Any private pilots here?

[Darrell KSR]

I'm just talking here, and my wife would not be happy with me, but I've been thinking about getting some flying lessons. I have several things that (may be) changing in my business potentially where I may be traveling for personal and business reasons more often, and would love to have a lot of flexibility in travel plans.

Anybody here have a pilot's license and can tell me how you use it? Pleasure, business or both?

My GENERAL idea is that I would be using it for about the following:

250-300 mile trips (each way) - approximately 8 per year.
500 mile trips (each way) - approximately 8 per year.
150 mile trips (each way) - approximately 10 per year. Those would likely be car trips, but just trying to lay the cards on the table just in case. One would be to a small town area; the other to Atlanta.

I may have a couple other trips to add to that as well, but probably commercial flight, as they are 500-700 miles. The 500 mile trips might be a little too long; not sure.

Anyway, any general thoughts out there? I know I would enjoy it, but I just don't know....it would be expensive as heck as well, even renting a plane.

[KentuckyWildcat]

Wish I did. Would have built a smaller house, got my license, and traveled more if it was up to me. Obviously I lost that discussion.

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[Darrell KSR]

This will not be popular in my household, but if my job changes, I'm going to at least get the pilot lessons and then see. It actually may be more popular than I think--I'll have 5 kids, three grown, and two more in college out of state, and it could allow some additional personal visit time.

We'll see. If job doesn't change, the travel need won't exist, so it will be harder to justify.

[CitizenBBN]

I have always wanted to do it. And I did research prices on planes and such, and honestly the 2 and 4 seaters you can get are not unreasonable. Of course there are a number of time share and rental type deals out there, both with a pilot and just the plane.

But no I haven't done it. Keep hoping to get there some day. I do know how long it will take to get from Lexington to Key West in various models of plane however.

[Darrell KSR]

I have always wanted to do it. And I did research prices on planes and such, and honestly the 2 and 4 seaters you can get are not unreasonable. Of course there are a number of time share and rental type deals out there, both with a pilot and just the plane.

But no I haven't done it. Keep hoping to get there some day. I do know how long it will take to get from Lexington to Key West in various models of plane however.

That's what I'm finding, too. In fact, you could even start by renting planes. But the cost of them is not outrageous,

[KentuckyWildcat]

It is not cheap. But nothing is. But the cost is not nearly as bad as most assume.

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[kingcat]

?? You mean like down at Shaky Pete's airplane rental and Hookah lounge
Planes that fit your budget!

BREAKING NEWS...A two-seater Cessna 152 plane crashed into a cemetery early this afternoon in North Korea. NK search and rescue workers have recovered 200 bodies so far and expect that number to climb as digging continues into the evening.

[Darrell KSR]

?? You mean like down at Shaky Pete's airplane rental and Hookah lounge
Planes that fit your budget!

BREAKING NEWS...A two-seater Cessna 152 plane crashed into a cemetery early this afternoon in North Korea. NK search and rescue workers have recovered 200 bodies so far and expect that number to climb as digging continues into the evening.

Lol.

[dan_bgblue]

NK search and rescue workers have recovered 200 bodies so far and expect that number to climb as digging continues into the evening.

[dan_bgblue]

True story. Back in the mid 80's I was involved in some "cutting edge" photography of agricultural crops. Our company did not have a plane nor a pilot, so we hooked up with a local crop duster to do the flying. Fortunately he had 2 airplanes and I did not have to fly with him in the single seater crop dusting plane.

One day we had flown further from home than normal to reach the target crop fields and I had the pilot twisting and turning to get the views I wanted to photograph. I finished the job and told him I was done and we could head for home. He nodded to me and turned the plane, leveled off and I thought we were headed home. We had been flying at a constant 2,000 feet for the photography and he maintained that altitude for the homeward bound portion of the trip. I was busy with the camera, film canisters, and a small ice chest. I had been using infra red film and for proper results it was important to keep the film as cold as possible so I would unload a full roll drop it back in the can and stick back in the cooler for the return trip. Also to limit any stray light that might sneak in to the roll, I unloaded the camera inside a black cloth bag so I was working by feel not being able to see what I was doing. I look outside the plane and see we are much closer to the ground than we were just a bit ago and I expected to be able to spot the runway ahead of us. There is no runway in sight but I can see a small town approaching. The pilot says to me, do you see that water tower, and I said yes, he said he was going to fly low enough so that I could get a real good look at it and he wanted me to see if it had the town's name painted on the side of it.

