Sport Pilot Talk

After 53+ flying years and a few thousand hours, I have decided to hang up my wings. I turned 70 in December and have been thinking about this for quite a while. Now is a good time to move on with a flying history of no infractions, no incidents, and no accidents. I have quit twice before, once for 5 years, and once for 7 years, so it's possible I will fly again when and if my passion for flying returns.

I have 4 or 5 hours left on my pre-paid account that I will use up in the next month or two. Then, it's on to other things. I have already given up sky diving, snow skiing/water skiing, drumming, drag racing, and now flying. It's probably time to spend some time with the wife doing some things that she enjoys. We will celebrate our 50th anniversary in August.

It's probably a good thing I backed out of the deal to purchase a SkyCatcher. My best friend has also quit flying and just sold his Mooney. It flew away last week to it's new home.

I had a customer who quitat either 70 or 75, but would treat himself annually to a one hour flight with an instructor on his birthday.

3Dreaming wrote:I had a customer who quitat either 70 or 75, but would treat himself annually to a one hour flight with an instructor on his birthday.

Or get a flight review every birthday in case I decide to fly again??

We all reach that point and it is good if you realize what needs to be done before someone else tells you

I have self grounded for the moment while I work my way through my second round of lung cancer. (Agent Orange = the gift that keeps on giving) But I do have a Flight Review scheduled as well a my first helicopter lesson!

If and when you get the itch, I’d be happy to let you take the controls of the Sky Arrow.

Good luck! You do have a lot of aviation memories to reflect back upon.

As I near 72, I realize that day will come for me too, eventually. I just hope I'm able to make the decision as gracefully as you seem to have.

Tim, it sounds like you've already made up your mind, but I'm in pretty much the same boat (75 years old, private pilot since 1964, ~3500 hours with some periods of not flying, no accidents, incidents, or deviations), and have decided to continue flying for the foreseeable future. I have my primary care physician test me for signs of cognitive deficit as part of my annual physical, have a thorough flight review every two years, and believe I can still fly safely.

AOPA Air Safety Institute has an on-line course, Aging Gracefully, Flying Safely, that I encourage you to take before you call it quits. It takes less than an hour and presents the issues related to safe flying as we get older along with ways to compensate for the inevitable results of aging. You just might change your mind. One of the points made in the course is that flying frequently helps you keep your edge.

https://flash.aopa.org/asf/aginggracefu ... flash.cfm?

My dad told me he would like to do some flying when the weather warms up a bit. He hasn't flown in about 12 years, because his airplane was damaged. Now that the airplane is back airworthy we will see how it goes. I hope to have my oldest son's private pilot completed by summer, so maybe him and grandpa can do some flying together. Dad is 85, and his flying career started 70 years ago.

As a side note to age and flying. I remember a story about Steve Wittman. For his 90th birthday he performed a low level aerobatic routine in his V-Witts racer for friends and family who had gathered to celebrate his birthday. That was a pretty amazing feat by my standards.

Thanks for all the comments. Currently, I believe my flying skills and cognitive abilities are fine. I would not want to jump in a twin and fly IFR, but VFR in a SkyCatcher is not a problem. I just want to quit while I'm at the top of my game and not sliding down the backside. I have also lost some of the joy that should come from flying. My budget is a little tight, but I have to start making mandatory withdrawals from IRA's that solves that.

I'll stop for now and see how things go and how I feel about it in a year or so. We will have the mortgage paid off before long that will also make a huge difference. Who knows, I may be back with an RV12 and a hanger.

Perhaps this would be a perfect time to run for office?!

Senator Tim Taylor (GA) has a certain ring to it!

Nomore767 wrote:Perhaps this would be a perfect time to run for office?!

Senator Tim Taylor (GA) has a certain ring to it!

Maybe if I lived in the Northeast.

TimTaylor wrote:Then, it's on to other things. I have already given up sky diving, snow skiing/water skiing, drumming, drag racing,

Didn't get around to Running with the Bulls, lion taming, or jumping the snake river on a motorcycle?

TimTaylor wrote:

Nomore767 wrote:Perhaps this would be a perfect time to run for office?!

Senator Tim Taylor (GA) has a certain ring to it!

Maybe if I lived in the Northeast.

Move here, and I'll help run your campaign.

WDD wrote:

TimTaylor wrote:Then, it's on to other things. I have already given up sky diving, snow skiing/water skiing, drumming, drag racing,

Didn't get around to Running with the Bulls, lion taming, or jumping the snake river on a motorcycle?

I didn't, but my son ran with the bulls. He pretty much traveled the world and spent 2 years in Sydney, AU getting his MBA. That's where $72,000 of my airplane money went. However, although it was not a loan, he ended up paying me back every penny over about 10 years.

drseti wrote:

TimTaylor wrote:

Nomore767 wrote:Perhaps this would be a perfect time to run for office?!

Senator Tim Taylor (GA) has a certain ring to it!

Maybe if I lived in the Northeast.

Move here, and I'll help run your campaign.

That sounds good. I already sent Bernie my proposed income tax plan.