Sport Pilot Talk

ajh60 · Joined: 21 Jun 2008 Posts: 11 Location: mass

What are (or was) your ages when you started your training.

CTflyer · Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 6:48 am Post subject:

First lesson was in June of 1972. I was about 24. CFI pulled a "no-no", and we made a hard landing in a carrot field. He was fired by the FBO, and his stupidity killed my early dream to be a pilot. Lessons in the C-152 were $10.

Lessons 2 to 35 started in June of 2005. I was about 57. FBO lies, poor instruction, constant stream of CFI's trying to build their own hours, and $200 lessons pretty much ended my dream (and my savings) completely.

Tom

Flyer1 · Joined: 07 Dec 2008 Posts: 2 Location: Waterford, Ireland

Took my first official lesson at 14. Had been flying with people since I was about 8, so I had plenty of stick time.

Doss79 · Joined: 30 Jun 2008 Posts: 108 Location: San Antonio, Tx

If you're counting the kinds of lessons that you had to pay for, then I will say it was when I was 27 (I'm 28 now). I had dabbled in some "flying lessons" much earlier in my teens when I volunteered at a local cropdusting strip. Two deaths there nearly made me quit my dream. I think every pilot has some kind of discouragement along the way (finances, family, fear, conflicts, etc) that makes them second-guess their training.

ajh60 · Joined: 21 Jun 2008 Posts: 11 Location: mass

CT-
Are you done for good? or flying something else

rsteele · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 261

I was 51 when I started. Looking around the flight school, I'd say the majority of students are north of 45.

Pawlander · Joined: 20 Jan 2009 Posts: 51 Location: Pawleys Island, SC

Soloed at 16, Private at 17, Commercial and Instrument at 18.

Flew regularly for a few years, then life happened and I stopped flying for 25 years. Just started again this year, at 55.

SkySteve · Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 8:59 pm Post subject:

I was 55 and very very glad I did it!!

tech10002 · Joined: 12 Jan 2009 Posts: 37 Location: Lexington, Ky

The first time I ever had my hands on the controls was when I was 11 years old. I took a sightseeing flight in a Bell 47 helo, and the pilot let me have the stick for a few minutes. I was hooked! At 12 years old, I started flying out of an Air Force aero club a couple hours a month. My dad is retired Air Force. I did odd jobs for my instructor to get her time for mostly free, and my parents agreed to pay for $100 a month of air time if I kept my grades up. Back in the late 80s and early 90s, you could rent a Warrior II for $32 an hour wet in the aero club. Those were the days!!! I moved away at 14 when my parents broke up and didn't fly again until I was 18 or so. I tried for my private then but ran out of money after 20 hours or so. Almost 15 years passed until a few months ago when I heard about sport pilot, and here I am flying LSAs hoping to actually get my certificate this time.

MikeM · Joined: 17 Nov 2007 Posts: 62 Location: Bucyrus, Ohio

I was 50 when I started training and I wasn't the oldest person taking lessons.

Daidalos · Joined: 12 Feb 2009 Posts: 132 Location: KHWV

I was 18 in 1968 when I took my fisrt lesson in a J3.... a wopping $19 for dual instruction. Solo was $12.

EppyGA · Joined: 23 Aug 2007 Posts: 48

I started in 1970 at the age of 19. Started in IL, then went into the Air Force and ended up in Arizona where I picked up until I had 17 hours. Family came along and flying was done. Started again last year about this time originally focused on SP. Got about 13 hours in and my instructor went back to Norway. Now had ~30 hours in so I decided to go on with PP as planned back 1970. Finished up in December last year. Only 38 years to get there!!

ka7eej · Joined: 28 Jan 2007 Posts: 177 Location: Taylor, Az

Started 1.5 years ago at 56. Had never flown anything before. Heard about Sport Pilot and started lessons in Mesa Az 3 hours away by car... After 5 hours of training I bought an Allegro 2000 in North Carolina and flew it back to Mesa Az with my CFI. My 6-26 hours were cross country dual!! I now have 70 hours dual and 20 solo. If my CFI had taught me how to land a LSA the correct way instead of the way a C172 lands I would have cut about 20 hours off my training time. Full flap, no power, stall it in, is NOT the way to lean how to Land an Allegro 2000. Some power and min flaps is lots better...Picked up that information here and on CTFLYER.com..Check ride is not far away now that the wind and snow are leaving Taylor in North East Arizona. Can't wait to take someone else with me. There is a waiting list!

Cub flyer · Joined: 10 Sep 2006 Posts: 593

Started real early. Soloed 16 PPL 17 Soloed a few days before my drivers test.

glyn · Joined: 12 Jul 2006 Posts: 120 Location: Texas

man, took my first flight at 13. parents couldn't afford it so i just begged for a ride and then begged for them to teach me something while i was up. straight out of high school went straight to the Army. while i was there i got a chance to fly in gliders, pitts, and GA aircraft. again by BEGGING for rides. after 3 yrs transferred to Blackhawks as a crew chief. didn't have time for airplanes but got a chance to learn to fly hawks, huey's and Kiowa heli's. 9 yrs there and i was about to go to school to be a blackhawk pilot and got full custody of my son.. that stopped everything.. had to have him first in my life. year later i started working on my private and haven't looked back sence. it's been a very rough road and i still beg for rides only difference is i am a pilot now.
all those years of begging really paid off. my private check ride was my 41st hour and passed. soloed with only 4 hours. granted my CFI was my cousin and he knew my background.
if you can. fly everything you can get your hands on and learn everything about that airplane or helicopter.