How many pilots out there?

[bczygan]

His request approved, the Fox News photographer quickly used a cell phone to call the local airport to charter a flight.

He was told a plane would be waiting for him at the airport.

Arriving at the airfield, he spotted a plane warming up outside a hanger.

He jumped in with his bag, slammed the door shut, and shouted, 'Let's go'.

The pilot taxied out, swung the plane into the wind and took off.

Once in the air, the photographer instructed the pilot,

'Fly over the valley and make low passes so I can take pictures of the fires on the hillsides.'

'Why?' asked the pilot.

'Because I'm a photographer for Fox Cable News,' he responded. 'And I need to get some close up shots.'

The pilot was strangely silent for a moment, finally he stammered, 'So, what you're telling me, is .. . .

You're NOT my flight instructor?'

 

[gregcr]

PPL here as well... For almost 10 years.
I have a Piper Saratoga that I try to find time to fly. Just got back from the keys (back to the snow of New England). I also have a kitfox in pieces, along with a few other projects.

I'm gathering ideas to build a nice garage as a home for my projects.

I've been tempted in the past to build a "hanger" type garage with a big bi-fold door. How about some photo's of the pilots garage!

thanks!
greg

 

[blown 87]

PP, Instrument, A&P, tail wheel, complex, the world looks better upside down.

You guys may like this, a friend of mines little shop, he fools with airplanes a bit, fairly young guy, maybe 42, started flying warbids when he was a teenager, has over 200 hours in Mustangs at airshows and has flown many WW2 fighters, and bombers, great guy.

Some pics of his hanger.
I am trying to help him on the T34, and the P40 is for the most part a scratch build, he even had to have the mounts for the engine cradle forged.

He made the wheel, every thing but the rollers.

P40 parts

Lot of work here, now at a stand still.

This is the T34 that is going pretty well, I need to take recent pics of the work on it.

The Provost Jet
Paul gives the type rating in these.

Paul and his 928

 

[daveinind]

PPL SEL for 6 years. Took me eighteen months and about $10,000. Started lessons the months my child support ended. Spend about $4000.00 per year on flying by renting from the club that is part of the flight school I got my training at. Usually fly a 172 with a garmin 430.

 

[machine_punk]

I started a flying club 12 years ago, we have 18 pilots and two airplanes and a hanger...a Cherokee 180 and a Cessna Skylane 182, both IFR and painted to match, with garmins, etc.

Pictures please!

I soloed in Cessna. Moved about three days after that and haven't got back into it (medically disqualified and I get way too airsick on the slow speed maneuvers). I still miss flying, though.

I am finally putting my garage together. I plan to call it The Aerodrome Studio. I work with aluminum sheet and solid rivets. Planning to start building aircraft-like furniture, once I get finished building the shop fixtures the same way.

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[wait4me]

CFII R/H and working on my ASE ratings. So far it just keeps getting me deeper in debt...

 

[docjake]

UH-60 Pilot, will be going to the Maintenance test pilot course when I get home from Afghanistan.

 

[4Tigers]

We have a Cessna 150 and built a RV9A Fast plane Constant speed 160 hp injected IFR with autopilot

We also manage a flying club at TTD Club has Cessna 150, 172 and Turbo Aztec

Wife is also a pilot

 

[kelzamos]

Starting lessons soon. Look out below!!!

 

[MO-Iron]

Flew a company F33A Bonanza for the first five years I was out of college. After a career change, I keep my medical and manage to get in a few hours when I can.

MO-Iron

 

[robert_t_wallace]

Single Private Pilot here w/ high performance and complex.. No multi or instrument..

 

[JetLinkin]

I'm a private pilot 30 years and A&P Mechanic for a airline.
I'm deaf,& left arm Amputee. I fly VFR / non tower airport / uncontrolled air space. I have 3rd class medical and SODA (Statement Of Demonstrated Ability) I own my own Cessna 172 and have hundreds of skydives. I haven't skydive recently. Airplane eats my money.

^^^

 

[JetLinkin]

I'm going on 21 years now as a professional pilot. I was 10.5 years active duty in the Air Force. Those who fly the friendly skies for a living will know who I fly for from my screen name.

Learned to fly on one of these (prettiest plane ever, except for the Gunpig):

 

[jakesls]

I would love to do a PPL license, after having flown passenger in a glider, fascinated by the concept. But I always had a thing for airplanes.

I like bush planes, or STOL, or smaller cargo planes, Cessna Caravan, or the Quest Kodiak!

 

[jrmylmach1]

I would love to do a PPL license, after having flown passenger in a glider, fascinated by the concept. But I always had a thing for airplanes.

I like bush planes, or STOL, or smaller cargo planes, Cessna Caravan, or the Quest Kodiak!

Then I say go for it. There is nothing like controlling an airplane on your own. It is alot of work (and money) but it is worth it. Go down to your local airport and find yourself a flight instructor. I would recommend someone older. Nothing against younger guys, but most of them are only instructing to get the experience to be hired by an airline. The older ones are normally your career instructors and will be a little better at teaching you and spending the time to make sure you understand.

