Anyone fly

[begreen]

A friend is offering to take me up and fly around locally and give some lessons too. I know nothing about planes, and sure am not going to buy one, but it's an intriguing offer. Plane is a Cessna tri-wheeler but I don't know the model.

 

[Jan Pijpelink]

You can own one of these for not too much.

 

[peakbagger]

Its an expensive hobby. A typical plane owner cant do much maintenance themselves and FBOs charge a bundle to do anything. Due to liability insurance the costs of new planes is sky high so that keep the price of the used ones up there. A cheap plane usually has problem or needs some expensive maintenance. Pilots usually like the company especially if they can convince the passenger to chip in.

Its fun on nice on clear cold day but not so nice with clear air turbulence where you are flying along the plane drops 1000 feet. The basic flight controls isn't tough but remember the number of degrees of freedom increases compared to an automobile. The tricky parts are take off and landings as if you stall the plane you don't have time to recover.

I got the written portion part of the license out of college but the practical hours was way beyond my budget. 40 flying hours was the minimum hours and few folks do it in 40. Once you get a private license you need to keep the skills active. My friend is in flying club where a group owns a couple of planes and they share the use and the expenses. They lost one plane to a member who crashed it when she was a bit rusty on her hours. Private pilots are typically limited to visual flying on clear days inevitably if you are planning a long trip you end up having to worry if bad weather is coming in. Busy air traffic areas don't like small private planes and will try to keep you out of their air space.

There are sports pilot and recreational licenses that were created several years ago to make it easier for entry level folks, fewer hours but limits on when and where they can fly. The sport planes are limited on weight and fuel carried and have to stay out of busy areas. The recreation license is a step up to larger planes.

Folks do have to be able to pass a flight physical so some chronic conditions can exclude a person from getting a license.

 

[begreen]

Yes it is expensive. My friend can afford it, I can not for sure. He was also a helicopter pilot in AK and volunteers a lot of air time for rescue.

 

[Dobish]

i have a few friend and family that have their pilots licence. Most of them choose not to own their own planes due to the costs associated with it. I have a cousin who is a helicopter pilot, and i'm trying to convince him to buy a helicopter and start a ski guiding business, which I of course would get to be a part of

 

[begreen]

It was a real hoot and the experience of a lifetime to go flying with him in AK. We saw amazing stuff and landed up on top of glaciers with the most awesome views. I had an all-day grin on my face that wouldn't wipe off.

 

[Knots]

I'd go up in most Cessna models that are well maintained. If he knows you're not intending to pursue a license but is still willing to go up, then I'd go.

What I won't go up in again is a hot air balloon...

 

[begreen]

Has the Cessna at his home. His 'airstrip' has me a bit nervous, but he uses it regularly. If I go I will take a shot of it.

 

[Knots]

Well, now the risk comes down to your judgement of his judgment.

 

[begreen]

I trust his flying ability, but not so sure about mine. Might be ok for a little, but I always crashed the plane in early flight simulator programs. Even the Cessnas.

 

[Knots]

I'm lukewarm on flying and tepid on piloting. I spent my career in offices, factories, laboratories, and hangars. That's the part of aviation I like - seeing a design emerge from a blank sheet of paper and then fly years later, or watching a gleaming, precision gear come from a rough forging.

I think piloting is one of those things you should be passionate about...

 

[firefighterjake]

I don't fly, but I did go up in a plane built by a co-worker . . . a RV-8.

When he asked me if I was nervous with the idea of flying with him in a plane he built in his garage, I told him I was not nervous at all . . . mainly because I knew him and his work as a Fire Inspector and knew how meticulous he would be in the build. He's the type of guy if the plan calls for a Grade 5 half inch bolt he will be sure that this is the bolt that is used.