Do you fly in real life (as the pilot!)?

[EHM-1883 Matt]

I thought it would be a good idea to see how many of us fly in real life here because there are many of us going out doing the PP's, and many of us who are even scared of flying despite it being one of our biggest hobbies!

[EHM-0948 Bruno]

Unfortunately I don't .. Maybe on the next life!

[EHM-1980 Brian]

I've done a number of lessons but I havent got as far as I would have liked! Something to work at in the future when my babies are more grown up and I'm less busy at work

[EHM-1883 Matt]

I've never flown as the pilot, and in an odd way, I hope I don't!

In someone's signature (sorry to that someone!) it says "It's better to be on the ground wishing to be flying rather than flying wishing to be on the ground", and I have a feeling if I flew in real life it would be the latter.

[EHM-1749 Hector]

Hi Matt, that signature is mine. It was the first thing my flying instructor told me when I started flying. That was in 1968. I forgot that once on October 19, 1974 when trying to fly back from Cincinnatti, Ohio to Tulsa, Oklahoma where I was getting my Engineering degree. That day I confirmed that breaking one's rules is dangerous. But, lucky enough, I could manage to defeat death by a mere 200 ft. That's why I say that this coming October 19 I will be 33 in my second life. Thanks to a reliable Lycoming 200 HP in my Cherokee Arrow 200.
BTW, my instructor also used to say: "The aircraft can fly but cannot think. The pilot can think but cannot fly. If you put a pilot who cannot fly and cannot think in an aircraft that can fly but cannot think, there is an open invitation for disaster."

[EHM-1749 Hector]

Correction: It was October 19, 1975.

[EHM-1671 Ben]

I have, but it's way too expensive to become a regular event

[EHM-1883 Matt]

Originally posted by EHM-1671 Ben
I have, but it's way too expensive to become a regular event

haha, that always is a problem;D

[EHM-2198 Didimo]

I would like to and have been thinking about starting with a private/recreational pilot license but the costs are high and I am already into another expensive past time (Golf).

Keep dreaming about it but it could be a letdown because in simulation time I am not a fan of small planes, like jets. In real life due to my "advanced" age (45) I would NEVER get to become a jet pilot (unless I had a lot of money like John Travolta).

And then... to keep the license (which is already expensive to get) you need at least 10 hrs/year at the high costs of every hour, well you don't need to get a calculator to figure it out

Then again... in a magazine I read about this 70+ woman in the UK that is taking flying lessons! something to think about.

[EHM-2155 Mariano]

My dad and I always shared a fascination for planes and flying. He recently took some lessons on ultra light airplanes, and he bought some hours to practice on a nearby airclub (Castelo Branco, Portugal).
He lent me half an hour on an ultralight, with an instructor (these carry only 2 people) and because they knew how much I flew simulators, he thought it was a nice idea to give me controls. So I was on command except the throttle, and it was a good experience.
He even asked me if I wanted to land, and I said... you better do it this time ^^

But I wanna take my PPL. That would be very very nice

[EHM-1671 Ben]

Originally posted by EHM-2155 Mariano
He even asked me if I wanted to land, and I said... you better do it this time ^^

It's scary indeed, but your first landing... what a rush! My first landing was incredible

[EHM-1883 Matt]

My mom is absolutely terrified of planes. Everytime we get onto one, I have to explain why it's actually the safest form of transport lol.

My dad doesn't help either. He gets paranoid when there's turbulence. He says things like "we're doomed!"

[EHM-2272 Callum]

I fly every 2-3 weeks.

[EHM-1883 Matt]

Originally posted by EHM-2272 Callum
I fly every 2-3 weeks.

Lucky you;D

How much does that cost?

[EHM-2394 Martin]

I am currently taking a PPL and hopefully i will start with another in the middle of january, i fly about 2-4 times a month;D

[EHM-1749 Hector]

Talking about landings?
 I remember that that was my main concern when I was flying. During my first year my home airport was at downtown in my city, Maracaibo. It was weird because just in short final there is a cemetery. That meant that the normally well irrigated and removed soil did not generate upward air currents. So, when you were approaching you had to keep the throttle almost closed to avoid being too high in final but then, when overflying the cemetery the plane suddenly went down (at 300' altitude) and you had to push the knob to the hilt to avoid crashing.
It was not uncommon to have naughty landings and you never knew how bad it was until once when the tower controller told me after landing: YV-E-KPF, your landing at 12:01, 12:02, 12:03, hahahahaha!

[EHM-0654 Murray]

Never flown RL, but with my 40th birthday approaching soon (2010), my parents have said they want to do something "big" for me and offered flying lessons as something to think on (I put "get my eyes lasered" into the pot... if I do do any RL flying, I'd love to be able to wear decent sunglasses)

[EHM-2381 Ted]

My first flight was in 1966 JFK-Santiago Chile.

My previous job had me logging between 100-150k air miles annually.

Before that I have flown in military aircraft (notably a Cessna 337 for recce and have had rides in C-130's/135's, KC-10's, C-17's, and the Blackhawk....helicopter pilots will do thier level best to make you airsick where possible).

I hate flying....and am a nervous flyer...except on the PC :8.

But yet my current job is to run into burning buildings. Go figure :]!

[EHM-0948 Bruno]

... we just hope you continue running (unfortunately) to burning buildings, and still not to burning airplanes!

[EHM-2381 Ted]

The only burning aircraft I see are my botched landings in FSX (rare) or more frequently-turning my IL-2 or Corsair into a crater :]

[EHM-2309 Joshua]

I have always wanted to be a pilot since I had my first flight to Glasgow from Bristol. This was when I was about 12/13 years old.
I am currently studying the International Baccalaureate (IB), and hopefully will be going on to University to study Aviation studies and Pilot Training, which essentially means that if I pass, I will leave Uni with a frozen ATPL (I think)...

[EHM-0471 Peter]

Matt. I fly more often in spring, summer and fall time, and very rarely in winter period. I have PPL and night rating so far ( got a licence two years ago ), even I am almost 64. The next step, I am already working on it, is a theoretical part of IFR rating. In May in the past year I got a brand new Cessna 182T Skylane with G 1000. What an aircraft! So, one could say: ....what a lucky man.....Yes, indeed! But, please, don't ask about the costs. ( Enormous!!!)

Peter

[EHM-2378 Ashley]

I fly gliders regularly and occsasionly fly little planes, cessna 150 piper archer etc.  near brackley, northants

:>;D

[EHM-1009 Kevin]

i love to fly the real thing and with many different schools located around me would be easy to do, only prob is i know if i went and did them taster flights i would be hooked and would then have to do my PPL which is just our of my price range at the moment