I am flying a widebody in Asia now but would love to have the time to devote to instructing. It really is fun imparting your knowledge to someone else and watching them really enjoy it.

Good luck.

 

[Dmark1]

ATP, retired AA pilot. Own a Mitsubishi MU2 and a Robinson R44 Helicopter. Flying since I was 16 (53 now). Just bought a hangar at ADS and looking to this forum to help me furnish and make it look good...

 

[SteveCh]

Literally just got back from the airport and saw this old topic renewed. I have an old Beech Baron on which I get to use lots of my SAE tools. Always something. Today swinging the gear which my partner got down last week manually. Worked great on the jack. Guess we'll fly her til the gear system reliably breaks. Maybe.

1962 model. Fly it, work on it, fly it, fix it, etc. It's fun, though.

Been a pilot since 1979 and taught flying full time for years. Up through the nineties. Flew for a private business owner in her new Bonanza for seven yr., up in the Rockies. I've had six planes, but the other five were leasebacks for schools. The Baron is just for fun. Had four other partners, keep the cost down, but three of them have bailed over the years and we are down to a fixed two. My partner is an IA with his own shop about thirty yards from our hangar door. His SnapOn collection, therefore, is only steps away from me any time I'm out there. His tools are worth far more than the plane.

 

[cattflight]

I've been a PP-ASEL for about 6.5 years. BEST THING I EVER DID!!! 2nd best thing was getting my Tailwheel endorsement. 3rd best thing was buying a Glastr kit and starting to build! The wife is shortly behind all of these on the list ;-)

 

[water-works]

It's on my bucket list and fast approaching the top. I've been saving up the money to take the plunge next year.

I'm really excited. Dad flew. Grandpa flew B29s in Pacific theatre and after, Stearman cropdusters. Other Grandpa flew glider and cargo planes in European theatre. Uncle flew biplanes. Here I am at 38 and I haven't even got my license yet. Where did I go wrong in life?

I still dream of owning a warbird one day. Corsair, P51 or Sea Fury. Any of those would do nicely.

 

[dhill001]

Private certificate w/ Commercial Glider rating.
~500 hr. Not current.
Started flying in '96 and quit ~'08.
For me, flying has 2 purposes: 1) getting somewhere 2) having fun.
I can't afford a plane fast enough to make good transportation. It is easily most practical for me to fly commercial. For challenge and entertainment, an engine is merely exce$$ complication and reduced reliability. Hence gliders only.
Expense was minimal because my (owned) glider was $75/yr to keep at the airport and ~$200 - $400 for maintenance/annual inspection. Liability only insurance $150/yr. Flying ride passengers almost paid for that and I mostly flew the FBO's equipment.
What killed it for me was 1) the FBO moved from 8mi to 75mi away 2) I was worried about screwing up, getting sued by a damaged passenger and financially ruining my family. I quit flying rides and only flew my own ship for a year. Weather prediction got so good that I could reliably pick my day and stay aloft for upwards of 4-5 hr or until I got motion sick or bored. Because I was only landing a few times per season, I got rusty and realized it. Flying is something you want to do well or not at all so I hung it up. I'll probably only go back to it in my imagination....
Does anybody out there know why Sonerais are so cheap? So tempting.

 

[Big-Foot]

PP-SEL here.... Was working on my Commercial & Instrument ratings when I ran out of money and my wife's patience... Haven't flown as PIC for 20 years now and would really like to get back in it someday...

 

[jesse72]

I'm a helicopter Private License student as of now. At Upper Limit Aviation in Salt Lake City Utah. I will be going through Instrument, Commercial Pilot, CFI and CFII (Certified Flight Instructor-Instrument rating) by the end of next year as well as earning an A.S. degree in Aviation Science.

If anyone is a Vet and wants to know how to get into a program like this, let me know. Completly Post 9/11 GI Bill covered.

 

[woodrail]

I'm currently taking a class to pass my written exam. This allows me to fly drones currently. This will probably change once the FAA figures things out.

 

[benjamintmiller]

I'm a 100 hour private pilot, and it terrifies me that people can fly drones in class G airspace without any qualifications.

 

[woodrail]

Thus the requirement for passing the written exam. You don't consider this a qualification?

It is suspected that the requirement will soon change to PP or sport soon.

 

[Smiliesafari]

Hotair balloon pilot for 35 years. Commercial and CFI rated. Pretty cool hobby.

 

[Imcrazy]

Been flying since 1967. ATP, multi,Commercial single, land, commercial seaplane, sailplane, commercial helo, Citation type. A & P IA

Currently have a Cessna T210 and a Super Decathlon. Sold the Hughes helo about 9 years ago. Helo's are the most fun you can have with clothes on. The Decathlon is not bad though.

 

[dmwdesign]

First post on Garage Journal...

