I Soloed Today!

In reply to everyone else:

Thank you all for the well wishes!

In reply to hobiercr:

Define cheap Though, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to find out the price. Can pm me (I hope so? never dealt with PMs on here) or email me at thundercougarfalcongoat@hotmail.com ? While I doubt I could afford it, you never know unless you ask.

Congratulations! Not long before I first soloed (1984), Don Culp, an ex-TWA Connie captain who used to give check rides in everything from Cessna 150s to DC-3s at our airport, told me it doesn't really sink in that you're flying alone until you get in a situation, look over to your right for the instructor, and only see your reflection in the window. With this expression:

BenB wrote: look over to your right for the instructor, and only see your reflection in the window. With this expression:

Look to your right? Must have been a BIG aircraft!

Did all my primary training in taildraggers. Here is one of them. Got to fly it on snow ski's once. Oh, and there are no starters. You propped them by hand to get them running.

Also got to fly one backwards! That's right. Cubs are slooow. Go to slow flight in a strong headwind, and walla, you're flying backwards across the ground.

mtn wrote: That is so awesome. So, how much does this really cost? Lets say that I'm starting from scratch, zero experience. I need lessons, and licensure, and insurance(?)? What else? How much and how long does all of this take? How many people can ride with me? How often do you have to re-up the license? Ok, now I'm able to fly. How much is it to rent a plane for a day? A week? How much is maintenance on a small cesna, and storage costs?

Speaking from experience as a serial aircraft owner, once you have your license and you are looking into ownership, there's a airplane out there somewhere that will fit any budget-- they're all 15% more than you can afford!

I hear daughters cost about the same.

I think aircraft are cheaper than daughters.

spitfirebill wrote: I think aircraft are cheaper than daughters.

Dang! I got two daughters. That's probably why I don't fly anymore.

In reply to ThunderCougarFalconGoat:

Email sent. Let me know if you don't get it

mtn wrote: That is so awesome. So, how much does this really cost? Lets say that I'm starting from scratch, zero experience.

A local power flying school quotes $10,000 to get to the point of Solo, add some more flights and the fee for a check ride. As a glider pilot I paid $500 to join a club, then it's $15, $20 or $25 for tows to 1, 2 or 3,000 feet. You can use a club ship for an hour at a time, call in and stay up longer if no one else is waiting.

I'm a slow learner and left handed (you have to hold the stick in your right). Someday I'll add up all the flights to see the cost, don't think it was anywhere near $10,000 though.

Dan

trucke wrote: Cubs are slooow.

Most of my primary training was in a PA-12 Supercruiser, so I can relate to that.

One of the Cubs that used to be based at our local, rural airport was fun to watch. His altitude of choice could be characterized as too high to plow, but low enough the fall might not kill you.

I've got a question for those of you working as a pilot. What would be a good college degree path that would help me land a flying job? (pun intended)

I have the GI Bill available to me, and I would like to use it.

You need to think about what kind of flying job are you looking for-- airline flying (at least domestically) starts out at poverty wages after you (or someone else) has spent enough money to log 1500 hours. Other gigs I've seen in the industry are kind of like winning the lottery-- test pilot (experimental or production), corporate, etc.

Your best option may very well be to go into a field that pays well enough you can continue to do flying for fun.

I'd be very careful about getting into the aviation business as a career-- I'm in my 30th year as an engineer in the industry (avionics systems engineer) and at times it's just about beat all my interest in aviation out of me. Some parts of this industry are real clusterberkeleys-- a whole lot of aviation's business history involves losing other peoples money.

trucke wrote:

spitfirebill wrote: I think aircraft are cheaper than daughters.

Dang! I got two daughters. That's probably why I don't fly anymore.

My old boss had FIVE daughters. And his wife wanted to keep trying for a boy.

914Driver wrote:

mtn wrote: That is so awesome. So, how much does this really cost? Lets say that I'm starting from scratch, zero experience.

A local power flying school quotes $10,000 to get to the point of Solo, add some more flights and the fee for a check ride. As a glider pilot I paid $500 to join a club, then it's $15, $20 or $25 for tows to 1, 2 or 3,000 feet. You can use a club ship for an hour at a time, call in and stay up longer if no one else is waiting. I'm a slow learner and left handed (you have to hold the stick in your right). Someday I'll add up all the flights to see the cost, don't think it was anywhere near $10,000 though. Dan

Around here $10k should almost get you your ticket. I wanted to take lessons when you could do it for $1k.

As far as daughters and airplanes, it's better to rent than buy.

Appleseed wrote: As far as daughters and airplanes, it's better to rent than buy.

The way I originally heard it (attempting to work around the filter) is:

"If it floats, f**ks or flies, it's cheaper to rent!"

ThunderCougarFalconGoat wrote: I've got a question for those of you working as a pilot. What would be a good college degree path that would help me land a flying job? (pun intended) I have the GI Bill available to me, and I would like to use it.

Based on my experience, I'd say get a degree you can fall back on when you get laid off from your flying job. I'm really only partly joking. I have an aviation-related degree, and had a heck of a time finding work when the airline I flew for went under in 2003. While I was flying, I flew with engineers, English majors, history majors, a chemistry teacher, 2-year degrees, you name it. I don't think most airlines care what your degree is in, although many (most?) want a 4-year degree. I'm sure some of the other folks here who are still in the business can give you better info.

As the father of two daughters, I can definitely say airplanes are cheaper. And give you far less drama!