[Darrell KSR]

Whew. Kinda scary.

[Catfan73]

I have no desire to fly myself anywhere now but when I was 8 or 9 my goal in life was to become a blimp pilot

[MickintheHam]

My business associate had his license and we flew together to a number of job sites together, most in the 600 mile or less range. Owning a plane is pretty expensive and flying a couple of times a month is almost not enough to justify the expense. And, after age 60 the physicals and license renewal process become much more difficult.

[kingcat]

I have no desire to fly myself anywhere now but when I was 8 or 9 my goal in life was to become a blimp pilot

Mine too. I got half of it..but Im no pilot.

[dan_bgblue]

Whew. Kinda scary.

That was really tame compared to locating and flying around pop up thunderstorms and running into strong thermal updrafts in the summertime, which is when we did all our flying and picture taking.

[blueboss]

Whew. Kinda scary.

After participating in the insomnia thread I might suggest you take a train.


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[Darrell KSR]

After participating in the insomnia thread I might suggest you take a train.


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Talked to my wife about it tonight, and I told her I could sleep while it was flying because of the lack of airplanes at the altitude I'd be flying.

She, uhh, didn't agree.

[dan_bgblue]

Most people would be surprised to know how little effort it takes to fly a plane once the pilot gains the desired altitude, gets the nose pointed in the proper direction, and gets the control surfaces set to maintain level flight and a proper heading. Crosswinds and thermals make it important for the pilot to not nap very often, but on good flying days, as the Geico commercial once told us, even a caveman can do it.

Takes offs and landings are another matter altogether.

[Darrell KSR]

I've done a lot of research on it. And sure, there's some risk, but with proper training and equipment, it's not nearly what people think. My business partner thinks I'm nuts. He races race cars.

[CitizenBBN]

I think it's very reasonable D. But then again you know how I drive, so maybe that shouldn't be reassuring.

[Darrell KSR]

Well, the planes I'm looking at cruise at around 120-140, so they're a little slower than you are used to...

[CitizenBBN]

Well, the planes I'm looking at cruise at around 120-140, so they're a little slower than you are used to...

Yeah, I'd feel a need to get out and push Sunday driving at that speed.

[Darrell KSR]

The only way I'd have a chance of catching up to you at that speed is that it flies in a straight line. But at the speed you go, I'm not sure you take curves anyway.

[Catfan73]

I keep thinking this says Any PIRATE pilots here. Aargh.

[CitizenBBN]

The only way I'd have a chance of catching up to you at that speed is that it flies in a straight line. But at the speed you go, I'm not sure you take curves anyway.

I take them. Usually not with all 4 wheels touching, but it turns.

[Darrell KSR]

Well, I passed the first hurdle. I broached the subject of buying a plane. That idea got torched. But I did that intentionally as a negotiating ploy. Then it was, "you can get lessons, but you're not buying a plane."

Which, of course, was what I wanted in the first place. Made her think she won.

I'll know in the next 3-4 weeks if I'll have a "need" for this or not. Oh, it won't be a super-need. But at least a plausible reason. If I don't reach that point, I won't even bother seeing if I like it.

[Catfan73]

Lol she’s probably three moves ahead of you and you think you’re winning

[Darrell KSR]

Lol she’s probably three moves ahead of you and you think you’re winning

Probably lol.

[dan_bgblue]

Probably lol.

Obviously she did not tell you I called.

[Darrell KSR]

Obviously she did not tell you I called.

Lol. She doesn't tell me a lot, obviously!