Calling All PILOTS

[thedan]

How did you become a pilot? Do you enjoy it? What did you do to become one. Was it hard? Chopper pilots too.

Its just, I want to be a pilot, and really want to know what its like, and how you achieved your goals. And any quirks that come with the job. Thanks.

 

[crab]

I went to a local small airport, walked in the flight school and asked for an intro lesson. $25 for a 30min flight and I was allowed to fly. Continued at $75/hr, 1hr lessons, 1 lesson/wk for about 50hrs. Keep in mind, I was 14 when I started...

 

[MajesticMoose]

I'm not one but i know the local airport (all little cessna types planes) has a school for training. If you have one of those around, check that out. Even if they don't do it, they would be able to tell you who would.

 

[crab]

haha I know you...ya still don't take my advice, dan?

 

[thedan]

Originally posted by: crab453
haha I know you...ya still don't take my advice, dan?

LOL. I just read your post, looked to the right, and Damn. I'm gutless, and I don't want to fly a plane. I want to be able to fly a chopper!

 

[thedan]

TTT, I still like to hear from plane pilots, how did you achieve your goal?

 

[Quixfire]

I was trained to fly in the Navy. I learned to fly fighter jets, prop planes, choppers, and cargo planes. Didn't get to fly any bombers thought. Haven't pursed a commercial pilot job, wasn't interested in the field after I was out.

 

[Jzero]

I'm not a pilot but I my gf's father and brother and sister all have their private licenses.

One thing you can try to do if you're younger (high school age) is to see if there is an Aviation Explorers post near you. Explorers is a co-ed division of Boy Scouts that allows you to explore different career fields and they provide hands-on experience and training. The aviation division will help you learn about careers in aviation and will also help you get your license. They will provide ground school training for the written exam and they may also be able to subsidize your flight training. My gf's family was involved in a post which folded due to grossly inflated insurance costs, but prior to its demise, the post owned an airplane which the troop members were able to use for their training, and they also learned a good deal about small plane maintenance and ownership.
I highly recommend looking them up.

If you're serious about flying as a career after participating in the Explorers, you can actually go to college to be a pilot.

If you're older, check out flight training schools at your local airport. Someone probably offers chopper training as well. You can also see if a local college or adult ed. program offers ground school or even flight training.

 

[The Stigenator]

BeAPilot

 

[thedan]

Thanks for that, TTT!

C'mon, there must be some more pilots on AT!

 

[Bleep]

Well I learned to fly while I was in the army. I was able to take lessons for the amazing sum of 50cents a hour in a navion. I have owned a few planes and my favorite was a Pitts special which I used a lot until about a year and 1/2 ago when I had a little brain fart and cannot pass the physical to fly alone.
flying a plane is a very rewarding experience. Get a ultralite they are a lot of fun and cheap, teach yourself and forget the licience.

Bleep

 

[Yossarian]

If you can tolerate this guy's sense of humor, this is a good site for answers to practical questions:

How to be a pilot

I'm in the process of choosing a flight school right now. I had my 2nd demo flight today, it was a little disappointing because the instructor wouldn't let me land, unlike my first ride last week at a different school

 

[Liviathan]

I went to Be A Pilot...took an introductory flight.
Besides the flights, eventually you have to get books and study materials, I have no clue how much those are.
I really want to get my licencse, but I have this nasty golf habit I can't kick.

 

[ScottMac]

I'm a pilot. It's a wunnerful thing.

I'm currently grounded because of some meds, which is a bad thing.

Even if you can only afford one lesson a month, do it; eventually, you'll get a ticket.

The mechanics are pretty easy, take off is nearly automatic... steering, maintaining altitude, no sweat ... landings will make you sweat, but gravity helps out alot.

Learning the rules, learning "common sense," and practicing to do things the right way will take time .... but all-in-all, anything in the air is better than (almost) anything on the ground.

Go for it.

FWIW

Scott