shudders to a stop and the master gets flicked off, ahhh ... relaxation.

I've always wondered if I'm an odd-ball for this.
 
I'm mostly in the travel section, we do some pilots n paws and take a few people up for their first flights as well. But why travel GA instead of buying first class tickets everywhere? (It'd probably be close to the same yearly $$) my wife and I hate dealing with the lines and TSA, but also I love being able to exercise the freedom we have in the USA to fly GA. I've spent my whole adult life in the military, I guess it'd feel like a bit of a waste if I didn't enjoy that freedom I've been fighting for. I'll be back from this deployment in a few weeks (hopefully), and aside from seeing my wife and dogs, the next thing I want to see is my Bo.
 
iflyforfun said:
Couldn't agree more with this statement. Being out of aviation because I'm out of country is one of the HARDEST parts of life now. I may pick up trail riding again because personal aviation just isn't possible here. Before moving here, I would often just go to the airport for a hopp after a long or difficult day. I've only got 400 hours, so I still enjoy shooting touch & go's, power off simulations at the airport, etc. On occassion, I'd realize after opening the hanger that I was just a bit too strung out to be flying. On those occasions, cleaning the windshield, checking all the fasteners, etc would do the trick ... sometimes I'd even fire her up and just taxi about a smidge.



We may disagree here. I love flying because of the freedom, but I also love it because of the challenge. I really don't find flying to be relaxing. I've joked with friends that the only thing better than flying is the beer after landing (yes, I'm prepared for the off color comments about "the only thing better").

There are brief moments of sheer pleasure on a sunny fall day, when the plane is trimmed just right, the engine humming along and the view out the window is something like Chicago lake front or the Gulf Coast, but usually I don't really relax. As the prop shudders to a stop and the master gets flicked off, ahhh ... relaxation.

I've always wondered if I'm an odd-ball for this.
Click to expand...

You're not an odd ball. Maybe the first few years of flying I was stressed out. I think the stress came from not wanting to screw up and do something that would stop me from flying. I fly a Skyhawk because it's an easy and non stressful (at least now that I have some time in it) aircraft.
 
EvilEagle said:
I'm mostly in the travel section, we do some pilots n paws and take a few people up for their first flights as well. But why travel GA instead of buying first class tickets everywhere? (It'd probably be close to the same yearly $$) my wife and I hate dealing with the lines and TSA, but also I love being able to exercise the freedom we have in the USA to fly GA. I've spent my whole adult life in the military, I guess it'd feel like a bit of a waste if I didn't enjoy that freedom I've been fighting for. I'll be back from this deployment in a few weeks (hopefully), and aside from seeing my wife and dogs, the next thing I want to see is my Bo.
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I'll jump the gun and say, Welcome Home.
 
Well guys in my case this thread is more of a "Why I Want To Fly GA". For many years I always thought it would be cool learning to fly a plane and being a proficient pilot. I am by no means one of those "head in the sky" types who had a room full of model planes as a kid or anything like that. However I just think the challenge and rewards that come with learning to fly would be highly rewarding for myself. So that's one reason why I want/would fly GA.
Second I think it would be really cool being able to take my wife for a quick weekend trip to Monterey, San Francisco, or a trip of that sort in our own plane. Heck maybe even one legitimate cross country with another pilot someday would be an experience to remember.
Well with that said I know my limitations and kind of doubt this may occur. But if it does the above mentioned are my reasons.
 
Garthur said:
You're not an odd ball. Maybe the first few years of flying I was stressed out. I think the stress came from not wanting to screw up and do something that would stop me from flying. I fly a Skyhawk because it's an easy and non stressful (at least now that I have some time in it) aircraft.
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I've been flying a variety of 172's for many years and I don't necessarily find it easy to fly especially landing in x winds. Can i fly yours? :wink2:
 
I have about 1700 hours in the same Skyhawk (stress reliever). I make sure that it is maintained to perfection (stress reliever). All my landings are short field, even when I have 10,000 feet left. My landings are all with the nose gear right on the center line of the runway. All my approaches are at 60 knots with 55 knots over the fence. the touch down is always on the numbers..

The reason that I just wasted the last paragraph saying all this is because, this is how I trained the stress out of my flying. Now, if the runway is 1500 feet long or longer or more then 20 feet wide, I know that I have not used more then that in 20 years (no stress).

I guess cross wind landings are tougher in high wing then in low wing aircraft. It just comes down to being familiar with the aircraft flying characteristics. I have flown 4 different 172,s and all of them were a little different. I have some time in a 152, 182, 140 and a few other low wings and one twin. I think the twin was the easiest in the cross winds. I really don't think to much about cross wind landings, I crab down the approach and about 20 feet over the runway I straighten it out and if I don't have 1/3 of the rudder authority left then I give it power, go around and use another runway.
 
A combination of flying for the sake of flying, and (as someone else said) expanding the radius of weekend getaways.
Out here in Denver, road trips to anywhere worth going is a full day of driving.

I love taking it on long trips. DC, Florida, TX. I'd much rather fly myself for 11 hours than be in an airliner for 4.
I found some really cool small towns on the flight from Denver to Tampa.

My wife and I are planning a trip to Tampa, with a day trip to Key West while there, and spending a couple days in Branson on the way back. Try *that* on United!
 
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