Anyone want to be a Pilot?

[DRAFTSTUD]

One of my "Bucket List" things to do has always to become a Pilot. I have a Medical condition which has prevented me from being a Private Pilot, but talking to a Client/Pilot he said there was a program call Sport Pilot that I qualified under.
You still have to learn what it takes to be a Pilot and you are restricted as to what weight plane you may fly and it can only have room for you and one other person. Your Physical is your Driver's License. There seem to be a few nice planes out there that you can get into quite reasonable and others you can top 100k real fast. So, have ya'll ever thought about Flying? John

http://www.sportpilot.org/index.html

 

[whyelkhunt]

You might watch the movie "second hand lions" first.

 

[noharleyyet]

I have a Medical condition which has prevented me from being a Private Pilot

Cajunitis?...too bad DS, you could've been Jose's air chauffer.

 

[Bambistew]

Its on my list for sure. I didn't realize you could get a 'light aircraft' license, I thought it was all or nothing... I'm going to be looking into this for sure, it apears to be about half the price too, except in AK that means it will be twice as expensives as the L48.

Some of the aircraft that are listed are exactly what I'd be interested in buying/using.

This plane looks very intersting... damn near same specs as a Super Cub, maybe better, and about half the price.

http://www.justaircraft.com/page.php?23

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

Bambi, You would be amazed at the "Bargains" out there in Light Sport with Floats. Just tell me when your ready to take me Bou hunting! LOL! Ken, I have just enough money to get a plane to chauffer Jose, but not enough for a passenger door! John

Bambi, http://www.barnstormers.com/index.php

 

[Bambistew]

Bou smou... I'm thinking sheep! Foats would make for a rough landing on a bush strip.

I appreciate you posting this. I've been kicking this around for the last couple years, but just couldn't justify the cost to get my license. I don't want anything big, I want something small, so when I crash, it won't hurt quite as bad.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

You will find the hardest part is finding someone with a Certified Light Sport plane for your training. It is pretty cool though. John

 

[tarheel]

John, I would highly recommend it. I had wanted to be a fighter pilot since about 6 years of age but when the time came we were at the end of a three year stretch of failed money crops; total hail destruction, black shank disease and drought hit our tobacco crop three years running, so college was not in the offing for me, much less a chance to get my wings.

After I raised and educated my kids I started taking flight instruction in a taildragger, much harder to fly than tricycle geared aircraft, but I wanted to take the hard route, figuring that if I could fly the taildraggers, the others would be a piece of cake. Now with my recent heart problems, my medical is history and light sport is all that is left for me except when I go up with a friend and they let me take the controls, but that puts no time in my log book. I had to sell my share of a Cessna 172 and content myself with watching other people fly, but I did achieve that goal and scratch another from the bucket list. GO for it!!!!

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

Tarheel, I spoke with a Flight Instructor this afternoon. His son was trying to sell his Taildragger, but it was not what I really wanted. I did ask him about leasing his plane since it is LSA. The father said with it being a Taildragger it would probably take 25-30 Hours to get my Sport. He also said that after a Taildragger I should be able to fly any LSA out there. So far this is how it breaks down: Flight Instr: 30 hrs @ $40= $1200 plus Insurance and gas. I am hoping to lease his plane for about the same as the Flight Instructor cost. John

 

[174in]

I too have thought about getting into flying and planes then I thought about it and realized that I have crashed everything with a motor or wheels that I have ever owned and some stuff that I didnt own also.

 

[tarheel]

Tarheel, I spoke with a Flight Instructor this afternoon. His son was trying to sell his Taildragger, but it was not what I really wanted. I did ask him about leasing his plane since it is LSA. The father said with it being a Taildragger it would probably take 25-30 Hours to get my Sport. He also said that after a Taildragger I should be able to fly any LSA out there. So far this is how it breaks down: Flight Instr: 30 hrs @ $40= $1200 plus Insurance and gas. I am hoping to lease his plane for about the same as the Flight Instructor cost. John

I'd be surprised if you could get the aircraft that cheaply; most rentals are going for at least 70 bucks per hour for a C-150 or 152, and I doubt you'll be able to get an LSA any cheaper. That price is wet, of course, and the cost of avgas just keeps going up. That 30 hour estimate is bare butt minimum and in most cases takes at least 40 hours, especially for us older geezers. Good luck.

What is the plane for sale? I have a friend looking to buy a Champ or other old taildragger if the condition and price are right.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

I too have thought about getting into flying and planes then I thought about it and realized that I have crashed everything with a motor or wheels that I have ever owned and some stuff that I didnt own also.

Crash, Crash..that is my middle name! I have Broken Toes, arms, legs, 12 rib breaks that I can remember, fingers, nose and teeth........but I would like to Fly! LOL
Tar, The plane is a Fisher Dakota Hawk with a 0-200 in it. Bare Basics with a stick. I really like the LSA with the Ballistic Parachutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL John

 

[schmalts]

I got my Private around 18 years ago. Pretty much hung it up a couple years ago due to costs and time constraints. Just be realistic about what it cost to fly the plane and the cost of maintaining it plus insurance. I was a part owner of a 172 and even when I did not fly it it was 65$ a month for my 1/12th share for it to sit in the hanger. The sport thing is newer and a great way to get into it affordable. Problem is that most sport planes do not have enough passenger room to haul enough people to split costs. I have never taken my plane on a long distance hunting trip because it cost more than if I flew commercial.
I bought my share of the 172 before I had more than one hour logged. I hired a free-lance instructor for $15hr and way back then it was $45 wet to fly the 172 I was part owner in. The first couple years I logged a couple hundred hours. Me and the wife would fly for long weekend retreats, I would take buddies on fishing trips, and sometimes fly to casinos to eat and donate a few bucks to the Indians. Good times for sure, but when the kid was born time was a real crunch and money was tighter. Fuel prices went through the roof and the draw was just not there. I still have my license and became good friends with the instructor so I can still get up in the air if I wanted to.
Chicks dig it too when they take the controls and fly into a nice sunset.....

 

[fiveptbill]

I don't want anything big, I want something small, so when I crash, it won't hurt quite as bad.[/QUOTE]


My dad was a research pilot for 25 years as well as being a Marine A-6 pilot and his thought on the little ones is that they go just fast enough to kill you.

 

[tarheel]

Crash, Crash..that is my middle name! I have Broken Toes, arms, legs, 12 rib breaks that I can remember, fingers, nose and teeth........but I would like to Fly! LOL

John, you'd best fabricate you some flappy wings and take a few short hops off the smokehouse roof; if you survive that then go on and sign up for lessons.

 

[Paradox]

I am a pilot. Best thing I ever did. You will go 80percent of the learning to get sport pilot. Just go ahead and get the Private. ( unless there is some reason you won't pass the medical).

 

[Art Vandeley]

When in high school, I worked 7 days a week at two different jobs to fund my hunting trips and flying lessons. It got to the point where I knew I needed to put away some spending money for college and my flying came to an end. Hopefully this piece of paper on the wall that everyone wants to see is going to allow me to start up flying again and I can get my private pilots license. It's always been a goal of mine!

Mitch