3rd generation pilot in my family
- grandfather and great uncle flew WWI surplus Jenny biplanes, knew of Don Luscombe and ran an airfield that was instrumental (no pun!) in development of the mono coupe
- grandfather made dad swear he would never get into...then at 50 dad got his private, then went on to commercial, twin engine and advanced ground school instructor
- I started at 12 with glider, soloed at 14, then soloed powered at 17, license before graduated high school...got a high performance sign off (Arrow P200)...around 105 hrs total.

Have 4 kids now, and would give my left 2 lug nuts to be able to fly again. Haven't done it in about 14 yrs and dream of it

 

[sc105b]

just discovered this post, great stuff. saw the MU2 reference..

That thing is LOUD when you're pulling a power cart away from it...

and lots of tanks to fill if I remember right.. but that's when I was a ramp rat back in 89...


I just worked one yesterday coming down J48..


Please, Please be extra dilligent when flying in the coming weeks/ months

with the atc furloughs they'll be a lot of smaller airports with no atc at all.

some say no big deal but when you get into a situation with a 172 just cruising along and a G-5 deciding he's first I start to worry..

I'm at an enroute facility so it'll be different here and I'd imagine things will just back up if we don't have the staff to man the positions...


I just hope we get past this stuff soon....

 

[TechnoMayor]

PP-ASEL here.

Here's our 1956 Cessna 172 "Independence One"

 

[jeftec1]

Com smel/CFII/ former freight dog in another life flying DC3's all over America. Former Tri Pacer driver and currently building ribs for a TEAM Airbike

 

[FLgarageDreamer]

Not a pilot but a part time Tactical Flight Officer for a Sheriff's Office. Just found out yesterday all TFO's are having to take a pinch hitter's course in case our PIC has an event disabling him in flight.

Sorry guys forgot to ad the important part, they're helicopters.

 

[SteveCh]

Back in the 80s, my wife and I went to an FAA mountain flying week up in Montana at which I was doing some teaching [mntn flying techniques and everyone flew in and camped under their wings, etc.]. My wife attended a pinch-hitter class and I sat at the back of the crowd and listened to see how it went. It was put on by the AOPA. I left after a while, but I left quite impressed. I was convinced that a non-pilot could manage to get a plane on the ground with the pilot incapacitated. The people would be ok. I went up by myself in a plane later on and used the techniques gone over in the class and was able to land the plane just fine. Not a perfect test, of course, as I had to pretend to myself that I didn't know how to do anything, but still an impressive system.

The pinch hitter courses work best if the non-pilot practices the technique occasionally. Naturally. So, get your pilot to let you do it some time. It works. The more complete courses even teach how to contact someone and how to get from where you are to someplace to land.

 

[FLgarageDreamer]

Sorry forgot to add we have a computer simulator with pedals, stick and collective which we have to do first as well as working with our unit instructor. Knowing the guys it will be something we'll have to do on a regular basis just to keep proficiency The unit is very training and safety oriented. It's a great place.

 

[Mooniac]

I'm a Private Pilot as well... single engine airplanes with an instrument rating. Started flying in '91 right after high school and thought it was expensive then. Little did I know! Got my instrument rating before leaving college and then flew sporadically afterwards for 5-6 years before dropping out. Motorcycles scratched that itch for a while, but in 2007 I bought a Mooney and life has been much better ever since! I like owning, flying and wrenching on the Mooney. I'm currently taking steps towards spinning up a side business related to Mooney interests.

For those on the fence or just thinking about it, go take a discovery flight at your local small airport! It is very inexpensive...but it is kinda like getting free heroin at first! It is a challenging, fun, rewarding and practical pursuit all wrapped up in one activity. We're flying the Mooney to New Orleans on Friday for a weekend getaway and it will be faster and cheaper than going by airlines.

 

[1/2 Cup]

I have had a PPL since 1992, flown mostly single engine Cessna types C150 -C172 - C180, PA28 - Piper Warrior etc. My wife purchased a 1/2 hour in a CA 18 P51 Mustang ( VH-JUC ) for my 50th. I had some hands on time at the controls and i must say was one of the greatest experiences of my life............

 

[941designs]

In my job, I spent two years in a Eurocopter EC-120 and Bell OH-58 operating a camera, while getting some stick time. Wife is also an A&P for turbine helos, which is pretty darn sweet. I flew around 1,000 hours, with maybe 10 of that as PIC (unofficially).

Best two years in my career by far.

 

[dbabicky]

Not a pilot, but was in aviation for 20+ yrs. A&P License, flew back seat of F16D's for 3 years as a Flt Test Weenie. Had a F-15 Eagle, and F-18 Hornet ride.

 

[retfr8flyr]

I retired from flying in Oct, 2005. I flew for Airborne Express and then DHL bought them shortly before I retired. I flew the YS-11, DC-9 and DC-8 at Airborne. Haven't flown anything since I retired and I really miss it.


Earl

 

[Ridge Runner]

PP-ASEL here.

Here's our 1956 Cessna 172 "Independence One"

I've always thought Cessnas and similar wing-over-fuselage aircraft were ugly, but I like that one.

I haven't gotten to fly in years, ever since my dad had a license, and really miss it. Hopefully, one of these days I'll have the money to afford an aircraft.